Textbook Read and Reflect Week 3

Empowering Learners pages 32-34:  “Staffing” and “The Learning Space”

I feel that the “Staffing” section is something every administrator should read, especially in the times when budget concerns are reducing library staff and positions.  Page 32 states “However, an SLMP includes at least one full-time certified or licensed library media specialist to help integrate the program’s missions and goals into all aspects of the school curricula.”  That is a power-packed statement.  First of all showing the importance of a library media specialist, and secondly as the importance of the library media specialist’s role in the school curricula.  I think that when administration and school boards are looking at ways to conserve money, librarians often come up as expendable, because their focus isn’t on the education and the curriculum. 

The most important thing I got out of “The Learning Space” section was the necessity of the virtual space.  “The Internet has dissolved the physical borders of the library facility”  (page 34).  Currently, our library virtual space is completely void.  Two years ago, every teacher was asked to have a virtual presence on our district website, but there is NO LIBRARY PAGE AT ALL!  I cannot believe what a disservice is being done to our students.  After classes finish up for the summer, I fully intend to create a site that our students can use.  I am appalled that we don’t have anything for them at this point.

Chapter 6:  On the Job:  Managing the Facility

Renovations to the library can be costly, but sometimes they are necessary to make the space more efficient and conducive to learning.   The space needs to be planned to meet the needs of the children that will be using it.  I have a new library and it was not planned very well.  Changes have been made over the years, but it is still not what it should be.  The first problem, the actual library wall was moved three feet during construction, cutting down on a lot of space that was originally planned.  Secondly, the amount of shelving was insufficient.  We did acquire some different shelving, so that problem has somewhat been alleviated.  The third major problem is the computer workstation in the middle of the floor plan.  It is a giant station housing 4 computers.  It is way too tall for almost all of the elementary students to use, and we have an adjoining 32 computer lab.   I can’t do much about the wall and library dimensions at this point, but I will need to figure out how to get the district to remove the computer station and to install kiosks or something similar that will be more beneficial to students, which will also open up a great deal of floor space for a reading area that currently does not exist because of floor plan.  Woolls states on page 105, “Next, teachers and students should be reminded of the media center program philosophy and goals.  They can then be asked to help define the areas of need in the media center.”  I think this is exactly where my building needs to start, because I definitely think our architect missed the mark. 

I loved the last paragraph “The success of any media program depends on the staff and the collection, yet the ambiance of the facility sets the stage.”  This is another thing I plan to build greatly on in our building.  For many years the library hasn’t had much life.  The art on the walls and the décor has been the same for at least six years.  Children don’t visit it as often as I think they would because of the lack of energy in there.  I plan on building up the image of the library with color and decorations to make it more inviting for our elementary students.

Chapter  7:  On the Job:  Managing the Personnel

This topic is kind of a double-edged sword.  I am a single staffed library, so much of the work falls solely on me.  But, I am very lucky because I do have a handful of volunteers who have assisted in the past, that have told me they will be returning to volunteer in the library this fall.  Their experience in the day-to-day clerical processes will help me focus on some of the other jobs that I will be doing.

While I will have duties inside the library walls, I also will have many duties outside.  I am a teacher, and I will need to work with the other content teachers, collaborate on lessons, and assist them with technology.   “Because media specialists have no assigned interest in a subject area or a grade level, they can help teachers move out of their assignment as responsible for particular content into merging that content with other disciplines and other grade levels” (page 114).  Because this hasn’t been done much in the past in our district, I will need to be the one to create the atmosphere of collaboration. 

I will also be a leader of the school.  I need to step up and show others how to effectively use the resources that we have and strive to improve the quality of education for all of our students.   Since I am already one of the teachers that others come to for technology advice and guidance, I think that I will fit into this role quite nicely.