Liz-
This is inspiring! There is a lot to think about here. Thanks - Perhaps Dr. Bishop
can begin a new career and consult!
David
-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Philippi, Elizabeth (Liz)
Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2010 10:58 AM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: LIBRARIES OBSOLETE
Hello Naomi and David,
I am normally a "lurker" on this list serve, but I feel compelled to chime in on
this observation/discussion.
I work in Spring Branch ISD, located in Houston, TX. We are not a large
district...only about 34,000 students, we are a mix of upper middle class to very
poor transient students, in other words we reach both ends of the socio-economic
range.
Now down to what I really wanted to say. I have been a school librarian for almost
27 years, the past 9 years I have worked as the library systems administrator for
the district and while doing that have had the rare privilege of working with one
of the most visionary, forward thinking library directors I have ever met. Dr.
Barry Bishop has led our district through budget cuts, financial hard times and
good times. We have seen our district go from the simple use of email for
communication to the advent of opening Facebook for our teachers and students to
use for project creation and collaboration. During this time Dr. Bishop had the
forethought to prepare all of the "WILLING" librarians in our district for the
coming technological changes. We have conducted an online learning program for our
district librarians, teachers as well as librarians throughout the state of Texas
that explores Web 2.0 tools using the "23 Things" model created by the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg library, to date we have had almost 1,000 participants. The
important thing here is that we started this online professional development back
in the Spring of 2007 because Dr. Bishop recognized the importance of these tools
in our teaching and learning process. We use Skype in our libraries and classrooms,
our students are building electronic portfolios using the web 2.0 tools we have
taught teachers about. The bottom line is that our district now recognizes
librarians as the key to teaching our teachers how to use and integrate technology
into the curriculum AND our jobs are safe. We were proactive, not everyone one is,
this doesn't mean that we can't start now and keep the movement going!
Yes, we will always have books, but we need to see the books as a peripheral part
of the library and not the focus --- the focus now should be technology, in all its
forms!
Sadly, Dr. Bishop is retiring this year, but hopefully the new director will
continue to act a visionary for our district and our librarians. As Naomi says "now
it begins......
Liz Philippi
Library Systems Administrator
Spring Branch ISD
Houston, TX
713-251-1771
713-365-4330 (fax)
elizabeth.philippi@springbranchisd.com
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-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Naomi Bates
Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2010 9:25 AM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: LIBRARIES OBSOLETE
I think I've started about three times on this email to counteract what you said
David, but every time I wrote something, I look back at what you've read and start
deleting because I have to agree, somewhat. The only thing I can say in opposition
to what you've stated is that perhaps, as a whole, you may have something there,
but I do believe there are many "pockets" of school districts and librarians who go
out and are leaders...who advocate, teach, and are an example. Call this a grass
roots effort, but it has to start somewhere.
I'm just curious - who are the technology leaders in the great big world of
education? Is it the teachers? administrators, campus or central office?
regional, state or national levels?
School libraries are only as obsolete inasmuch as the amount of effort a librarian
has in putting his/her area of expertise, be it physical form, knowledge, or
virtual, on the forefront of their campus and district's attention. And then it
begins...
Naomi Bates
Northwest HS Library Justin, Texas
TASL chair-elect, Texas Library Assn
nbates@nisdtx.org
817-215-0203
http://www.nisdtx.org/120820731141528687/site/default.asp
>>> "DiGregorio, David" <ddigregorio@TENAFLY.K12.NJ.US> 6/3/2010 8:46 AM >>>
LIBRARIES OBSOLETE - Many or most school libraries in their present form are
obsolete. The failure of library media specialists to take a leading role years
ago in technology and new ways of disseminating information has displaced huge
amounts of money. In addition, there has been a huge failure in adding and
diversifying services. We should have perhaps 20 years ago taken a leading role in
technology and communications, but most librarians decided to remain within the
comfort of the known. Our libraries could have had everything - technology,
communications and of course books. I fault many of the state and national
associations that cling desperately to the old. They have rendered school libraries
as "Anhängers" - and that is why many are closing in light of these tight budgets.
There has been NO strategy and zero forethought. It reminds me of the stiff
geriatric leadership of the now defunct Soviet Union!
David Di Gregorio
Supervisor Library Media Services
Tenafly High School
19 Columbus Drive
Tenafly, NJ 07670
201.696.8062 CELL
201.816.6617 DESK
ddigregorio@tenafly.k12.nj.us
www.librarymedia.net
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