That's about like my students and teachers. I have a group of seventh
graders working on a Holocaust project. I asked their teacher to give me
some of their topics (or any topics that might be used) ahead of time. I
approached her with this information last fall, this spring, and as late as
before Spring Break. Nothing. Her comment..."if they can't find anything
here, they can use the bookstore for information." (What???)
Now, I have students doing papers on topics relating to "nurses in World War
II," "What did America know before the Pearl Harbor attack?," "Hannah
Senesh," and "children / youth who resisted the Hitler's Youth movement."
These are great topics. Do we have books? NO! Some kids need 5 books for
their topics and we have nothing available! I don't believe that these
students will find 5 books available on their topic at a local bookstore
tomorrow! (I've already called with some titles...no luck!)
Now, I am calling bookstores all across the city...nothing. (They can order
them, though!) I've checked for ILL possibilities...but they need the books
"yesterday." (Did anyone plan ahead???) Kids are saying, "that's okay,
I'll just check the libraries." I get online and show them how to check the
Fort Worth public library systems for books on their topics--many books are
already gone and some do not exist in these libraries. Some students are
even driving to the libraries with their parents and coming back to tell me
that the library didn't have any books...which is what I've told them by
looking online before they go! (Will they ever realize that librarians are
"super people" who know how to utilize online resources like public library
catalogs on the Internet? Saves time and gas that way!)
I have now gone to Amazon.com and ordered about 20 different books and will
have asked them sent by overnight delivery, so my students will have these
available. Notecards of titles are due on Friday...I could scream!! It's
like having 120 children who need a science project completed by tomorrow
and they haven't even started yet..."mom, can you help?"
I am so astounded by the attitudes that these people (students and teachers)
take toward the access of materials that I just want to stomp!
Lesson learned: I'm taking notes on the topics and I'm building the
resources for next year. If she won't get ready....maybe I can be the
"super librarian" and at least show the students how this stuff works!
Heaven help the bookstores near our school! This weekend will prove to be a
heavy usage time! (I can see them bringing their 4x6 notecards into the
store to take notes...that is, if they can find anything there on the
shelves...but then, I've already told them that the books aren't available.
What do I know?)
~Shonda Brisco
Trinity Valley MS / US Librarian
Fort Worth, TX
sbrisco021@charter.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Su Epstein" <SuE@GFACADEMY.ORG>
To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2003 12:58 PM
Subject: Teachers request Borders?
> Hello All,
> For those of us who find ourselves faced with classes that arrive
> unannounced and teachers who arrive at 8 am asking for our services at
> 8:02... AND for those who do NOT think that the local book store = public
> library - I share this horrifying tale:
>
> My husband (who has an MLS and just finished getting his teaching
> certificate in 6-12 Language Arts) works part time at our local Borders.
> The other evening a middle aged woman approached him at the customer
service
> desk to announce she was a teacher and ask if she needed any paper work to
> fill out to bring her class in the following week, as they were doing a
> history paper. She didn't understand when he said, 'this is a
*bookstore*.'
> She repeated her request - explaining that she had a class of about 20 and
> they would be working in the history section.
> She was quite irate when he told her they ~sell~ books -and that she
> should contact the library.
>
> Su
>
> Dr. Su Epstein
> Director of Library Services
> Greens Farms Academy
> Greens Farms, CT
> sue@gfacademy.org
>
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