[LM_NET] High School level juvenile detention facility library program

[Catherine Williams <chwilliams_co@YAHOO.COM>]

Good evening-My question is directed to anyone who is
or who has worked in this type of facility. Having
retired after more than 30 yrs. from a large suburban
high school LMC (gds. 9-12, 1700 stud.) I have just
accepted a position in this special dentention
facility that houses 450-500 boys, gds. 9-12. The
environment and focus is very different since
discipline and behaviors are of the utmost importance.
Currently, for ex., students from a class get 2-3min.
to choose a book or 2 to read because only 3-4
students may be in the stacks at any time together.
Students do not have access to the I'net, although
that's about the least of my concerns at this time.
They also are severely limited in terms of using
newspapers and magazines unless articles are used for
reference purposes. These students  have not commited
capital crimes or major sex offenses but they are
guilty of many other felonies and there's a strong
gang connection. In many ways this situation speaks
more to Special Library dynamics than an ordinary
school library and I'm very interested in learning how
others have handled reference/research instruction and
projects, reader guidance, collaboration with other
academic teachers, general program development and
administration and/or any other relevant aspects of
communicating all of these areas. Thank you very much
for thoughts, ideas, and suggestions. Please reply to
me directly since this is such as specialized set of
questions. I'm looking forward to hearing your
responses and I really appreciate your help.
Catherine Williams
Teacher-Librarian
Ridge View Academy, a Denver PS Charter School
Watkins, CO
chwilliams_co@yahoo.com or cwilliams@riteofpassage.com

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