Half Year Checkup

As we approach the holidays, I'm taking the opportunity to do a quick check on where things stand in my time as a librarian. I want to make sure that the goals I set myself in September are being fulfilled, and if they aren't where I need to change and adapt things.

First, the successes.

By any account, the circulation numbers are speaking. Between September and November, more books have circulated than circulated all last year! That is an amazing accomplishment. Clearly, the books that I am adding to the collection are resonating with the students. What did I do? My approach was to limit my focus. I decided that the fiction section of the library was filled with holes, and if the students were going to use the library, they needed to find books that they wanted to read on the shelves. They also needed to be able to actually locate the books that are in the library. In order to fulfill this goal I needed to look at the books we purchase AND the physical layout of the library. As a result, there have been lots of changes.

In terms of the layout of the library - I have numbered each bay of shelves and created signs stating what each section is. This makes it much easier for students to find things. I have signs for Manga, Graphic Novels, New Books, Fiction, Non-Fiction and Reference. It's amazing how much easier it is for students to navigate when there is clear signage. I've also physically separated the new purchases so that students can always see what we have added to the collection.

For purchasing, I knew that I wanted to take my direction from the students. If they want to read it, I want to have it in the library. This has led to what I call the "Sarah Dessen Dilemma", but I really don't feel that it's my job to tell the students what to read. It is the job of the students to tell me what they want to read and what they are reading. We have more than 100 suggestions every month, and the students enjoy telling the teachers about the books they are reading. This is really working.

Now, what isn't working. The other teachers aren't using the library resources (particularly the human resources) nearly as often as I would like. In November, out of 95 possible library periods, only 5 were used. This is going to be my next big goal.

Wow, I used the word 'I' a lot in this blog. Something to be looked at. It isn't all about me, so what am I writing all about me.

Book Print

A tweet came through my feed today with an international book giveaway. I always enter these, since it can add books to my library collection, but this one has really made me think. In order to enter, you have to create a book print - the five books that have left a lasting influence on you. That's tough. I'm not sure that the five books I have chosen are the ones I would choose tomorrow, but it was a really good exercise.

The five books that I chose were:

Anne of Green Gables

To Kill a Mockingbird

Macbeth

The Hobbit

Harry Potter Series.

This bookprint was created using www.youarewhatyouread.com

The Sarah Dessen Dilemma

I have a dilemma as a librarian; I know that I can't buy only books that I enjoy and that I want to read and that I want the students to read, but it's so hard. I love YA fantasy and paranormal stories and I would love to fill my (yes, my) library with those books. My dilemma is that not everyone wants to read what I want to read and I acknowledge that my book buying needs to incorporate all members of the school population. The reason that I titled this post "The Sarah Dessen Dilemma" is that I really do not enjoy reading her books. There are a number of student suggestions sitting in my box requesting her books, so I know I have to buy some to put on the shelves, but I just don't want to!!!

Walking the line between choosing books that will circulate widely (and many students seem to love the paranormal/fantasy books) and books that may appeal to different readers. I really do want to serve the entire school population, but it's so hard. My eyes just don't go to those types of books. When I'm at Chapters, I love browsing the teen section, and I can easily spend hundreds of dollars, but if I don't go with a list that includes books like the ones by Sarah Dessen, I won't pick any of them.

How do other librarians deal with this? The library that I'm in has a collection that very much reflects the attitudes and beliefs of the librarian who worked here for over a decade, and I don't want to continue that. I think my first step is that I do acknowledge that I have reading preferences and that I cannot allow my preferences to to dictate what I buy, but there has to be more that I can do. I've noticed that I don't have that problem with Manga. I'm not interested in Manga at all, but I'm happy to buy them for the students. Perhaps my advantage with Manga is the amazing store we have here in Toronto - The Beguiling. I can email the library services department at the Beguiling and they will be happy to select manga and graphic novels that are suitable for my student population. Maybe I need to have a contemporary YA novel advisor.

What is my Role?

I have now been a teacher-librarian for almost three months. I didn't expect to be here, but I'm so happy that I am. Now that the initial panic has worn off, it's time for me to start thinking about what my role is as a librarian. Why am in in the library every day? Who am I serving? Am I actually helping anybody? These are not always easy questions to answer. I have been developing my vision of what a TL should be and I'm attempting to live up to that vision, but it's not always easy.

I look at the amazing work being done by some fellow TLs that I follow on Twitter and I'm in awe. I'm still trying to keep up with what the students are reading. I don't want to be an old fashioned librarian who is all about the books, but ensuring that the students continue to be interested in books is a vital part of who I am as a librarian. There is such joy in discussing a book with a student. The students really seem to appreciate that I value their thoughts and opinions. It makes me want to cry when I think that this was never part of their library experience before now.

I also want to become a leader in teaching students and teachers about how technology is changing how we learn and develop, but I'm terrified that I don't know enough. Can one ever know enough? I think I have to take an action/reflection model. Act first, and then reflect on the action and how it can be changed and/or improved. My first step towards this is to present to the department heads a proposal that would bring all students into the library every year to learn something about searching or digital ethics or citation.

I have so much to learn, and I may not have a lot of time to do it.

Learning on the Fly

I have had to learn my job very quickly over the past two months. The teacher-librarian went on a last minute leave of absence and I was hired just days before the school year began. All the planning I did over the summer to improve as an English teacher made way for learning how to be a full-time teacher librarian. It hasn't been easy, but it's been a lot of fun. It makes so much difference to enjoy what you do.

I have so much more to say, but my thoughts are all over the place. Writing a reflective blog is going to take a lot of work. :)

Some ideas I have:

changes being made in the library

reactions of staff

purpose of the changes

how technology can be used