Re: [LM_NET] The obsolescence of librarians

[Sara Kelly Johns <sarakellyjohns@YAHOO.COM>]

Hear, hear...thanks, Toni, and all of you for the stimulating discussion that has 
kept me from getting real work done on my vacation when I had a block of time to 
concentrate. I really mean that thanks; I'm not being sarcastic, I did concentrate 
on what is happening in our world. 

We need to reflect on what we have done in the past, what the needs of our students 
and staff are now, and what they will be in the near future (our skills at research 
give us an edge at that). Long-term projections must be vague. Information delivery 
is moving too fast. There are studies that show that college students (Richard 
Sweeney, LAMA/ALA) prefer libraries that are flexible (furniture can be moved as 
needed), loaded with technology and look like libraries (Doug Johnson's comfortable 
spaces). I think that is true for school libraries, too. 

I have always said I have the best job in the school and one of the reasons is that 
it is always changing and I have to change with it--which is fine with me. I've 
never done the same year twice...there's always a new challenge, a new principal, 
new staff to "educate" about the value of collaborating with a team member who is 
their librarian, a new school goal to re-shape what my program needs to be, 
population shifts, great books chosen just for my students to share with them in 
some traditional and some new ways, excitement, and more excitement.

Thanks for your reflections and the advice from some experts; both will help us all 
focus on what we are doing and how we can do it better,  Sara Kelly Johns

Toni Buzzeo <tonibuzzeo@TONIBUZZEO.COM> wrote: Like Paula, I have been trying 
mightily to keep myself out of this 
conversation as I prepare for my trip tomorrow to San Antonio for 
TLA.  But e-mails keep pouring in and they are all so interesting.

I want to respond briefly and say that I agree strongly with four of 
my colleagues here, Joyce, DougJ, Bob Hassett, and Mike Eisenberg 
(and so many others of you I can't keep up with as the replies pour 
in).  COULD we become obsolete?  No doubt we could.  Will we become 
so?  That depends, and it depends on what we do next.  Not NEXT as in 
next year but NEXT as in NOW.

Mike has laid out a plan for what to do NOW.  Doug has laid out a 
plan for what to do NOW.  Bob and Joyce have talked about the need 
for "retooling."  If, in fact, we keep in mind that we are educators 
who are in our schools for the specific purpose of increasing student 
learning and achievement (most particularly in the areas of 
information literacy and reading) then I believe that there is little 
chance that we will become obsolete.  Yes, we may need to retool as 
we gain new skills for delivery of instruction to that end.  Yes, we 
may need to re-envision our programs and our facilities to meet the 
needs of today's "consumers" (read Doug's post).  But I believe that 
with vision and commitment, we can continue to grow and change just 
as every educator has been asked to do since 2001, and furthermore, 
we can benefit the kids' learning and achievement as we do.

As Mike says, we cannot be about clerical tasks or even collection 
development tasks ahead of teaching and learning.  Nothing else 
matters as much when one is a Teacher-Librarian/Library Media 
Specialist.  We are certified and hired to teach.   If we think 
otherwise, then perhaps we are meant to join the ranks of the 
non-redheaded biological children in the library field :>

Toni


Toni Buzzeo, MA, MLIS 
Maine Library Media Specialist of the Year Emerita
Maine Association of School Libraries Board Member
Buxton, ME 04093
http://www.tonibuzzeo.com
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sara Kelly Johns
AASL 2006-07 President-Elect
Associate Editor for AASL Community, Knowledge Quest
Lake Placid Middle/High School LMC
34 School Street
Lake Placid, NY 12946
518-523-2474, ext. 4132
FAX: 518-523-4861
johns@northnet.org
SaraKJohns@aol.com
<http://fromtheinsideout.blogspace.com>

"Information is the currency of democracy." -- Thomas Jefferson

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