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Here is my original post:

"I am a new media specialist moving into a library with an outdated
Reference and Nonfiction collection. The former media specialist only
left me with about $1500 to spend until January. What I am finding is
she spent most of her money on fiction materials buying 5-10 copies of
award winners for a school with less than 500 students. This is great
for language arts classes, but I am interested in making the library a
place to do quality research across the content areas. I have a couple
of questions on how I go about doing this. First of all, should I focus
on spending the rest of this year's budget on nonfiction materials and
hold off updating the reference collection? Secondly, what are the must
haves for the reference collection in a middle school? And finally, once
I buy the materials how do I get the staff to use them?"

I received several responses. Most of you suggested I familiarize myself
with the curriculum before purchasing anything, either by looking at the
curriculum map or by talking to the teachers. Another popular suggestion
was to ask the teachers for their opinions of what the library needed.
Thanks to everyone that responded to my email! Here are the responses I
received:

When the new materials come in, have a morning coffee!
(And if staff have not been using older stuff, feature
that as well). Advertise as "something for everybody"
even if you have to stretch to find materials for PE
and art.

Ask for time and/or space at all faculty and
department meetings. Take prof books one time, mags
another, and whatever seems appropriate. hit on those
teachers that seem most approachable to have them talk
up your materials and services.

At many schools, multiple copies for LA classes do not
come from the library budget.


The best way to get the staff to use them and to know what to buy that
will be used not just look great on the shelves is to go to your staff
and ask them. Ask them how you can serve them. Ask them what is not
currently in the collection that they would like to see there. Let them
know that you are working, in essence, for them as well as with them and
that you want to provide quality materials for assignments.
 
I can just about promise you that they will thank you for it, and that
it will be the beginning of a great relationship with them.
 
That is what worked for me 10 years ago when I took over a k-12 media
center much like what you're describing here. When I left this past
July, I left a staff who knew that regardless of a $3,000 budget they
had the materials that they needed. All they needed to do was let me
know what the need was.


One thing you may want to do is an introductory letter/survey saying
that you are looking to purchase books for this year and next (when does
your school year end, btw?), are there any books or topics that teachers
think are lacking or need to be updated that they might want to
use..then they could list topics or titles for you. That way you can get
an idea of some of the curriculum/research topics that are focused on
and maybe even get the collaborative ball rolling. Once the materials
come in you could do a little showcase, invite the teachers in to have
bagels & coffee or other snacks check out the new stuff that THEY
recommended.  When I did this so many teachers came up to me to talk
about upcoming projects or things they had done in the past and I even
scheduled some class visits at that time. The food was a HUGE hit and
made me popular from day one.


I would send out a wish list to the teachers.  Ask them what subject
areas they would like to see beefed up - ask for specifics - not just
science but maybe books on planets or elements etc.  It's the same as
the kids having ownership - if the teachers feel that their needs count
and are being met - they will come.


Ask the teachers what materials they need to increase the test scores
for the Leave No Child Behind Act.  Look for curriculum mapping and see
what is used there.  Ask them.  Buy for those that respond as they will
be the ones that will use the materials anyway.

The non-fiction area isn't used here at all, only fiction, and only
fiction that has an AR test available.

This is a MS/HS library.  I buy for the HS level as they will use the
materials for their research papers.

Create interest in the non-fiction section.  Have the kids recommend
subjects they want books on and have a drawing or something.  Winner
gets to pick the subject.


Congratulations on your new position!  I am going to start by suggesting
that you familiarize yourself with whatever electronic reference
resources are available, if any, at your school.  If you do not have an
online encyclopedia available -- and by available I mean that the kids
will have enough computer access to make good use of it -- I recommend
that you buy the World Book encyclopedia.  Our students use both the
online and print versions all the time.  So that's your must-have.  Over
the last several years I have worked on getting the encyclopedias used
by introducing the 6th grade reading teachers and resource room teacher
to an encyclopedia scavenger hunt (not ideal, but it was a place to
start), getting time in their computer class to introduce them to world
book online, and worming it in to any presentation I made on anything
for which consulting World Book could possibly be relevant.  It took a
couple of years (this is the end of my third year), but I did actually
start to see students consult it voluntarily. Have the kids pick them
out.  Create ownership!

I divide up my budget purchasing lots of NF books to fit curriculum
needs.  I have purchased paperbacks for some little used topics.  I try
to update a little in every subject area every year.  I use the Best
Books lists to help.  I also know which topics we have projects for
every year.
As to reference I have World book and New Book of Knowledge.  I buy one
set every five years, but not the same year.  Thus the refernce area of
the budget can be used for sets about mammals, space, music, etc.
various years.
I never buy duplicates unless by mistake.  My duplicates are paperbacks.
 The students like these.
I do let the teachers know what we have.

If the state has learning standards that dictate which topics are taught
for each course and grade level, I'd compare them to the collection make
the weakest areas my top priority.

As for reference, I'd start by making sure that I had the most up to
date versions of an unabridged dictionary, thesaurus, world and U.S.
atlases, and a desk reference.

If there were any funds leftover, I'd wait until I met the students and
teachers to decide what else had to be purchased.

Use your best librarian instincts, and whatever you choose to buy will
be the right thing.

You have an interesting dilemma.  My personal preference would be to get
nonfiction books and work on reference later. My reason for purchasing
nf as opposed to ref.,would be that you could reach more students and
the reference books can only be used by a few students in the library
and are very expensive I would also think about databases, as you can
reach many more students.  Don't get me wrong, I love books and
reference material but I find that my student's continually Google.  I
have worked very hard on getting kids to use quality databases that have
been reviewed etc. so that the info would be written at their age level
and credible.  I find that they will use the databases with the proper
instruction and push.  


Probably your first move should be to get a good idea of the
curriculum for your school. Find out what research projects have been
done and are likely to be repeated.  Also, make friends with the public
library folks--if your collection is not up-to-date, chances are your
kids have been using the public library.
Your next stop should be Wilson's Middle and Junior High School Library
Catalog. You may be able to consult that at a public library (or from
another school in your district or area); if not, it may be the first
thing you should buy with what you have left. It will provide highly
recommended titles for that age group arranged by Dewey numbers, with
subject indexes as well. It's the first place I go when I find that what
my kids really need is not on the shelf.
Every four years, a new clothbound volume is published covering some
4,500 recommended titles. Each year for the next three years, a
paperback supplement is issued covering newly published titles. There is
an online version as well, but I do not subscribe.

http://www.hwwilson.com/print/mjhscat_faqs.htm

Kelly Stanchfield
Northridge Middle School
Library Media Specialist
482 W 580 N
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
Phone: (765) 364-1071
kstanchfield@nm.k12.in.us

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