Re: [LM_NET] Opinions about policing our profession

[Lisa Hunt <lisa3moon@YAHOO.COM>]

I was surfing the digital cable channels today and heard Harry Dean Stanton 
describing one of his characters.  He said something that went "zing" right into my 
consciousness.  "My character is provocative, and I'm not kind to the whiners.  
It's like 'come on, get over it and get out there to DO something with your life."  
He went on to explain so many people continue to fuss and whine about their 
injustices when they should shut up and go do something productive.  
   
  I feel much better when I do something productive.  My mother called it my 
pity-pot.  I've gotten sick of my own whining during the past 2 years.  It still 
hurts badly, but I'm moving on to do something.  I'm still a librarian, and I'm 
good at it.  I'm going to keep smiling!!
   
  PS:  I appreciate the positive tones being posted.  Thank you for keeping things 
UP!!

Robert <robert@GCRONLINE.COM> wrote:
  I would like to take a different slant to the "negativity" in our profession 
that I experienced. Seventeen years ago I lost a job which was due to 
budgetary problems; the school closed at the 11th hour so to speak. I could 
not find employment for 2 years. I asked the school library media supervisor 
for the school system where I had worked to write references for me whenever 
I applied for jobs. On one ocassion, she point blank told me if I could not 
get a job, I should consider getting a job doing something else. I 
interpreted this to mean give up...move on to something else..."get out of 
the profession entirely"....pursue another career. I was dealing with other 
issues at the time, too. Listening to her was not an option. I was 
persistent and applied to a neighboring states where I have been for the 
past 15 years. [ 1/2 a career]. During this time, I have obtained 
endorsement/licensure in 2 states as a school library media supervisor [ 
primarily as a professional accomplishment, professional development , 
self-worth and esteem booster] and maintaining licenses in a total of 3 
states. Even if I had the personality to do as she suggested, I think what 
a loss to the 2 school systems where I have worked and served as an 
elementary school library media specialist in my current state of Virginia. 
I have been an itinerant, closed a library and opened/merged 2 library media 
centers, and switching to another school system brought opening a remodeled 
elmentary school library media center. Experiences which I would not have 
had if I had listened to someone trying to push me out of the profession. 
A detour which I don't regret. Found my niche. Yes, there have been hurdles 
which I have jumped. So attempting to weed out the people who appear not to 
have what it takes can have the opposite end result.

Robert Joyce
School Librarian/Library Media Specialist
Virginia----Pittsylvania COunty Sch.





----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nancy Dickinson" 
To: 
Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2007 7:16 PM
Subject: TAR: Opinions about policing our profession


> OK, I'm not sure "policing" is the word I want to use, but I am curious
> about your opinions about whether or not you think it might be time for
> our profession to find a way to dismiss rather than defend people who
> really should find another job.
>
> Do we really want people who are negative and feeling victimized by life
> to be school librarians? Or teachers for that matter? I confess that I am
> a member of NEA, but sometimes I think tenure is not good for our
> profession. Do other professions have the equivalent of tenure? I know
> it's impossible to get rid of all the bad lawyers, doctors, and teachers
> in the world, but couldn't something change in our profession to help us
> better ensure the quality of our colleagues? I'm curious to know if
> academic libraries and public libraries are better able to weed out the
> people who should look for another profession.
>
> Just thinking....
>
> Nancy Dickinson, Librarian
> Hillsboro Elem. School
> Hillsboro, TN 37342
> dickinson1@k12tn.net
>
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        Lisa Hunt
  School Library Media Specialist, elementary
  National Board Certified Teacher
  Moore, OK
  lisa3moon@yahoo.com 





       
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