TARGET: GEN: Schools with and without librarians -- scenarios

[Rena Deutsch <renadeutsch@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>]

"Imagine what life at your school would be like if you didn't exist"

An article in the December 1993 issue of School Library Journal, entitled
"It's a Wonderful Library" is my favorite PR piece to give anyone who
wonders why schools need libraries. In this article, the librarian (Angela
Page, librarian at Liberty (NY) Middle School at the time of writing) writes
six scenarios and shows what happens without a librarian and with the
librarian  in place.

For example, scenario #1 concerns a sixth-grader who comes to the library
looking for information on Harriet Tubman for a report.

Without the librarian, the student uses the card catalog, sees two entries
in the catalog (that the librarian entered before she disappeared). Both
books are out, so the student gives up and leaves the library.

What happens "With the librarian"? The librarian shows the student the
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Biography, as well as eight articles in
the magazine index...

The other scenarios concern:
(2) a student teacher taking a class in children's literature looking for
"book guides"
(3) the student guidance counselor interested in ed. research and articles
on ADD
(4) a teacher whose students are poor readers and have no library skills,
who wants them to come to the library
(5) students who need to read a book of historical fiction for their English
class
(6) a parent who wants a book removed from the library shelves because of
inappropriateness.

I would like to update these scenarios to use as part of a PR piece for
school and district administrators.

I would appreciate your sending me scenarios and possible conclusions with a
librarian and without a librarian.  The scenarios should suppose that there
is a library in the school (even though we know that this is not the case in
many small or elementary schools), even when there isn't a librarian.  I
would like to get as many scenarios for elementary school as high school
(since I am not in elementary school and have no direct experience with the
needs of students and staff there).

I will compile a hit.

Thanks!

Rena Deutsch, Librarian
High School for the Humanities
New York, NY
renadeutsch@worldnet.att.net

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