Re: >I have been following the thread on overdue books in secondary
libraries.
Some of you have posted great ideas, but....
1. Our kids claim poverty and won't pay fines.
2. Some families consistently lose books.
3. Your faculty must cooperate to restrict access to the library or add
points to an assignment.
4. Our faculty would never agree to restricting participation in sports and
clubs.
5. Many of our parents are either apathetic or hostile when sent a letter
from the school.
I wonder if you could adapt some practices that are done in some of our
elementary schools, but you would probably need the cooperation of teachers.
Starting in K, but also in older elementary grades with ESL population, new
students are permitted to sign out books, but at first must keep them in
their classrooms so that the books do not leave the school building (could
‘Home Room’ teachers help with this?). In effect, the students get to
‘practise’ borrowing books. Students are taught the borrowing procedure and
there are reminders of ‘the best place to keep your book at home so you
don’t lose it;’ parents receive a letter explaining the loan period, how to
share reading with their child, how to help their child remember when the
book is due (with our high immigrant population this is really necessary).
After some time students are permitted to take books home, with another
reminder letter to parents on borrowing privileges and the importance of
home reading. It is all done very positively as a learning process – it is
not just about “rules.” However, if a student forgets their book, they
cannot sign out another until they bring the first one back. I realize all
this is about early training in good library habits, but it sounds like many
of your secondary students need to go back and learn the basics. Perhaps you
could adapt some of these ideas as new policies starting next school year.
How about rewards for ‘most improved borrowing record?’
Lesley Johnson
Surrey School District #36
Surrey, B.C., Canada
HYPERLINK "http://www.sd36.bc.ca/"www.sd36.bc.ca
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