[ISLMA-Share] Possible position change advice needed

[Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association]

I have served multiple buildings (3) for 29 years, supervising an aide at each location.  Clearly it can be done.

BUT far, far more of your time is spent on administration rather than teaching.  And if they have your student contact at full time then you won't have time to do the library work.  Aides can handle circulation, but you must select, order, catalog, and direct.

The tech coach idea is popular right now with administrators.  It lasted one year in our district.  Several reasons observed:  they are NOT librarians and do not understand collaboration, if they are spread across multiple buildings they are rendered far less effective (as are you) since technology assistance is often needed on demand, not via schedule.

Two certified teacher librarians will be far more effective, perhaps taking on an enlarged role in technology coaching, than what is being proposed, I believe.

In the building - full time is what teachers and students need.  Otherwise it is like a principal covering two buildings.  After all... they have secretaries, right?

Marcia Brandt

Director of K-4 Library Media Services

Herscher CUSD#2:  Bonfield Grade and Herscher Intermediate Schools

brandtm at hsd2.k12.il.us -- 815 426-2242 x 412 -- 501 North Main, Herscher, IL  60941



"Librarians are just like search engines, except they smile and they talk to me and they don't give me paid-for advertising when they are trying to help. And they have actual hearts."

- Matt Haig


Read to me... Views from a K-8 Library Media Specialist

________________________________________
From: islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info <islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info> on behalf of Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info>
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2016 1:08 PM
To: ISLMA group
Subject: [ISLMA-Share] Possible position change advice needed

I need some advice.

I am the middle school librarian in a school with a little less than 400 students in grades 5-8. The elementary librarian will be leaving at the end of the school year. My superintendent has approached me about the possible change in my position to be the district librarian with a library aide at each school working underneath me. Neither school has an aide at the time being, so both of these would be new positions. I would then be responsible for both schools. He would also be creating a new position of tech coach. This person would be working at both schools and would be working closely with me. It sounds like he is going to take my opinion on the matter seriously when he makes this decision, but I'm not really sure.

I'm not sure what to do at this point. I see both positives and negatives about this change. Any advice you all could give me would be more than welcome.

Thanks so much!
Rikki Steinmetz

Sent from my iPhone
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