Librarian..

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Home : 2006 : April : 29

Librarian..
By blcw

In my state, school librarians have a library degree. Companies such as Follett and Permabound offer lots of support for school librarians, also known as teacher-librarians. They will process the books when ordered to your
specifications, complete with shelf list, card catalog cards if still used, pockets, cards, spine lables, accession numbers or bar codes. If your state has a school librarian association, she should join for the support, resources and further education she will need. I don't know if this will be of any help to her because she lacks the library background; it's a lot more than putting

books on a shelve.

I'm currently in a school with an aid as a 'librarian', she is fully aware of her short commings. She is over seen by a librarian, who over sees 5 other aids. It's inadequate. Schools with full time teacher -librarians have higher test scores in all subjects. If your state has curriculum frameworks have her go through those and make lists of the books mentioned, and check the library for those books, and get what is needed if she has a budget. Any books/magazines/videos, etc, mentioned in any programs or systems used by the school should be in the library for all to use. This is one of my pet peeve - I need books mentioned in my math and science units and the books are not in the school library, so I got them from the public library, but had to wait for them. Award winning books should also be in the library, and "fluffy" books for fun.

The record keeping will be difficult for her. She may take over a library without a shelf list, the card catalog may be poorly maintained. When the parents in one local Catholic school took over the library becasuse of budget cuts, the first thing they did was throw out the card catalog! It was a "waste of time" and "who uses one anyway". There were losts of furstrated students and lots of books that should have been weeded long ago. I helped weed that library a few years ago. I got rid of a book that said girls can be nurses, boys doctors, girls teachers, boys principles....

Also, library time for the students should be a time to pick the books they want to read, free choice - an opportunity for the students to explore all the different books/genras there are. I hate it when library circulation and book choice is limited to Accelerated Reader or reading levels. Where's the fun?

Best of luck to your friend.
BLCW