In New Jersey, we had an association called the Educational Media
Association of New Jersey for library media specialists. I do not know
the details, but the name was changed to the New Jersey Association of
School Librarians. I was told that they wanted to align themselves more
to the ALA. My gut feeling is this was the wrong move -but who knows, I
could be wrong. All I know is that a high school library media
specialist - in order to stay relevant must know more than managing
collections and on-line databases - we, in my opinion need to be
completely familiar with all that technology can offer and deliver and
more...from web site development, video, streaming video,
videoconferencing, fundraising, community relations, RSS feeds,
television broadcasting, educational media production, and the list goes
on and on. There must be inroads into taking the ground and funding
back from well funded technology departments, and this can only happen
if media specialists keep out front - and not revert to the familiar -
and state conventions must not resemble gatherings that look like
retiree or almost retiree conventions. These gatherings must seek out
cutting edge education and dynamic presentations that help keep us out
front and on top - keep our skills and knowledge up to and ahead of
date. Will the ALA help provide this? Or, rather should we be attending
and exploring other more international and more technical conventions.
I think the way to not only survive but to prosper is to see that the
"librarian" part is only a piece (shrinking?) of our job, and by NO
means the whole thing. In Japan, I have heard, our functions belong to
administration. I think this makes perfect sense for the USA and should
be strived for. I direct these thoughts toward the high school level.
-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Melissa Techman
Sent: Samstag, 7. April 2007 21:42
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Follow-up to Peter's comments - break away from ALA?
What if we started a new group - something like TLA - Teacher Librarian
Advocates - and our focus was solely advocating for our profession? We
could still belong to ALA (or not), we could still be leaders in our
schools, and we could still be doing excellent jobs. However, we would
not be relying on (or should that be waiting for?) ALA to tell the
public who we are and what we do. We could have low dues and they could
initially all go to pay for the big PR message that needs to be on TV
and in newspapers, etc. "If you know how to judge what's valid and
what's hype in a world of information overload, thank a Teacher
Librarian", for example.
For all the good things ALA is and does, there is one important area in
which it has never excelled: promoting the importance of librarians to
the public in a way they understand. Advancing the profession in a way
that leads to better salaries, more opportunities and a well-understood
"brand" seems to be beyond ALA's abilities.
Several of my professors mentioned this problem in my MLS program in the
early 90's!
When my father started an early version of distance learning for
economists and govt. ministers in Eastern Europe (late 80's? early
90's), he hired someone with an MIS degree to manage the delivery of
information - he didn't know he had other choices!
When I was in the public library and I heard of a state's "Educational
Media" organization, I thought it was an industry group that produced
instructional videos!
I think that low salaries, mystified consumers, library closings and
budget cuts all point to the fact that the important message has yet to
be conveyed.
Grassroots movements, super collaborators, spokespeople/practitioners,
curriculum writers, etc. are necessary but not sufficient to produce the
results we need.
Until we have a big, clear message that reaches the public in a big way,
I bet we will be revisiting this whole topic again and again and
again.....
And the ALA website will still be telling us how to speak up in our own
little ponds and how to contact legislators and if that was all that was
needed, it would have worked by now...
Melissa Techman, MLS
Broadus Wood Elementary School,
185 Buck Mtn. Rd,
Earlysville, VA 22901
434-973-3865
mtechman@k12albemarle.org
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