Thank you all for the useful responses that I received about how to deal
with hordes of students in the library for study halls. Below are the
responses I received.
Kathryn Turner
MS/HS Librarian
American International School of Guangzhou
Guangzhou, China
kturner@aisg.edu.cn
The first thing I would do is lose the terminology "kick them out." I tell
my students they have made they choice to leave and now (with a big smile
on my face) I'm "inviting" them out the door. Somehow that makes me feel
less like Simon Legree and more like an advocate for the students who
really want to be in the library for its intended purposes!
I also work in an international school library. I definitely identified
with your email because I preside over the library after school. Often
student come to socialize or because the school doesn't offer enough
activities for them.
Yesterday I had to ban 3 students for a week from the LMC but this was
because they were horsing around. Basically, the library is not a place to
come if it's only for boredom's sake.
Lately I've been getting the disruptive students in the afternoon to help
me catalog, shelf books, or do book repairs. Yes, this takes time but
sometimes students also want the adult attention.
****
I tried to have a "library" atmosphere here for about ten years. We have
no free periods and no study halls and I often have over 200 students
before school and during lunch. I was tired of always being the grouch and
administration wanted to "improve the atmosphere" in he library, so I just
gave up. I put in comfortable seating, a latte machine, allowed food and
putting feet up on the furniture (all things that students in a college
survey indicated they wanted in a library). I intervene if they get really
rowdy or do anything I think may hurt themselves or someone else. I think
we are all happier now. The students approach me more often to help with
research now that I am not in a bad mood all the time from dealing with
"misbehavior." I would feel bad about not preparing them for college
libraries, but the ones I have visited lately have food and coffee bars
and group study areas. It may not work for you, but option 2 has worked
here.
****
I have a very similar issue. Here, students *are* assigned to a study
hall, but can come here and I must take attendance for them hourly. I take
up to 25 kids per class period, with exceptions (more students, of course)
during senior finals week, regular finals week, and other "special
schedule" events. I, too, feel that I end up babysitting students most of
my day; I'm the only adult in the media center and I'd guess that 75% of
what I should be doing to help students & teachers isn't getting done. I'm
not allowed to kick kids out of the media center (I was last year, but
apparently the admin didn't like that), so now I assign detentions to
students who come in and disrupt others. If their detention goes unserved
for more than a week and they're study hall regulars, then I tell them
they can't come back during a study hall until their detention is
served.?(Sorry for the rant!)
I'd love to see what other responses you get-maybe some ammo to take to my
administration (though I've been trying for two years!).
****
At one point I was being abused (yes, this is abuse -- what other teacher
is expected to supervise that number of kids!) and I did 2 things.
1) Broke out the video camera and just filmed the sheer number (I had over
150 in a room with 100 chairs) -- kids sitting on the floor, milling
around, etc... Kept cutting back to the maximum occupancy sign on the wall
-- get the hint PEOPLE!
2) Once that message was successfully received, I started an advisory
(that's what they were calling it) signing with 40 lines -- once that was
full, no one else could come in. When I got static, I pointed out that the
average teacher class load was 36 so I was exceeding that by 4 students.
If they wanted me to supervise more that the classroom teachers, then they
needed to either put another adult in the room or come up with another
plan.
We eventually settled on 40 as a reasonable number for any one teacher to
supervise during "advisory". :)
****
Yes, it's been an issue for me, too. However, I only sweat the big
stuff...class skippers!
I have an agreement I drafted for kids who are assigned to me for study
hall and for those who are off campus. Basically, they agree to be
working, not disturbing, etc.
My biggest problem are teachers who just send kids to the library to get
rid of them, and the skippers.
While I'm glad to have such a popular hangout (my circ stats are HUGE for
a HS) I also have problems maintaining a proper library decorum. Like you,
I resent being a disciplinarian, especially when I know that the teachers
aren't willing to do the same so they send them to me to be their
"jailers."
I try to get to know each kid really well...I'm in a school of 650, so
it's not hard. When they get really out of hand, I tell them I will
call/email their parents....they know I will, as many of them are my
friends. It scares the crap out of most of them. Their parents know me
well enough to know I'm only looking out for their interests and want the
best for their kids.
Like I said, though, the teachers are usually the biggest violators....so
I send out emails (probably 4 times a year) reminding them of my "pass
required to be in the library" "send only those kids who want to work, not
kids you want out of class because they are disturbing others" and,
finally, that the "library is used by other classes, and space is
limited." I've had up to 4 classes using our computer lab and library at
the same time!
****
Start making the kids come and request a pass to use the library during
their study hall periods. They then have the teacher for whom they will be
doing the work sign it so that when they present the pass to get into the
library during their study hall you know WHAT and for whom they will be
completing work.
Kids come get the pass, or they can be available through a teacher. Kids
fill it out, teachers sign in and then they kid hangs on to it until they
come to the library at which time you collect the pass.
THEN you will need to keep up with the various assignments and their due
dates so you know if and when a kid is blowing smoke.
Now, this is contingent all on "buy in" from your staff and the fact that
the kids without passes do have some place else to go.
I would sell this as a way to really help the kids that need the extra
help and to ensure that the library and YOU are available to the teachers
and those students that are in class you would like some help to make this
work. I would explain your idea for crowd control and as for input on
tweaking or working it out so it is manageable for the teachers.
Sure you are there for the kids, but the ultimate reason for there being a
library and a librarian on the campus is to support the curriculum, to
ensure that teachers have the resources they need to deliver!
****
When I was in high school over 40 years ago, we had study hall in the
library, but I thought that practice had gone the way of the 8 track tape.
And even then there was a study hall teacher or two, and the librarians
were not responsible. How can you do this and help students do research,
etc. Wish I had more to offer, but I'm elementary so I'm not up on the ins
and outs, but it sounds so 40 years ago!
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