LM_NET: Library Media Networking
On July 21 I posted this message: What do you see as the biggest, most
critical challenges facing ourmedia/technology profession?
For the sake of starting a discssuion I believe they are:
1. the widening gap between media specialists and information
systems/technicians'
2. the continuing need to communicate our programs to administration,
school boards, and high education
3. The continuing need to "break out of the box" and provide programs that
meet the needs of today's learners and the expectations of staff
The responses are shown below:
__________________
In light of some postings on LM_NET recently, it seems
to me that a big problem is hostility between librarians
and teachers. Fortunately, this isn't a big problem at
my school but I've seen some where it is and many people
that have posted on LM_NET seem to despise the teachers
they work with/for. We were taught in library school
that one of our primary duties as an LMS is to support
the teachers/curriculum. I don't want to start the
whole issue of librarians who taught in the classroom
first vs. those who did not again but, I do whole-
heartedly believe that this problem is not a problem
when the LMS has been a classroom teacher. The LMS
completely understands how hard/stressful the teachers'
jobs are and the teachers sense/believe that because
they know the LMS "has been there." That is not to say
that when an LMS has not taught in the classroom, the
problem is guaranteed to exist either. I agree with
your other issues that you stated in your posting.
(please don't use my name/email address if you post a
HIT, thanks)
Folks have forgotten our NEED for sharing and community. The
repercussions are deep, dimensional, and harrowing.
__________________
I haven't posted in quite awhile. It's been an incredibly busy year, but
this question is one that I really have to respond to. This year was my
second in my library at school, and it has been exhausting. I have literall=
y been working myself to a standstill. My first year, I came in all gung-ho
and full of advocacy issues, and the ways and means to achieve them. And
guess what? I got EVERYTHING that I asked for. Everything. This year I
spent dealing with my good fortune.
The one thing that I had not anticipated was having the other librarian who
had been working at our school 3 days a week leave. When he left, there wer=
e no other trained librarians available. His position was filled with one lon=
g term substitute after another. I would no sooner get one trained in, than
they leave and I would have to start all over. The way the schedule read,
this should have been an easier year, but in reality, the work was unending.=
The final gentleman would work 9 or 10 days and then take a day off. Becaus=
e he was a long term substitute, I was stuck. Plus, by the time I challenged
him the administration felt that it was so late in the school year, that we
would have little chance of getting another individual who could handle the
kids. This gentleman also felt that any unscheduled library time was his to=
hide in my office and do what he chose. If I train in another individual,
they will be given set job expectations at the outset. Even though I would
email him a list of tasks to be accomplished during this time, by the end of=
the week, I still found him using library time for his personal business.
We're talking 1 1/2 hrs. over his planning period. He also couldn't run
overdue notices, mend books, etc. It was too hard. Very unprofessional.
What do I think our greatest challenges are at this point? Lack of qualifie=
d professionals and institutions to train them in. Lack of adequate time for
dealing with the nuts and bolts of properly running a library. I can't
complain about my funding, I had at least $80,000 invested in the library
last year. We added 5,000 new books, 9 new computers, a poster maker, an
artwaxer, a new professional library with gorgeous furniture and new books, =
a reading area with comfortable furniture.
Can't complain about my schedule this year, either. My principal who has
been unbelievably supportive, is allowing the library to go to flexible
scheduling this year. Crossing my fingers and knocking on wood at this
point. It hinges on the addition of Writing Specialist to fill the teacher'=
s planning periods, and a para-professional to check out books in the library.=
Without the addition of these two positions, the program will not come about=
. Even with the addition of these positions, if I don't get an individual who=
is willing to do the work, it will turn into a nightmare.
I have been working on a PowerPoint Presentation for the past couple of week=
s so that I can present the concept of flexible scheduling to our team leaders=
on August 6th. I am hoping that our teachers who wanted to do research unit=
s last year but were unable, will support us in this venture. Wish me luck.
__________________
Good list. Re #3, a definitive and concrete option for this would define
it to others and students quite well. A suggestion is a middle school lib
and infor skills course entitled The Library Experience: Sharing the
Responsibility. Infor availa at: http://www.CambridgeStratford.com
__________________
The biggest challenge I see is getting funding for libraries. How can
districts build or begin a school in an old building with no plans to put in
a library. I just applied for a job, which thankfully I didn't get, at a
school that is three years old. It was established in a building that had
been surplussed years ago and now reactivated. The collection after three
years is 1000 books for 970 students. Half of the books are more than five
years old which means most of them have been donated by somebody or other.
The school is supposed to be for the academically minded students who plan
to go to college and don't want a sports or arts emphasis - just the
academics. WITH NO LIBRARY!!! What kind of thinking is that?
__________________
1. A large part of that is from the differences in training/preparation for
those positions. Also, comparing an educational position vs. a
non-ed/support. One that, like every other part of the school, is competing
for a share of the same budget pie. One that often is not increasing on a
per student basis. And is supporting the entire instructional process
Also might be interesting to look at some of the various learning domains
http://tip.psychology.org/domains.html and how they function in our schools
IT domain is different than MS, we don't need Assembly Language to do our
job, they don't need to know the selection process. But we should know (a
short list of examples), and be able to teach to, a modicum of HTML and
other presentation venues, developing templates, building formulas in
spreadsheets, navigating Search Engines, databases, directories. A strong
argument could be made that every teacher should have similar skills. And if
we don't, who is going to teach them?
2. Sort of ditto above. If we don't do it, they will. And I'll bet the FFA
or shop classes or the elem PE 'Jump for Life' group could come up with a
much more engaging presentation for the SB than we could.
3. Whole grad programs, not to mention doctoral dissertations look at the
change process and leadership in educational settings.
Actually, it is not just the MS that needs to look at this. Consider those
that will not look at the research on effective teaching, review the studies
of various learning programs and paradigms, or map their teaching to the
curriculum.
__________________
I agree with you and would like to add that collaborating with other
teachers can be a challenge as well. Even if, and that is a big "if", the
administration give you the time to collaborate, the teachers are often
skeptical and do not realize how much the school media specialist can help
them. Integrating the library into the curriculum requires cooperation with
teachers and administrators. It is definitely a win-win situation for the
teachers if they take advantage of it. Frequently we have to 'lure them
in'- to allow us to help them! It is a challenge!
__________________
__________________
Mary Alice Anderson, Lead Media Specialist , Winona Middle School
1570 Homer Road Winona MN 55987 Phone: 507/494/1050
School web site: http://www.winona.k12.mn.us/wms/index.html
Personal home page: http://www.winona.k12.mn.us/wms/teachers/manderso.html
Media tech page: http://www.winona.k12.mn.us/wms/wmstechnology/index.html
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