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I also got rid of the library's vertical files at the end of the second year at my last school. The majority of the materials contained in them were actually documents that were taken from the Internet---the kids had done research on specific topics and the previous librarian accepted their copies afterwards to be placed in the vertical file for future research. (?) Most of them were outdated or were from questionable sources, and some were even faxed copies of magazine articles that were sent from the area university library to our school's library (ILL)---which, I explained was a violation of copyright law since our library had taken the individual student's copy that was requested and filed it (or even copied it) for placement in the library's files rather than purchasing the magazine being used for future research. After I had purchased several online databases, updated the print collection in the areas of research on the topics covered, and offered links for student research assignment (webquests or pathfinders), the vertical file went "untouched" for a year---and it was eliminated completely. Only one teacher complained that the materials were gone --- but she was reassigned the following year to another subject area and would not be using the materials she had grown used to seeing documented on the yearly assignments, so no one missed the materials. The only things that were kept in files for use by the students were related to Texas history or local clippings but very seldom were these even used later due to the resources online. I think the best resources that might be kept for vertical files (if I had continued to keep them) would be maps--such as those found in the National Geographic Magazines or those requested from different states, countries, etc. We had a small collection of those and some poster sets at the university level (separate from our university's map room in the main library) which the education majors would use for presentations and projects. Those were our best circulated items in the vertical files. And just a side-note for those who are interested in keeping vertical files and are looking for resources of unusual materials (if you have the staff members available to catalog all of those items), the Educator's Progress Service, Inc. http://www.freeteachingaids.com/ has several titles that list organizations and companies that offer free or inexpensive materials for instruction on a variety of topics. These guides are not inexpensive or free, however. They range between $35 - $45 per catalog, but for those resources that unique or rare, the catalogs contain some great things that you can obtain free of charge / inexpensively---it just takes a letter or sometimes a quick download from a website---unless it is a kit, a video, or DVD. At the university level, we had the entire collection of catalogs and would create an up-dated vertical file of unique resources by writing to the companies for their materials---however, I had a staff of 7 doing this on their "down time" in the library. If you're interested, you might want to order one catalog OR visit your local university or college to see if they have these available for review (they'll probably be in reference). ~Shonda Shonda Brisco, MLIS US / Technology Librarian Fort Worth Country Day School Fort Worth, TX sbrisco@fwcds.org -------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/sub/ LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html --------------------------------------------------------------------