When Dennis Donley began his career nearly 35 years ago, he joined a crew of 40 teachers who staffed every middle and high school library in the San Diego school district.
As Donley enters retirement, there will be 11 full-time, credentialed librarians assigned to San Diego secondary schools next year. Most of the dozens of campuses will share librarians or employ half-time clerks — a far cry from the 1970s when the district had one of the most progressive school library systems in California.
San Diego Unified, along with other districts across the state, has whittled its library staff while struggling with budget cuts. This year, districts were allowed to use state funds meant for libraries to help balance their spending plans.
future of all librarians
ALA is having a sub-conference titled “empowering support staff” – I just don’t understand that. Their keynote should be “empowering MLS profession”. My husband, who has been in the field a long time, told me recently that ALA only serves the purpose of directors. Maybe so. They don’t seem to advocate for the field, in general. I think I am going to stick around working in academic libraries, since I don’t think academic libraries will utilize too many paraprofessionals. But, then, academic world is becoming digital; so, they wouldn’t need too many of us.
Paraprofessionals
First, paraprofessionals have every right to improve themselves by having a conference. There conference is not about getting rid of librarians as you suggest.
How long have you been in academic libraries? Paraprofessionals are used in academic libraries just as much as any type of library. If you consider also the student help, academic libraries have long led the use of non-MLS people to support library operations. This is not a bad thing. It is smart use of money and providing services to utilize people that can do the variety of jobs with a variety of educations and skills. Every profession utilizes a mix of people.
I do not know what library you work for, but access to more digital information is not decreasing the duties and tasks of the librarians in my library. Duties are changing and work is becoming more in-depth.
Brian C. Gray
http://blog.case.edu/bcg8
Inconsistencies throughout
I am TL in Ontario. Our board has no consistencies between schools. Some secondary schools have full time TLs, some have part-time TLs (with techs to fill in the gaps) and others have full-time techs. The elementary schools have techs only. It is very frustrating and a constant source of concern and stress!
Libraries – days numbered…
Libraries, as we know it, their days are numbered. This is because librarians have been burying their heads in the sand and denying the reality that is staring them in their face. That reality is that libraries have to modernise. That means not just providing internet access and video games. Libraries have to fundamentally change and be more flexible and adaptable to their environment. That means, accepting standards other than “library standards” and considering going open source. Library standards and LMS have put libraries in a straitjacket, limiting our potential. Libraries have to stop being hostile towards and afraid of technology. Library schools have to start teaching technology like XML and web development, and ditch MARC, AACRII, and even RDA. MARC and RDA are based on old concepts that does not fit in today’s high-tech world.
Library School Education
Most library schools have been teaching XML and web development for some time.
Brian C. Gray
http://blog.case.edu/bcg8
Silly Rabbit
Tricks are for kids.
…In this case, the kids I plan on teaching in a library how to use all those tools, plus a lot more as I enter the field of school librarianship. Here in Washington state they just passed a law to get dedicated librarians into all K-12 schools in order to teach research skills, technology use, offer commentary on effective software and hardware, and yes, how to use a library. That will be in addition to helping most of the teachers learn those skills to keep current (since their research skills are not a given either). Oh yeah, and somewhere in there I might lend out a paper and glue book every once in awhile.
This is at least what the research and my hands-on experience seem to be suggesting I do.
In short, most (not all) of us here appear to be way ahead of you on most of what you suggest, but thanks!
(PS: Those video games can be a real asset to learning for Special Needs kids if you find the right ones. Just saying!)
“Electricity is really just organized lightning.” – George Carlin
lead us, O wise one
Leeb, can you be the (wo)man to lead us into the future? With your command of cliche, truism, non sequitur, un-cited “facts” and decade-old observations surely you, and you alone, will save us all. I look forward to your further inch-deep-mile-wide analysis.
Chuck
p.s. Every time you use the phrase “today’s hi-tech world” an angel bursts into flames.
libraries already adapt
the only way we can adapt faster is to charge an entry fee at the door. my budget gets approved 18 months before I get to spend the money: why so long? because of the way money is collected and distributed from taxes, I guess.
the only way I can be more flexible in meeting the demands of “today’s high-tech world” (*poof* — sorry, angel) is to collect money each day and spend it on today’s needs. then, I might only ever be 10-30 days behind the curve.
and why do I need to learn xml? how many times do I need to edit my web template? I’ve been using the same one for 2 years without any trouble, and I can add any widget I want.
if I chase after that top 2% of tech users, who only want me to help them through their ee-lek-tronik doo-dads, I’m just going to leave most of my regular users behind, the ones in the building right now.
“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime. Build a man a web site with an interactive fish; and he’s gonna die.”
Sad State of School Libraries
I read the full article and it is scary that most adults do not understand the function of a school library and school librarian. As a school librarian, I teach media literacy. This is really needed now as people rely on the internet as their primary source of information. Adults do not understand the differences between blogs, wikis and edited information. Classroom teachers have little time to teach this and they do not have the time to review sources themselves. A computer lab is not a replacement for a library and Google is not a replacement for librarians. Unfortunately, the public does not understand this. Remember that most things work in cycles. It will take people getting duped before they realize the power of being able to adequately analyze information. School librarians must do more public relations to show what we do. If we do not, I do not envision retiring as a librarian in 15 years.