ETL401 - Topic Six

Management implications

As part of topic six we had to consider time management and the management of others.

Time management is something I think I can handle. I totally get the “Effective time management for teachers” idea of three time zones. That is, structured time, unstructured work time and personal life. Ever since I started teaching in 2008 I have had this thing where I won’t take work home unless I really really have to. Usually the only work I do at home is report writing for students. And once I had to mark 180 year 7 Religion assignments so some of that had to be done at home too. The reason I don’t have to take anything home is because I get most of it done at school. And that is not to say that I am great at structuring my unstructured work time, I have become an excellent procrastinator, it’s just that when I know something has to be done I just do it.

I think the best thing to do is just complete each task as it arises. This is especially important with marking. I would rather spend half a day doing nothing but marking rather than taking a week in shorter time frames.

All this said I have found time management in the library different from time management as a teacher. With more time on my hands I find I procrastinate more. I’m finding it hard to delegate because I don’t want the library technicians doing all the work when I am not doing much at all. I think this will iron itself over time.

As for people management – as the readings suggest this is much harder and much more daunting.

Gilman’s text has validated a lot of what I feel I have been doing in the library so far this year. With the other library staff we created a roster of what needs to be done and when. We are also working on developing a new library policy together as well. When I go to buy something I seek their opinion and we deal with issues that arise together. It helps that they are lovely and want me to succeed in my new role. I feel like this open approach is also being extended to the students. The idea of “individual research-education consultations” really stuck out to me. I feel that I have opened the library up and made the librarian available to students for help on individual projects. Students come to me for help with assignments, editing and so on, as well as to be directed to research material.

But I don’t feel confident in the conflict resolution arena yet. I understand that differences of opinion can occur and that sometimes this can be good, but it is the not so good ones that I worry about. The problem is that I feel my age and inexperience will be used against me.

ETL504 - The Text: Introduction and Scenarios

The introduction of the text confused me as to what the management role of a librarian might be. It seems to me that the idea of management is an implicit part of what a librarian does. I am surprised that the ethical and moral nature of the job needs to be spelled out. This is especially interesting in an educational context. At the moment it feels like the library is a separate domain in the school. I think there needs to be more integration. As a new teacher librarian I feel I have so much more responsibility but none of the recognition for it.

I found most of the scenarios overwhelming. How do we know what things are going to look like in the future? We can have a sense of where they might be heading but to assume that libraries won’t exist, or that technology is going to take over, are quite broad generalisations.

The thing that struck me most when reading the scenarios is the idea that “the service aspect of libraries needs to dominate and drive the debate and development of library paradigms with the underlying and imperative factor of human connectedness” (p153). Where, if not in libraries, are learners going to develop information literacy. It is important then, that library managers (for want of a better term) are skilled in this themselves. Not everyone works happily with ICT, librarians need to facilitate these skills. A computer cannot teach you computer skills unless you have the skills to use it in the first place.

This leads into what everyone has been saying about children/students and ICT. You cannot just assume they know how to use it properly because they are on their mobile or ipod all the time. I find that students are not discerning when it comes to information they find online. Most figure that a google search is enough for an assignment. They may know how to use technology well for social purposes but they are out of their depth when it comes to anything academic.

ETL503 - The Future

FROM JANUARY 17TH

Wade's reading "The school library..." (2005) really resonated with me.

Part of my wanting to become a TL, and gaining a position as one in 2011, was to try and promote this idea of the library being the hub of learning in a school (p. 14).
Students at my school seem uninterested in the library except when it is raining. I, myself, only sought the help of the librarian when I needed a particular resource for a particular lesson. Never have I considered what support the librarian could give in terms of enhancing student learning in programming and assessment.

The thought of integrating digital and physical resources is really exciting, as is the idea of having a virtual library. Personally I cannot see everything going digital, there is still a place for print, but merging the two really appeals to me.

One of my ideas for the library I will be working in is creating a wiki for it. On the wiki students could see the collection, be given links to other other local libraries, and access tutorials on how to maximise their learning through study and research skills. There could be a page for each KLA or each year group with assessments and associated resources.

I think libraries have an exciting future and I want to be part of it.

ETL503 - Collection Policy

FROM JANUARY 17TH

I'm finding it difficult to discern between policy and procedure. It seems incomplete to me to state what will be done and why, without saying how.

The most fascinating thing about this module has been how to deal with complaints and attempts at censorship. It seems the best thing to do is ti have clear policy on the matter and to justify your selections with clear criteria, and the inclusion of controversial resources with ALIA and ASLA documents.

But what happens when the principal doesn't back you up? Because even if they have been part of the policy writing process, sometimes for them it may be easier to listen to the loudest and most influential voice.

I think the most challenging thing raised in this module and the second assessment is how to write a flexible policy that can be used over a period of time (say 3 years) and also make it specific to the context of the library.

ETL503 - Collection evaluation

FROM JANUARY 17TH

The things that really stood out to me about collection evaluation come from Hughes-Hassall and Mancall's 2005 text 'Selecting resources for learning.'
While it does seem important that resources shouldn't be too old or out of date, I think what is most important is that the resources are meeting the needs of those that use them.
In the selection criteria they propose "emphasis in all selection decisions is on whether the resources match learner characteristics and address the teaching context" (p. 43) transposes neatly into a criteria for evaluation also.

It also seems very right to me that the learners, their needs and context, should always be on the mind of the TL.

ETL503 - Weeding

FROM JANUARY 2ND

In the last week of school, last year now, I helped the librarian conduct some end of year weeding. She chooses this time as she feels it is the only time when she can close the library without impeaching on student and teacher needs.

She uses two criteria: physical condition and age.

Books that are no longer appealing or relevant are discarded. They are put in the dumpster. It took all my will power not to resuce these books for my own personal collection.

I think getting rid of books is going to be the hardest thing for me to do.

The end of Semester One!

It seems a long time between posts.
Christmas has come and gone and I have completed two massive assignments.

I feel really good about EER500. I think if my goal wasn't to become a TL I could definitely be an educational researcher.
And while ETL503 seemed a more relevant course, I feel less good about it. I feel like a did a good job on the collection policy, and have even shown it to the principal for use in my own school and its library, but I just didn't get a good vibe from the first assignment.

I have a couple of forum posts that I want to publish here, and will, if I can find them on interact.