I just read Jacquie's post to LM_NET and had been thinking about making the same
post myself, but she did it more eloquently and succinctly than I would have! <G>
I, too, have been weeding and finding problems filling the holes. Like she said,
these are books that are and were well-used (I don't feel so bad when it's a book
that has had little or no use) and it does make me wonder about the future. I am
at a middle school and at this age boys read primarily non-fiction. I have always
felt it is my responsibility as the librarian for students of this age to make sure
that what they are reading or doing research from is current. Students don't think
to look for copyright at this age and I'm not even sure at times they understand
what it means-- even though it has been gone over with them every year since second
grade! LOL I also have been thinking like Shakespeare when I know that there is no
replacement. I have to do a second and sometimes third look at a book before I
pull it because I know that there probably isn't a replacement. The hardest hit
area that I have found is the 300s and it is also one of the most popular areas!
Grrr... For a while I though that the series on professional sports teams were
also gone, but with some help from LM_NETters I was able to find series to take
their place. They were from a publisher that I knew nothing about but worked out
okay.
Now the other issue that comes into play while weeding is the lack of funds. I
normally have $10-12,000 a year for my book budget. This year it was $4,500 and
next year is looking at $0. I am in a state that does that does the majority of
the school funding and it is making deep cuts into educational spending in an
effort to balance the budget. Unless the economy turns around the following year
looks even worse. So, now what do I do? Weed books that are out-of-date or leave
them on the shelf because a) there are no replacements being published and b)
there's no money to purchase the non-existent replacement? These are dark times
indeed.
Linda DeVore,
Media Center Director
Casa Grande Middle School
Casa Grande, AZ
linda.devore@cgelem.k12.az.us
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