Friends,
Thank you for all of your help.
Here are the responses I received below.
I am not sure to what extent you are thinking, but my department head is
the head of technology. She is not a librarian but all district
librarians are under her direction. I am new to the district, so I'm not
sure if there was a library department head or how that was organized. If
this sounds like what you are looking for, e-mail me back and I'll find
out more if you'd like.
We did just this, this current school year. It has been interesting and I
would be happy to share some experience with you (too long for an
email). We see good and bad. If you would like to discuss this, please
feel free to call me, or send me an email with specific questions.
Also, take a good look at the Tech. link for The Germantown Academy
(outside Phila., PA) www.germantownacademy.org (I think). To me, this is
what we should all aspire to! But they are a private school, very
affluent area, etc. We are a public school, etc., etc.
Do you mean at the district level or within your school? We got a new
library director last year but we were also put under the MIS
department. The new director is a technical person and knows nothing
about libraries. She splits her time between MIS tasks and being our
director. Bless her heart, she's doing the best she can but since she
knows nothing about library she has an uphill road. I think many
districts are doing this but I can't say I think it is the best or even a
very good way to go.
Having just had another frustrating mini-staff meeting I can tell you that
whatever you can accomplish towards meshing the tech with the library is
heading in the right direction. My media managers also act as computer
techs supposedly before and after school - paid differently and supervised
by someone else...This distinction is lost on staff and students as they
just want their printer or computer or book when they want it and it all
comes from the same individual. This is a small enough district that we
all see each other a great deal and happen to work well together, but
there is this distinction between tech and library that is awkward and
inefficient. We have suggested a "help"line for centralizing computer
questions esp. during the school day and requested more tech staff, but so
far little progress. A committee is a great first step!
When computer networking began in the county, schools several years ago
(before my time) the school librarians were given the major additional
duty of serving as the school network administrators. They manage user
accounts and passwords for teachers and students, teach inservices on
using the network, and are the first-line troubleshooters, referring
things they can't handle to the district technology center for the roving
computer techs to deal with on their weekly visits. In most of the
elementary schools the librarian is also the technical instructor in the
Mac lab, working with the classroom teacher.
As of this year three of the larger campuses with multiple schools have a
resident computer tech based at the high school but helping at the middle
and elementary schools as requested by the librarians. Our district has
five high schools, three middle schools, and twelve elementary
schools. The high and middle schools are running a Windows 2000 network
with all workstations running windows 2000 Pro. Those libraries use
Spectrum. One elementary school is a Windows NT network with Spectrum and
Win 98 on some classroom machines, NT workstation on the rest. The
remaining elementary schools have Winnebago, a Novell Netware 3.2 network,
and classroom computers running Windows 98 or the IBM Schoolview system.
I can tell you one thing that has been an absolute disaster in our
district. Hiring a coordinator for both departments that is not a
librarian. We not only lost a position that advocated for libraries, but
the only person involved in the budget process who knew what to ask
for! No one but a librarian fully understands what libraries and students
need. It has caused great tension and animosity in our district of 20
elementaries, 7 middles, and 3 large high schools. Whatever you do, get an
experienced librarian with a technology emphasis rather than vice
versa. Our previous library director had worked long and hard to establish
an exemplary program in this district, but it is slowly disintegrating
because of a lack of leadership.
This is my experience: Your committee will start out strong, so try to
form a structure quickly. After a few months, interest fizzles. Every
faction has its own interests at heart, so designate an impartial leader
for the meetings. We used our Business manager, as our committee was
district-wide. All Principals were invited & 4 teachers per building. We
divided our district members into: Stuff Committee- They oversee and
collect equipment/software requests and funds available and devised a plan
for ensuring distribution equity within the district. (This is crucial to
avoid favoritism)
Staffing Committee- This group looks to divide responsibilities. Ex: Who
mans the computer lab? Who will house the LCD projectors, teach the
inservices? Who will be the web master? Who will be the AV person in each
building? Is there overlapping of duties or a gap?
Curriculum Mappers- This bunch look at the big picture. How are we best
serving students? Who will teach the students to use technology and what
grade do we start? Can we require teachers to attend inservices before
using the technology with students?
We still have some unresolved bumps in the road - but this was our
approach and it was very successful.
I would be interested in what you decide. Since moving to my current
position where the library and Educational Technology Center are basically
separate, I have been wanting more integration. If there is anything you
can send my way about your process, I'd appreciate
it.
My fellow librarian passed your e-mail regarding the above topic on to
me. What type of integration are you talking about? Do you mean
combining your computer services with the library or something else? I am
asking because I am the chair of the Library and Technology Department at
my school. This means that I am in charge of the library and oversee the
computer, journalism and yearbook curriculum. If this is what you are
talking about I am willing to discuss it with you. If you are talking
about the technical day to day operations - we have a completely separate
computer services department. Please feel free to contact me.
Thanks again for your help.
Sandi Morton
Middle School Librarian
Friends School of Baltimore
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