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Hi!

It seems that things are coming full circle again.  When I first started as a
library/media specialist classrooms in the junior high had lots of
paperbacks, etc.  Then they moved out of the classroom and into the library
.... now they are starting to appear back in the classrooms again.

When we made the transition from a jr high to the middle school we brought in
one team of "elementary" teachers for one of the sixth grade teams.  They
brought their class collection and their "elementary" look.  Carpets, cluster
tables, etc.  This look seems to be moving up into the 7th grade classrooms
and the classroom collection is also moving up into the 8th grade.

Yesterday the English Department chairperson asked me what my stance was on
the classroom collections that are being added in the classroom.  What she
should say to teachers concerning them.

My reply had several branches:

1.  As long as they realize that their students still need the skills that
are taught in the library/media center and bring them for projects, etc. I
have no problem with the paperbacks in the classroom.  The library would
still supply the fiction titles for those classrooms that do not have a
"personal" collection.

2.  If the majority of fiction titles that they are placing in the classroom
fill the need for fiction ... I will be able to concentrate more of my funds
in the non-fiction area of the library which is badly in need of updating.  I
would still purchase any title recommended by teachers to be added to the
fiction section,  any titles which are considered the best of fiction in a
current year,  recommended titles from conferences, and acceptable titles
recommended/requested by students, etc.  So the fiction would be kept current
but perhaps not get quite as many titles as usual.

3.  We have been working very hard with our public library (which is in
walking distance if they have a double period) to form a good working
relationship.  We have been bringing large collections in to supplement our
collection... for example when an entire team wanted to read biographies that
fit certain criteria we brought in added titles from the public collection.
The pub libs come in and do programs, booktalks, etc.  (They also attend our
district library mtgs and sit on several of the district's planning
committees.  It's great.  People are hearing from someone outside the
district about libraries and their needs.  It also helps that many of these
librarians are also parents of students in our district!)

One of the English chairs concerns came up when I pointed to the area where
our collection of fiction books are shelved.  The size of the area diminished
greatly because we weeded the section and discarded any book that hadn't been
checked out for ten years (unless it was a "classic" or there was another
reason for keeping it).  Basically the books that are left are the ones the
students have been checking out for years anyway so I didn't see it as a
problem.

I guess my question to you is.... am I on target?  Do you agree/disagree with
my view on purchasing/updating non-fiction since so many fiction titles are
available in the classrooms, public library, and bookstores?  (as long as I
maintain good fiction each year)

Thanks for your input.
Jo Anne Collins, L/MS
Van Buren Middle School
Kettering OH
jcollins@kettering.k12.oh.us

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