Thank you for everyone who took the time to respond to my question.
It was very helpful, and I am moving ahead with drafting a new job description for
a library tech aide. However, it is clear that a high level of proficiency with
technology, and a professional expectation to constantly develop skills, must be a
part of every position in a school library. The original post and responses
follows.
Thanks again! Robin
Original Post:
I am looking at alternate staffing models. Does anyone currently have any staff
member employed as a "library technology aide" or some variation? This position
would not require licensure/certification, but would be a non-professional tech
support role; someone whose job description would require an elevated technology
component along with typical library aide responsibilities.
RESPONSES:
• all of the library utility aide positions
are part-time and do not require an advanced degree. i
help out with technology, but many of the other aides
are not very comfortable with computers/technology. we
do help manage the use of laptop carts, but also
perform typical library duties, such as checking out
books, fixing books, etc.
• My school has one certified school librarian, one full time position as
library assistant (staffed by 2 people at 50% each), one full time technology
facilitator (certified teacher although not in technology), and one 1/2 time
technology assistant (one of the people who works as a librarian assistant 1/2
time). Works great for us.
• In our school (K-5, 850 students) we've been through quite a few
library/technology aides. The problem we observed was that use of technology
started to really explode. As a results the technology end of the job required
more and more expertise.
What we found was that the person who knew enough about technology to be really
useful didn't want to be bothered with the "typical " library aide duties.
Conversely, the person who was happy with the library aide work, didn't usually
have enough technical experience to do the trouble shooting, printer
configurations, and other technical computer stuff that we needed.
As of now, we have a set-up that is working very well. We have a separate
trained computer person (2 yrs. technical school) and two part time library aides
who also spend time as classroom aides working with students . The library aides
time in the library is scheduled for our peak book exchange times and then
they spend the rest of the time assigned to classrooms. If they are not needed in
the classroom ( which is not often) they return to the library to help out. We
also have a parent/community volunteer program which helps alot with re-shelving
books, etc. However, you can't rely on volunteers all the time, so don't let
admin. think this is viable alternative to a regular aide.
• We have exactly such a position. The person we have in this position is
awesome.
• We don't have anyone in that role explicitly. This year, we added a layer
to our tech support in the district in the form of a non-professional
"Help Desk." His office is in the library, and we use him a lot because
we have 22 desktop computers and 12 circulating laptops. He can even be
scheduled to attend a class when you are trying out new technology, or
anticipate problems with an application.
I hired my Assistant because she is a bit of a jack-of-all-trades and a
very quick study. She is good with AV equipment and has learned general
trouble shooting routines for computers, but she also acts as a
circulation clerk, processes books and manages supplies.
• Subject: RE: Target: Library Technology Aides? YES!!!
OPINION: It is nice to see that some library media centers are trying toget back on
board as the information / media / technology centers of the school. Too many
libraries have let the technology departments run away with all the budget money /
have free reign on what is allowed / not allowed / accessed /not accessed when we
are supposed to be the professionals. It has been our own fault. State
associations, like the one in New Jersey for example, have been too interested in
aligning themselves with the AASL (CORRECTED not ALA) (and the lobby) instead of
forging an all encompassing essential "media" role in the school - in my
opinion a step backward (no political lobby needed when you are really effective).
School librarians (media specialists) have been too
interested in cataloging minutia or book appropriateness etc. rather
than managing the big relation the library should have with all "media" and the
entire school / district. So many library budgets and facilities have been
withering on the vine and cut out as a result. A "technology aid" or "Media
Technician" is an essential position that every high school and middle school
should have and I congratulate you (and any colleague) for exploring such a model.
In my opinion, this position MUST be part of any effective library media center.
• We have 6 elem. libraries that now are run by "lib tech aides". They
previously ran only the libraries and each their were additional comp. aides in the
labs. Then the libraries were closed for a year and the tech aides were let go.
This year the libraries reopened, but now the poor ladies have to be in charge of
the computer lab (which is sometimes located at the opposite end of the building)
and the library. They had to enter all the students names into a database to
obtain grades and another database for math testing practice, etc.. I think I can
obtain a copy of their job description if you wish.
• Hi. I am starting a new job Monday at the PCIS (Plymouth Community
Intermediate School) in Plymouth. The library has technology aides in the library.
Their primary responsibility is to man the computer labs attached to the library,
but they don't do any library-type work. If a major tech. glitch occurs, I step in.
Otherwise, they run it. (That's the way I understood the job description to be.)
• I have a separate aide that handles the library work with me. They are
regular paraprofessionals.
• I have a library tech aide; this is a new position for which a job
description has not been written.
My tech aide helps with setting up and troubleshooting equipment and showing
teachers how to work equipment.
She also does everything my library assistant does.
• Our circulation person is actually a computer lab aide. We have 20
student access computers and we are an open school - students are not assigned
study halls, etc. So our log on per machine is 3 times that in the labs.
Therefore we decided we could really use the extra tech help for students. All of
this came about because our previous person was a computer geek and those skills
were always in demand.
To give you perspective, we are 9-12, 1400 students, 2 LMS, I
circulation person, 1 library clerk (civil service), 1 part time aide.
• Just a word of caution--watch what you ask for. Don't let your
administration think the library could run on less expertise. When I
retired in June of 07, the administration decided that my salary could
best be spent elsewhere. I had absolutely no say in this. In fact, when
I asked about a budget meeting for the 08-09 year and submitted a
budget within the deadline, my requests for a meeting were ignored and
acknowledgment of the receipt of my budget was never received. Thus a
curriculum "media" coordinator with no library experience is in charge
of the library and the school's curriculum and the library is run by a
paraprofessional whom I trained to sub for me when I was ill or at a
conference. A paraprofessional library technician was hired to take
care of circulating computers, and cameras and maintaining same.
• I have said this for years
Any technolgy support for instruction in the schools
should work for the media specialist as part of the
media center staff.
Many media specialists have alienated themselves from
this position...
There are technology specialists, reading specialists,
literacy coaches, and more which make me angry. The
best person to facilitate all of those roles is the
media specialist.
But now we have the "Literacy Closets" -- which take
up an entire classroom and stock it with books for
teachers to checkout for their classrooms -- duh --
Then my other "favorite" topic -- Reading First -- put
books in the classrooms and bypass the media center
and by golly -- don't catalog those materials -
because the media specialist will want to know what
happened to those books --
I have seen classroom libraries created because there
are media specialists who don't want kids in the
library unless they are doing "real" research or they
won't let kids check out books because they owe money
for them -- -- or the kid can only check out 1 book,
or let's see - how about sending home special
permission slips to check out library books
Meanwhile the school gives the kid a 35.00 textbook --
did they ask permission to do that? If the kid loses
it -- do they pay for it?
And some media specialists flip out over a 10.00 -
15.00 book -- give me a break...
Now back to technology -- as I have asked many times
on this listserv
If your principal had to chose between the media
specialist and a technology specialist -- what are
they going to choose?
If it isn't the media specialist -- you had better
rethink what you are doing.....
As I have also said many times --
what kind of barriers is the media specialist creating
--since they have not been seen in many cases as a
technology leader --
So now we can get to filtering --
our reputation is that of "anything" goes -- we are
against censorship -- filtering is a bad thing -- CIPA
is wrong -- I stand for intellectual freedom -- we
must teach kids -- not filter them --
yea right -- while I believe in the tenets of
intellectual freedom and censorship --
I go back to this -- would you put Playboy in a school
media center???? How many media specialists put away
the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue --
but mention filtering -- and oh my gosh -- the world
as we know it is coming to an end --- and we go
bonkers --
what happened to having a discussion on what is
appropriate materials for various age groups --
no our reputation blocks many media specialists from
giving input on the filtering....
I am blessed that I am the Director of Technology --
and I spend more hours than I should on Internet
access -- but I straddle both groups.
I listen to technology directors and try to get them
to listen to reason -- and most of the time -- I get
hit back with information about the nasty media
specialist who doesn't want any filtering,,,, etc,etc.
Then I can go to a library meeting -- and I try to
point out the issues involved with being in charge of
technology and what do I get -- the technology
director is inflexible - hard to get along with, etc.
I sometimes forget which group I am with because it
sounds like the same story from each side....
If the media specialist wants to have an active role
in technology -- don't wait to be invited --
do it your way --
have a training session during planning periods,before
school, after school, workdays, whenever -- and show
teachers something they can use right now and have a
product in 10 minutes....
You will win friends..
Now someone is going to say -- they won't come --
right they all won't but one or two will -- make sure
you show them something really awesome --
that they can go back and tell their friends about ---
word travels fast....
it will take awhile but you will start seeing friends.
Put together a short technology tip --
just one and send it to all teachers --
start a webpage -- and put the tips on it ...
teachers can go back and find them
And they don't have to be library tips --
at first use tips that they can use such as putting
graphics in Word --
then the next tip --- where can I find "free" graphics
for teachers...
next tip -- Changing the default font in Word ---
Next -- how to create a template --
start with easy things
then you can throw in tip
create a quick bibliography for use in your classroom
and on
it takes time ---
it will not happen in a day --
but you cannot give up and you can never say you have
too much to do...
Dont forget alot of people think -- "us library
people" sit around and read all day -- we don't know
anything about teaching ---
Make yourself indispensable to teachers and they will
fight for you -- and if you take the initiative --
make some gestures to the technology department --
don't start with filtering or other controversial
topics
offer this kind of help -- offer to keep extra
keyboards, mice, monitors and you can get them to
teachers --
offer to check if a teacher has a printer problem --
I do not want the media specialist to be the computer
technician -- but I do want them to be the go to
person --
Make some friends by offering small services to help
the technology department --
You can make it a win - win
You can make friends with the teachers and the tech
department -- but don't ever bash the tech department
to teachers --
trust me -- teachers will tell.....
carve yourself a niche and you can make the niche
grow.
Keep trying -- we have to win this --- and be the
technolgy - information - reading - person in the
school.
or we could vanish.....
• In my particular school, as we added more technology (laptops, document
cameras, projectors, digital cameras, laser printers, "Smartboards," scanners, etc.
we added more personnel to help us. Each school in our district now has it own
technolgy assistant, who reports to our principal and the district head of
technology. His/her sole job is to make sure all of our hardware and software is
installed, maintained, and working properly I am fortunate, as our school
librarian, to have previously worked as one of these tech assistants. My knowledge
gained there helps me greatly as librarian because I am also required to teach
computer skills to all of our students on a daily basis.
Robin Cicchetti, LMS
Concord - Carlisle High School
500 Walden Street
Concord, MA 01742
rcicchetti@colonial.net
Robin is currently reading China Road, by Rob Gifford
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