My thanks to all who responded to my request for descriptions of appropriate
media aide responsibilities. Per many requests, following are some of the
responses to my request:
Some duties your aide could do:
stamp and cover new books
check in books
check out books
reshelve books
bulletin boards
dust
record grades in grade book (if you have to keep grades)
make copies
answer phone
boot up computers
pull books for teachers
My para only works 3 hours a day so these duties keep
her MORE than busy! Also, I would suggest starting off
right away making sure each understands their
role/position (without offending, of course)! It's not
a good idea to have your para "watch" a class or have
any duties involved with teaching students. Usually,
this is illegal anyway and it also gives the aide the
impression that they have more authority than they do.
My para was already at our school before I joined the
staff and it's been hard when she does things she was
allowed to do before, like disciplining students. Of
course, if she sees/hears a student misbehaving and I
don't, I do expect her to correct them or let me know
about it but she is often quite harsh with them (this is
how the previous librarian was with the students). Even
though we have different roles/positions, I NEVER
undermine her in front of the students and they know
that they have to listen to her too. Good luck!
--------------------------------
Tara,
I have a unique perceptive because I have been both a media assistant and am
now
a media specialist. You must remember that you work together. Your assistant
does not work for you. This respect and team work will bring you wonderful
relationship that promotes loyalty. You need a person that is self motivated
and
willing to learn. My assistant is wonderful, she enjoys her job, the
children
and our always changing environment. We do monthly themes and have soft
music
playing. Students sometimes stay too long, but they enjoy coming to the
media
center. I love my job and respect and appreciate my assistant. We work
together
to accomplish all that must be done!
---------------------------------
Your job as the professional is to be the professional and you
will do all the teaching parts of the library program, from planning
curriculum, and writing lessons to delivering instruction. You
will also plan how the library will be organized and classify
the books. You will also determine check-out periods, the rules
the students will follow while in the library, and select all
the new materials and equipment. Your aide should do the routines
at the circulation desk, help get new materials ready for circulation,
reshelve books, keep the library neat, and dust. The aide can
also be trained to do basic maintenance on the equipment, such
as, cleaning the overheads and replacing lamps. The aid can also
help with creating overdue notices.
--------------------------------
Tara, first of all.....do me a favor. Call your helper an
"Assistant"....not
an "Aide"? Don't mean to sound snotty, really. It's just that if you were
in an "Assistant's" shoes, wouldn't you rather be called an "Assistant"?
It's just something about the word aide.....it's like chalk scraping across
a
blackboard to me.... =o).
As far as responsibilities, it's between you and your assistant. You need
to
sit down and write up a list of responsibilities that you want her to handle
and hand it to her on your first day together. It helps the assistant to
know what's expected of her the very first minute of your working
relationship. I would assume that there is no set-in-stone rules for what
responsibilities an assistant is supposed to have......just those that you
want her to have.
I have been very fortunate to have a wonderful librarian to work under for
the past 10 years. Although, she did not have a set list of
responsibilities
for me to start with; and I had to just dig in where ever it looked like she
needed my help. I did a lot of observing and learning that way. For a
short
while at first, it was like trying find my way in the mire. =o) She wasn't
the boss-lady type of person...take charge type, if you know what I mean.
We
have just kind of settled our way in to different procedures in the
libraries
that we took on as our individual things to do.
My duties are: checking books, equipment, in and out w/ computer
organizing the picture books, NF shelves
Assisting students in their research
Assisting in research on the computers
Attending to the Patrons' info. in the computer
Removing patrons
Beginning of the Year change up of Homerooms
Adding new patrons info.
Student behavior in the library
Assist teachers in finding items
Minor cataloging of the books (such as removing weeded books, correcting
errors found in cataloging, etc.)
Cataloging magazines and general care of magazines
Help Librarian with end of year inventory
Make an end of the year status report.
_________________________________________________________________
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