I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to respond to my
query. There are many great ideas I have posted here (minus names). I
especially like the one where returning library materials is part of the
staff check-out along with turning-in keys, etc. I have some great
"food for thought" to rectify a frustrating situation. Thanks, Sara
We check out books for as long as they need them, up to the end of the
year. Before they can leave for the summer the administration has a
checkout sheet that has to be signed by various school personnel:
accountant for receipt books, secretary for keys, AP for final exams,
and the librarians to sign that all items have been returned. If a
teachers wants something for the summer, (long term faculty, not new
teachers) they are required to bring the item in so it can be checked
out again. (I want to see the items, and know that they still have
them...I do not "roll over" items because they have them at home and
don't want to carry them back...gee....it's one trip a year)
We tell them that we need everything returned for inventory because we
have to file a state report on holdings, missing items, ect. We must
actually see the item to count it as inventoried. It works for us.
Faculty can be worse than students in this area! I find making a list
of faculty who owe books to the library and sending the list to the
entire staff through e-mail works...
We let faculty keep a book for up to 20 weeks. There seem to be few
over the years that have difficulty giving these "loaners". In general
most are returned without excessive aggravation.
We send a "Materials Checked Out" report at the end of each semester,
and
tell the staff that we are just checking our records with them...
Works
pretty well for us... We want them to USE the items, not KEEP them
permanently!
Explain that you need to do a complete inventory each year so
materials
need to be returned. Remind them they can check the items out again.
It's on the teacher checkout sheet for the end of the year. They have
to come get my signature saying they are clear.
It sounds as if you might have to have some administrative support on
this. Perhaps you can share the problem with your administrator. Be
sure to not "name names" - but discuss the problem in general. they
may
be able to institute a policy. For instance, at my previous school,
teachers used to have to get "signed off" on various items in June.
There was a check list that had to be initialed by the principals
secretary. The checklist included: __ exams turned in
__ class registers turned in
__ keys turned in
__ Library books returned. (Librarian must initial this
So - perhaps that can work.
another tactic might be to get his/her permission to "invoke his/her
name". You could send a memo to folks saying something like this:
"Mr.
So&So is concerned with the number of library items missing or lost in
our last inventory. He would like to tighten up the book circulation
policey. To that end he has examined statistics on books that are
lost/missing/overdue for lengthy periods from both the students and
the
faculty. He has requested that I send notices to all faculty and
students who have items that are overdue more than (2 months, 3
months,
6month - whatever). I must give him a full report by _____(date).
Please help by returning these books at your very earlies conveniece.
Thanks for your help"
Once the situation is in hand again - perhaps just continuing to be
pleasnat but persistent will keep the situation more manageable.
Teachers are such pack rats aren't they?
If it's materials relevant to their teaching
responsibilities, we suggest that the item be
purchased for the department. We will show that in
the catalog record. If need be, we might purchase
additional copies for circulation or reference.
If the materials are just for personal use, we check
out to teachers for 6 weeks (3 for students) and would
send overdues. If the item is in-demand we include
that the item is on reserve for someone else.
Yes, we have a couple of regular offenders and we
don't push.
In my experience, the best support is that of the principal. An
authoritative announcement, or private mention will work wonders.
Unfortunately, not all principals will see this as an issue. However,
armed with a list, and replacement price of materials, you can usually
prevail. Never mind "shrew." Books are expensive and meant to be
shared by all. Those who want them for their private collections should
buy their own copy.
Every spring, we print out of Follett a list of teachers' checked out
items & put it into their boxes. The note reminds them that they are
welcomed to keep whatever they need until the end of the school year &
that we would appreciate having whatever they have finished with as we
prepare for inventory. We send out an e-mail a week or so later asking
them to be sure to let us know if they are needing to keep anything over
the summer so that we can note it on the list we turn in to
administration. At the end of the year, we turn in to our office a list
of teachers that have not yet cleared and the things they have out. We
do not check/initial their final list of things they must have
done/turned in before they leave for the summer unless they have either
turned their things in or accounted for them.
I figure that it is then an administrative matter; that keeps it
business-like & out of the personal wrangling area - I don't have to
beg, cajole, threaten, or whatever. Of course, your administrators will
need to be on board, as they should be.
I check out print items to teachers for one month. I give them
reminders in the form of overdue notices printed from Spectrum. I simply
tell them that other people want to use those materials also. I found it
to be more of a problem at the elementary level when I was there. You
could tell them that you need everything back for an inventory then
start checking our for a reasonable length of time. Our district has a
check-out list at the end of each year. I asked to have myself on the
list so I sign that all library materials are in before they leave for
summer. Administrators tell us we can't have our final checks until all
areas are initialed (room repairs, keys turned in, etc.; however, we all
know that's a bluff because our checks are direct deposited, so it
doesn't always work with everyone).
Sara Johnson, IMC Coordinator
D. C. Everest Senior High IMC
Schofield, WI 54476
sjohnson@dce.k12.wi.us
--------------------------------------------------------------------
All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/el-announce/
LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------
LM_NET
Mailing List Home