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A few weeks ago I was informed that my library book money for this year and next was to be redistributed to each classroom to purchase about 3000.00 worth of books for each of the 9 classrooms grades 3-5 in our elementary. After some angst, a meeting was set up with the literacy coordinator for the program and principal, superintendent, treasurer (the usual suspects). I found the meeting very disturbing. So I am asking the collective intelligence for input. I will certainly post a hit but I think at some point it really needs to be a discussion for everyone in the School Library Community. The litracy coordinator explained that the program would place extensive classroom libraries in each classroom. Her reasons were the ususal. Too difficult for teacher to get students in on a flexible schedule, not enough books, some personality problems with aides, I am sure many of you have heard them all. I tried to counter each point with a counter point. Although we are a fixed scheduled school I was willing to double up classess so that the majority of the day would be flexible scheduled. I pointed out that classroom libraries become stale very quickly, theft and loss are greater, genere is not a good way to organize a large quantity of books and of course, you also know all the counter points. Here is what I find disturbing. I did some research on the literacy collaborative movement. It really does leave the school library out of the loop! I ask the everyone i the meeting how you could have any literacy movement in a school district and leave the library out of the loop? The literacy collaborative is being supported by some major universities including Ohio State. I tried point out that the school library is the literacy center of a school. But this program ignores the school library. How could our national organization allow a major literacy inititive to ignore the school library. Maybe I have misinterpreted the program from it's website and maybe this teacher has misinterpreted the program. But given the number of postings about setting up libraries by genre and/or level (a major practice with literacy collaborative) I have to wonder what's going on? Should I be concerned? How many other literacy inititive have done the same? And with all the state studies out about the efficacy of school libraries why aren't we seen as the literacy centers of the school? Shouldn't AASL be on top of this trend and be contacting these groups to integrate to make sure the school library is seen as a major player in literacy improvement? Becky Vasilakis District Library Media Specialist Amanda Clearcreek School District Amanda OH rshull@greenapple.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. 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/ * 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------