[LM_NET] Subject: advocating for our libraries/librarians

[Elizabeth Fox <keokuk@CASCO.NET>]

I think this is a good topic...I am fairly new to LMNET (joined last spring,
after a 6 year hiatus) so don't know how much this has already come up, but
I think the 6 topics that Paula brought up are really good "talking points."
My experience is strictly from a school library....

1. Budget Crisis?  Well, let's see...we have ONE Media Specialist in our
school district, who oversees Media Assistants in 12 different schools
throughout our county. This is because money is too tight in our district to
pay for more certified staff, especially when they are not considered
classroom FTE.  Now we are fighting to keep the MA (a low pay classified
position) in the schools - one school has their elementary MA for only ONE
hour per DAY.  The rest of the time they are working with truancy issues,
special ed, and kindergarten. IS this because of the lack of public/parent
support for libraries?  NO - it's mainly a school-by-school budget decision.
Even though the district mandates each school have a STAFFED Media Center,
there's no minimum.  SO - here's the rub: teachers who believe that the
libraries can and should be run by volunteers.  During the budget meetings
at each school, TEACHERS are the ones who recommend to the administrator
that media budgets be cut.  Making ourselves indispensable members of THEIR
team is of paramount importance!

2. Purchasing materials: how many of us in education take a look at the
curriculum needs and/or ask teachers for "wish lists?"  For those of you -
like me - who are also your building's Tech Rep - are you asking the staff
to provide you with a long range goal of their tech needs?

3. When someone comes to you with an idea -- do you listen to their idea and
try to help them fulfill it or do you try to put your spin on it?    I am so
so so guilty of it...sometimes I'm so busy thinking of a  favorite book to
tie in or some personal story that relates, that often I don't really "hear"
what the other person is saying.  I find it works better to listen and then
later approach the person with "I was thinking over your great idea and got
inspired and...."  I do a LOT of this via email, so I have a paper trail I
can track.   This year I'm going to try to make an outline of all the
staff's goals/ideas - at least in information literacy - share them via a
group email.  Doing this garners more support AND appreciation, because it's
really hard for teachers to see the big picture of what you do and how many
people you answer to.

4. Do you feel overburdened and unappreciated?   Boy howdy - YES I
do...EXCEPT by the KIDS, and to me, that's the Best Feeling, anyway.  I am
our school statewide testing coordinator, as well as tech rep, and media
assistant.  If it wasn't for my Nerd Squad and Book Police I'd be in a world
of hurt.  

Last week one of our teachers - without asking me first - emailed a bunch of
parents and asked them to fill in the library for me so I could work one on
one with her students throughout the year.  I felt like "criminey, she
thinks a trained poodle could do this job, doesn't she?"  As much as I think
volunteers are GREAT (I've given over 2,000 hours to my kids' school
libraries over time as a volunteer) I think we all have to think carefully
how they integrate into our libraries, and what the staff perception is of
our jobs.  Do your teachers think your library could be run with volunteers?

Sorry this is so long, but I do think it's a great topic - We have to
advocate for our libraries and ourselves!
Elizabeth Fox, Media Assistant
Newport High School, Newport, OR
keokuk@casco.net (pm)
Liz.fox@lincoln.k12.or.us (schooldays only)

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