Your comments:
"I was removed from the academic council, told I was subordinate to the
director of technology and pretty effectively silenced in any effort to
participate in the direction of the school. (yes, I am looking for a
job.....) Today I received the minutes for the academic council's last
meeting wherein they decided that they will mandate summer reading for
all of our students."
This is a situation where you, as the librarian, are not valued. Your
input into the summer reading or your professional advice is not being
considered or even asked.
You stated that you were looking for another job which says a lot. I
understand your frustrations, as I have been there myself this year.
When librarians are stripped from their professional duties and are
considered less than teachers-- in my case, "comparable to the office
staff or cafeteria workers, who interact with the students during the
day but who do not have direct impact on the curriculum,"--- then this
gives you a big indication of the philosophy of the school.
My advice to you (and others in this situation) is to find another
school that values you as a professional. There are too many schools
looking for great librarians who want to make a difference. This is a
school that doesn't care about their library program or apparently the
librarian. You may decide to stay, but I will guarantee the next issue
you will have will relate to your health--both physical and mental.
It's not worth it.
Find a school that wants to use your professional talents and move
forward. Don't waste your time with a group that does not ask for your
input and does not value you as a part of the team --- even though the
temptation to assist others is there, they haven't asked and don't
intend to do so. The hardest part of being a "pro-active" librarian is
that you want to assist in these areas because you are the one who is
trained to do them (especially when it come to reading, information,
etc.); when your school administration ignores you as a vital part of
the system, they speak volumes about the significance of the school
library and the role of the librarian. If you choose to stay, your role
within the school's curricululm will diminish. In the end, you will
become a "keeper of books" and a "babysitter" for those who want to do
the important duties of education.
Stay professional. Remove yourself from this bad situation immediately.
~Shonda Brisco
Trinity Valley MS / US Librarian
Fort Worth, TX
briscos@trinityvalleyschool.org
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