I agree that processing books is important, too. We have many voracious
readers at my school and it is difficult to keep them in books. When
new books come in, I want to get them out as soon as possible. Ordering
books is also extremely important. Knowing your collection to be able
to order books to fill the gaps and knowing your students so that you
can order books they would like to read is important. I don't want to
just order books that fill the gaps, I want to order good books. I read
reviews carefully to find the best possible books for our library.
Inspiring children to read is very important because we want the kids in
our schools to be life-long readers, not just people who only read when
they absolutely have to. The kids who learn to read for fun improve
their reading skills quickly and do well on standardized tests (which is
so important in these days). Finding the best books for kids and making
them available quickly definitely helps with this.
That said, working with teachers and students is also extremely
important. I would have to say that I spend more time teaching students
and interacting with them (mostly talking about books that they have
read and books that I think they might like to read) than I do
management tasks. I do work with teachers and help them with curriculum
sometimes. This being my first year as a librarian, I have spent a lot
of time learning my job. My most important goal for next year is to
reach out to the teachers so they get used to coming for me for
collaboration and to help them find resources.
I think that both library management and teaching/collaborating are both
very important. But I have to agree that more time should be spent on
teaching, collaborating with teachers, and interacting with students and
helping them.
Sara Flores
Library Media Specialist
Nottingham Country Elementary
20500 Kingsland Blvd.
Katy TX 77450-2923
281-237-5528
sarahflores@katyisd.org
-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Marsha Redd
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 8:35 PM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: Honest Response Needed
I think processing books is one way that I really do interact with
students. When I find out what students are reading and what books they
want in the collection and then make those books available to them, the
enthusiasm on their faces is very gratifying. It really helps build
relationships with students when you can provide them with something
they are excited about reading. I have even gone so far as to purchase a
book a student requested, catalog and process it, and then check it out
to that student and personally deliver it complete with a bookmark. You
can't build better rapport than that.
Marsha ReddLibrarian, Kelloggsville High School Grand Rapids, MI
marsharedd@hotmail.comEducation is not a goal; it is a life-long
process. Everyone is a student. Everyone is a teacher.
----------------------------------------
> Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:24:54 -0500
> From: lindamartin423@GMAIL.COM
> Subject: Re: [LM_NET] Honest Response Needed
> To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
>
> AMEN! You can pay to have books cataloged and processed. The amount
is
> miniscule compared to the value of the time spent helping teachers and
> students. That time is invaluable (and the time spent helping
teachers buys
> you political collateral for collaboration). Too many teachers and
students
> associate the duties of a librarian with sitting behind a desk. It is
only
> by one on one contact and face to face teaching that we can break
those
> stereotypes. Be the most important teacher in your school. Your
classroom
> is the whole school and your students are adults and children. You
will
> never regret leaving some books uncatalogued. If you are smart (and
lucky,
> as I am) you will locate and train a magnificent clerk who can help
with
> those management tasks.
>
>>
>> It is far more important to work with teachers and
>> curriculum than to catalog and process books. It is far more
>> important to work with students on their research projects than
>> to send fine notices, and the time expended in both cases may be
>> equal...Weighing 'services to meet needs' against management
>> tasks should show services in the winning column."
>> Wools, Blanche. The School Library Media Manager. p. 217 Library and
>> Information Sciene Text Series. 2004
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Linda Martin
> Teacher Librarian and Storyteller
> 2007 Georgia Library Media Specialist of the Year
> Gainesville, GA
> lindamartin423@gmail.com
> www.lindamartin.us
>
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