Teacher Librarians
Teacher Librarians
I've accepted a position as a Teacher Librarian and am wondering if there are any Teacher Librarian (TL's) list servs for the overseas librarians or advice anyone can offer. I have MLS in library science, have six years 6-12 experience (US), eight years at comm college and one year overseas librarian at men's college (post high school) Any thoughts, advice greatly appreciated.
Response
A lot will depend on the country (and its intellectual property/copyright law), the size (resources), and the reputation (status/tier) of the IS. There are a lot of ISs that are engaging in mass copyright appropriations and piracy. So much to say that its not uncommon at lower tier ISs to order "prints" of items at printing cost from offshore printers, and dont be surprised if the software on all your computers is pirated at a lower tier IS.
1) Become familiar with your ISs library and holdings. Is it mostly a computer lab with a virtual collection, and some periodicals with lounge space, or do the stacks go on forever.
2) What are the local or international periodicals access and availability. What resources does the municipal library have, and how can you supplement those holding without duplicating them.
3) How does your IS implement technology? Are they a 1:1 IS? Do students have home computer and technology access? If they dont are you prepared to set up an extensive after school technology resource?
4) Get really close with the ICT/Technology coordinator. Also make friends with the Parents Association, they can make funding issues a non-issue.
6) Understand your role, in some ISs the librarian is a junior admin and may be the the "academic" administrator. Do you have any reports/assistants? A parent volunteer program?
7) Examine the curriculum, does the IS have one? Do the ITs use it. Is the curriculum supported by its own resources? Do ITs have their own resources (textbooks, desk sets)?
8) What is your role in the ISs Reading and ESOL program?
9) What is the circulation and catalog system? I have seen ISs that still have (I kid you not) a card catalog, and they still check out books with checkout cards and a card box. I have also seen high technology systems that supposedly work VERY well, but the operations manual is written in a foreign language and either doesnt have a translation or the translation was written by someone with a poor understanding of English.
10) Find out your budget, then talk to people and find out your "real" budget. What do stakeholders "want" and what do you need. Nothing in the world will matter if you run out of laser toner, and have to beg, borrow, and steal to keep the printers running. Understand the difference between your job description and your job expectations.
1) Become familiar with your ISs library and holdings. Is it mostly a computer lab with a virtual collection, and some periodicals with lounge space, or do the stacks go on forever.
2) What are the local or international periodicals access and availability. What resources does the municipal library have, and how can you supplement those holding without duplicating them.
3) How does your IS implement technology? Are they a 1:1 IS? Do students have home computer and technology access? If they dont are you prepared to set up an extensive after school technology resource?
4) Get really close with the ICT/Technology coordinator. Also make friends with the Parents Association, they can make funding issues a non-issue.
6) Understand your role, in some ISs the librarian is a junior admin and may be the the "academic" administrator. Do you have any reports/assistants? A parent volunteer program?
7) Examine the curriculum, does the IS have one? Do the ITs use it. Is the curriculum supported by its own resources? Do ITs have their own resources (textbooks, desk sets)?
8) What is your role in the ISs Reading and ESOL program?
9) What is the circulation and catalog system? I have seen ISs that still have (I kid you not) a card catalog, and they still check out books with checkout cards and a card box. I have also seen high technology systems that supposedly work VERY well, but the operations manual is written in a foreign language and either doesnt have a translation or the translation was written by someone with a poor understanding of English.
10) Find out your budget, then talk to people and find out your "real" budget. What do stakeholders "want" and what do you need. Nothing in the world will matter if you run out of laser toner, and have to beg, borrow, and steal to keep the printers running. Understand the difference between your job description and your job expectations.
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hairylemons
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 1:00 am
Re: Teacher Librarians
mathewsp wrote:
> I've accepted a position as a Teacher Librarian and am wondering if there
> are any Teacher Librarian (TL's) list servs for the overseas librarians or
> advice anyone can offer. I have MLS in library science, have six years
> 6-12 experience (US), eight years at comm college and one year overseas
> librarian at men's college (post high school) Any thoughts, advice greatly
> appreciated.
@mathewsp if you can tell me the region I might be able to help a bit better. I'm currently a TL in China and there are a number of groups on Yahoo and Schoology that cater for the Chinese International Schools. I'm still learning myself as I'm in a remote part of China with very little support.
Enjoy the experience wherever it is! Im sure it will be fantastic!
> I've accepted a position as a Teacher Librarian and am wondering if there
> are any Teacher Librarian (TL's) list servs for the overseas librarians or
> advice anyone can offer. I have MLS in library science, have six years
> 6-12 experience (US), eight years at comm college and one year overseas
> librarian at men's college (post high school) Any thoughts, advice greatly
> appreciated.
@mathewsp if you can tell me the region I might be able to help a bit better. I'm currently a TL in China and there are a number of groups on Yahoo and Schoology that cater for the Chinese International Schools. I'm still learning myself as I'm in a remote part of China with very little support.
Enjoy the experience wherever it is! Im sure it will be fantastic!