[aisle] Library Handbooks

Fri Aug 26 12:25:21 CDT 2022

You are very correct on those things and I appreciate you jumping in and sharing your experience! I am working with our new curriculum and learning director and this is how she has suggested we will go about this. I think in the end it will probably be a little of both, having some of our “policies” approved and some things will just be department standards/expectations/etc. if that makes sense?  Unfortunately, in our district we can’t call it “District Approved” unless it has gone before the board. ☹ There are just some things I/we really want to pull the board in on, maybe not for “approval”, but to make them aware of things the library department in our district runs into.

Hopefully, bringing the board into the loop will create more support?????? It may be a longshot! LOL!! We re taking it slow and I am going to bring up the concerns you expressed with my director of curriculum.

Thank you!!!
Jill

From: AISLE <aisle-bounces at list.railslibraries.info> On Behalf Of Mrs. Kuzminski via AISLE
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2022 10:17 AM
To: AISLE-Share: Association of Illinois School Library Educators discussion list <aisle at list.railslibraries.info>
Cc: Mrs. Kuzminski <akuzminski at orland135.org>
Subject: Re: [aisle] Library Handbooks

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Byron School District. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

Hi All!  Happy New School Year!
I'm going to jump in with my two cents here regarding having policies approved by the school board.   Back a bunch of years ago when we (my district's media specialists) were updating our Collection Development Procedures, we were steered away from having any document "board approved" and officially called "policy."  It was our Director of Curriculum at the time who told us it wasn't a good idea and we should just call it " District-Approved Procedures" instead of "Policy."

The reasoning here is that anything placed before the board is subject to their approval/disapproval.  They are then given the task of picking through every little detail and making it a more public process and open to public criticism.  Then once the board votes to approve it, it will then take another action by the board to change anything in it forever more.  This can be a great inconvenience when you only want to update something small to reflect the ever-changing needs or current practices.  Anything called "Policy" is subject to this process and public opinion.  And it's not that anyone is trying to hide anything.  Our document is fully viewable on our district website.  But once you start inviting open public comment and board approval, you're opening yourself up to potential controversy and control from directions you may not want.

We were advised to simply call our document "District-Approved Procedures."  This way, once the heads of our curriculum department felt the document reflected our district's goals and expectations for our ten building libraries, we were good to go.  We have a large district, but I'm going to assume the situation would be similar for all districts with an official school board.

Just food for thought.

Amanda Kuzminski
Library Media Specialist
Orland Junior High School
Orland Park, IL
708-364-4214

The single clenched fist lifted and ready, or the open asking hand held out and waiting. Choose: for we meet by one or the other.
    - Carl Sandburg

On Thu, Aug 25, 2022 at 9:10 PM Smith, Jill via AISLE <aisle at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:aisle at list.railslibraries.info>> wrote:
Hi Sara,

I just finished the first draft of my library policy & procedure manual and have found as a district librarian covering multiple libraries I needed to include more than I originally thought. I have added job descriptions, building schedules, library schedules, check out policy/limits, floor plans of each library, reporting absences, hours of operation, handling requests for using library spaces after hours, definitions and usage of library spaces (workrooms, storage rooms, etc.), interlibrary loan procedures, overdue policy, challenge procedure, processing, collection descriptions, and any other policies about how things should be done. I included a brief description of each library, school, and student body along with our library mission statement and how it supports our district mission.

I used situations I have run into over the years as a guide for what needed to be included. For instance, I have found that if it is not nailed down it’s fair game for people to take/use without asking or if you have empty spaces others will find a way to use them to their benefit without asking. When your schedule doesn’t work for some, they will just change it without asking. This library handbook/policy and procedure manual has been a great way to set professional boundaries with all who want to use the library. What does a para have the power to say yes or no to and when do they need to say, “You will need to ask the certified library media specialist.” I have found being in multiple buildings means my paras are approached by building administrators/teachers/etc. about library things, decisions are made, and I am never consulted or often the last person to be informed, even though I am the certified staff member. Sometimes the paras are not even consulted, they are told what is going to happen and they assume I already know. Not saying these moments are purposeful in nature, I truly think we get forgotten because we are not the staff member in those buildings every day. Being the certified and qualified person tasked with running the libraries, lessons, and programs doesn’t always seem to matter and it can be easily overlooked.

My library paras and I did a run through of the first draft last week and I wasn’t sure how it would go, but they really appreciated the “boundaries” and knowing when they could remove themselves from “making the decision”. They pointed out things I had forgotten or places that needed to be more or less specific. My new administrator and I are planning on submitting the manual to the school board for approval. I am sure it will take a bit to reach a “final” copy, but I am hopeful it will help define the role of the school library, the district librarian, the library media specialist and the paras that work in the libraries as well as the importance of those roles. I think we work in a very misunderstood position/department and administrators and even teachers don’t know how to utilize our skills because we are spread across multiple buildings and not always available. I want to believe that having a library handbook, that is “board approved”, will carry a little weight, give more definition to what we do, and create more respect for our department???

I apologize for the long-winded answer and I hope the information is helpful to you in some way. 😊

Jill M. Smith
District Librarian
Jsmith1 at byron226.org<mailto:Jsmith1 at byron226.org>
815-234-5491 ext 270

“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.”
-                                           Albert Einstein

From: AISLE <aisle-bounces at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:aisle-bounces at list.railslibraries.info>> On Behalf Of Sara Bell via AISLE
Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2022 12:31 PM
To: AISLE-Share: Association of Illinois School Library Educators discussion list <aisle at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:aisle at list.railslibraries.info>>
Cc: Sara Bell <sbell at dunlapcusd.net<mailto:sbell at dunlapcusd.net>>
Subject: [aisle] Library Handbooks

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Byron School District. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

Hi Hive Mind-

For those of you with paraprofessional staff, or larger districts, what things have you found useful to include in a library worker handbook for reference?

I have some processing reference guides, the district policy, challenge procedure...

I am wrapping mine up and I am sure I am missing something useful. If you have tips or a guide to share, I would appreciate the notes to compare.

Thanks!!

--
Sara Bell
District Media Specialist
Dunlap CUSD 323

Currently Reading: From Behaving to Belonging by Julie Causton and Kate MacLeod
MAILMAN_MIMEDEFANG
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