Re: [LM_NET] School Librarians Obsolete

[Paula Yohe <paula_yohe@YAHOO.COM>]

Lucky you -- I know of several high schools who have stopped doing research papers, 
etc.
  They have to concentrate on "curriculum standards" and these reference skills are 
not tested.....
  Makes my head hurt even more
  Paula
   
  

Maureen Irwin <msirwin@OPTONLINE.NET> wrote:
  David, As you describe the jobs a librarian does, yes, they are probably can 
be done by low-level clerks and computers. But it will be a long time before 
computers can do what I did today:
*thorough reference interviews with probing questions about what students 
were really trying to learn about as they started on their 9th grade 
English papers. I kept asking questions until they could articulate what 
they really needed. Then we searched the OPAC together as I instructed them 
how to reword their queries to eliminate irrelevant results. I reminded them 
about using chapters in books that were more general than their own topics. 
About using the index, and keywords in relevant portions to find more and 
better information. I then helped them examine the databases and develop 
appropriate queries, all the while encouraging them that this is NOT too 
hard, but it does require thought and hard work.
*Had I "taught" all of these skills when they were in the middle grades? 
Yes! But I taught it again today, and to at least 1/2 dozen kids who had not 
been in this school then.
*I conferenced with a teacher about the video commerical for her class--what 
worked and what didn't, and about using the output by her students to model 
one with younger students.
*I proofread the book review wiki, and set up a new page for its expansion.
*Many kids stopped by for help with tricky citations for their Works Cited. 
(Had we taught that in younger grades? Sure! Did they need to be reminded? 
Sure!)
*I ordered one particular book for immediate delivery because it would be 
"just right" for several of those aforementioned papers, and because I 
could, it will be "just in time" too.
*I touched base with the Latin teacher about her students' progress on their 
projects, and
*chatted with an 11th grader on his progress using a book I had found for 
him at the public library. (Trust me, he NEVER would have found it on his 
own).
*Then I attended and participated in our Curriculum Council meeting after 
school. I have had major input there as we try to delineate a more 
comprehensive research skills curriculum to integrate across the board.

Today was not an unusual day. I did do some repair cataloging, did 
troubleshoot the circ system, and did some menial tasks like help kids at 
the copier. But mostly I was engaged in professional tasks that could not be 
done by computers or clerks. I think I'm OK for now.

Maureen S. Irwin, Library Director
Rye Country Day School
Rye, New York 10580
msirwin@optonline.net

Any book you have not read is a new book. 

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Paula Yohe
Director Of Technology/Library Media Center
Dillon School District Two
405 West Washington Street
Dillon, SC 29536
Phone: 843-841-3604 Fax:843-774-1214
paula_yohe@yahoo.com
 
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 Get your own web address.
 Have a HUGE year through Yahoo! Small Business.

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