Task 11 LIBE 461 Brandy Lekakis School Introduction

School X is a large secondary school with students from grades 8 through 12. It is in a middle-class neighborhood with a very proactive parent base. A small, upper to middle class community sees its one high school as an important component of the greater community. Several events bring students and staff together with community members throughout the course of the year, and there is a real common thread of tradition throughout the school, as well as the community as a whole. Built in 1912 by a group of founding members of the community, the school has grown to nearly 1400 students. A school this large juggles an enormous amount of clubs and extra-curricular opportunities, and it also boasts a provincially competitive athletic department. The school hosts two academies, and appears to be the most prominent of the high schools within the School District. Administration consists of one Principal and three Vice-Principals, including a floater, who balances administrative duties with a part-time teaching load. With 80+ teachers and 100+ staff, getting to know the faculty is challenging. Many teachers have been at the school for well over 20 years, and there have been concerns about cliques and the old boys clubs, which are tough for newer teachers to infiltrate. Like many schools these days, budgets are tight, and departments are always competing for funds. With a very active PAC, (Parent Advisory Committee), departments are often going toe-to-toe for sought after grants and donations.

The overall mission statement of the school values diversity and acknowledges the variety of ways that children learn. Within a safe and secure environment, the school promotes self-discovery and personal responsibility, while encouraging an overall connection to community and global issues with a focus on democratic values and ethics. So, where does the School Library fit into this school? Lets take a closer look at the inner workings of the SLRC at a very large, very busy secondary school. The many teachers that I spoke to were quick to point out that the SLRC had been through some growing pains in the past few years in terms of staffing and creating a new identity. The retirement of the longtime (32 years) School Librarian eight years ago, brought some confusion regarding qualifications and experience. The result was a revolving door of TLs, with a total of 5 in the past 8 years. There is definitely a feeling of nostalgia when speaking to veteran teachers about the good old days of the School Library. The previous TL built amazing relationships with teachers and students, and many feel as though those who have followed are not respecting her legacy. As one teacher stated, The Library really went downhill after Mrs. X retired. Its a shame, that Library was filled day and night with laughter, and it was, you know, inspiring, it made us better, it helped define the tone we wanted in our school. Its just not the same. In defense of those who have filled the role to TL in the last 8 years, those are tough shoes to fill, and it cant be a coincidence that so many have come and gone. It is difficult to build a new program, or sell new ideas when the old ones are placed on such a pedestal. What I have done in this analysis is not only outlined current practices, but also past practices that many teachers felt were an integral part of the School as a whole.

Belief Management
Unfortunately, I had no previous relationship with the TL at School X. I do have a number of colleagues whom I have met over my career who teach at School X and

were able to give me some background before I contacted Ms. A, the TL. Initially, the SLRC got some mixed reviews, not necessarily negative or positive, but there were a real mix of those who used the SLRC on a regular basis, and those who felt really disconnected from it. Lets start with a few logistics. The SLRC is open Monday-Friday from 7:45-3:30, closing early on Fridays, at 3:00. This was immediately impressive, as I know most SLRCs are closed for a minimum of one block per day. Despite having 2 teaching blocks, the TL is able to keep the SLRC open due to help from an assistant and student volunteers. Loan periods are pretty standard, and the guidelines of the Library follow those set-out by the School district as a whole. Everyone I spoke to was happy with the SLRC hours and all had words of praise for the Library Tech, who shares her time with another Secondary School in the District. After several conversations with English, Social Studies, Math and Science teachers from School X, there were a variety of responses that I got to the question, What does the school believe about the role of the TL?. Several made reference to the fact that because the staff was so large and often divided on many topics; that it was nearly impossible to come to a concise definition of the role of the TL as well as the SLRC. As one responder mused, We are lucky to agree on the weather, let alone the role of the Library! Some felt that the staff needed to be more involved and rely less on the Librarian for guidance, We are professionals, there is no reason that I cant take my class to the Library and use the resources that are there affectively. Others had had great responses from the TL when they approached her for help with a particular project or assignment, She was great, she had a list of websites and had pulled dozens of books that were specifically tailored to my assignment. She asked for the rationale of the assignment as well as the rubric, which I would be grading it on. She was proactive and helpful.

The overall consensus of the roles of the TL and SLRC was to be available to students outside of class time for resources as well as support, and to act as a supplementary support for teachers, and the curriculum as a whole. It was difficult to get a consensus on whether or not the TL and the SLRC were actually filling these roles. Again, the comments werent necessarily negative, but many were complacent and didnt seem to think that a lot of collaboration with the TL was necessary to improve their lessons or overall unit plans.

Policy Management
After deciding on a SLRC, I immediately went hunting for a website. In fact, I was hoping that everything I would need for this assignment would fall magically at my fingertips, and with the quick, click of the mouse, all of my questions would be answered. First I googled School X Library, but found nothing. After wandering through the School website, I finally found a link to the Library. The homepage had some logistical information including hours, loan periods and the name of the TL and assistant, but it lacked any kind of reference to a vision statement or overall philosophy for the SLRC. I also searched for a list of rules of student expectations, but those were also missing from the website. Once I physically entered the SLRC, there were signs indicating no food or drinks were permitted, and there was the odd sign with SHHHHH, or Quiet Please hanging in various areas, but no overall expectations. Many discussions throughout the course have brought to light the importance of a SLRC website. It really is your window to parents, students and staff and it is a powerful way to communicate the message you want to convey about, not only the TLs philosophy and vision, but also the overall philosophy of the SLRC. The website

for School X Library was very generic and was not made unique with a vision statement of any kind. That being said, when I actually spoke to the TL at School X about her Policy Management, she had a very clear, articulate vision about her philosophy and vision, Im the link to outside resources. I can offer support to teachers, but I need to have a clear understanding of what skills teachers want their students to learn from a project or assignment When teachers give me a copy of their project or assignment, I like to have a conversation about what learning outcomes they want to be met. Thats what really helps me guide students and teachers. The TL seemed more than willing to help teachers with projects and assignments, but she felt like she needed more specific guidance in relations to what the teacher actually wanted their students to achieve as a result of their interaction with the TL as well as the SRLC.

Clientele Management
Aesthetically, the SRLC at School X was clean and organized. It was clearly a respected area of the school, and TL has definitely set this tone. I was in the SRLC a total of four separate times over the course of the research for this project, and I actually saw the same students in the Library each time. There seemed to be a group of SRLC followers who spent a lot of their spare time in the space, and often gained their volunteer hours supporting the SRLC. There is definitely collaboration occurring between teachers and the TL, but not on a large scale, and I got the feeling that not all teachers felt as though the SRLC was the best place for them to find outside resources. Many teachers that I spoke to felt that the use of the Computer Lab and the Mac Carts were better choices for projects and assignments that called for outside research.

I did look through the website for some examples of projects that teachers had assigned, as I have seen this on other Library websites, and thought they were an effective way to convey great ideas for other teachers. The Library website for School X did have different links for a variety of classes but they lacked organization and it was difficult to identify what the learning outcomes were for each course. There were no explanations of projects or assignments, simply links leading to other links, that eventually just kind of fell apart. The idea of having a section devoted solely to individual classes was a great start but it needed more organization and clarity. I also asked various staff if the TL communicated with staff members via email, or a monthly newsletter, or through staff meeting updates, but none could remember any of these initiatives being taken. I gave the TL the opportunity to explain how she communicated with staff members by asking, How do you keep staff members up-to-date on new resources and events or happenings within the Library? Her response was, My door is always open. I did get the sense that the current TL wanted better communication with students and staff, but didnt quite now how to reach such a broad audience. It was conveyed by several teachers that they did receive monthly updates on new books and resources from the Library Tech/Assistant.

Administrator
It was very difficult for me to get access to this schools Administration. As I have mentioned, the school has an enormous population and a huge staff. I do not have a working relationship with any of the Administrative Team at School X, as I have not had any teaching experience with them. I did send three emails that were not answered, and then I finally got a response to a fourth email that was very short, and only asked for one response. The question was, How do you (Administration) support your School Library and Teacher-Librarian? This was a very scaled down

question compared to the previous questions I had posed, and I was hoping for anything! I did get a response from a Vice-Principal who said, The School Library has long been a proud part of School X. Our administrative team deeply values literacy in all capacities and we work to support the Teacher-Librarian and the School Library in every way possible. Okay, not exactly specific, but at least an acknowledgment of the SLRC! I really dont blame Administration at all, and I am sure that I would get a much more thoughtful and sincere explanation from an Administrator with whom I had a working relationship. That being said, I actually think that many Administrators really do trust in the professionalism and integrity of their teachers, up to, and including, the TLs. As Toor warns in his section on asking Administrators for help, Seeking advice can be positive, but this early in the game will make you appear uncertain. Principals want their buildings to run smoothly A Principal once said, Who is going to be the expert here-you or me? (Toor, p.103) I think a hands-off approach is not necessarily a sign of complacency or indifference, but, quite possibly, a confidence in staff members and their abilities. Informal communication occurs between Administrators and Teachers frequently throughout the year, and I got the impression that both the TL as well as Administration were happy for this to continue. Neither side appeared to have a desire to increase this communication to a more formal level.

Image Management
Once again, the first place I looked for examples of advocacy, PR, promotion and merchandising, was the Library website. Besides some external links that were related to various fields, I wasnt able to find any real examples of promotion on the website.

Speaking to a number of teachers who had taught at the school for over 15 years remembered a number of events that helped to raise the profile of the SLRC and brought traffic into the center outside of class time. The most well remembered being a yearly short story contest held at Halloween called the Joe Blow Murder Mystery. A series of clues and pieces of information regarding the murder of Joe were placed throughout the Library as well as other areas of the school, and students were invited to create a short story that explained and/or solved the murder mystery. Widely popular and massively supported by the school, the contest earned rave reviews and gave the former TL great notoriety for her creativity as well as her ability to create a forum that deeply encouraged students to write. The former TL was also remembered for her ability to engage a variety of cultures and traditions during various holidays, and she was also a pivotal member of the Grad Committee. It must be very difficult to fill the role of a teacher who was deeply loved and respected by fellow colleagues, administrators, parents and students, and I would think that, to some degree, the person trying to fill those shoes would constantly be compared to the former. Therefore, in a situation like the one at School X, a balance must be found between honoring those traditions made famous by the former TL, and building your own legacy that sets you apart and meets the new needs of your school and community. It would appear that School X is still looking for an effective way to strike this balance.

Budget Management
From what I have been able to determine, all Secondary Schools in District X receive a similar budget. Student enrollment does play a role in determining the budget for the school, and the bigger schools do get a bit more money. The total budget for School Xs SRLC is about $3600.00. The TL did not know of any other

grants or other funds that were available to her to apply for, she simply received her budget every year from the School office. The TL said that the budget had been the same since she had started in the position, and that she did not think that it had increased for several years. It was very interesting when I asked other staff members what they thought the SRLC yearly budget was, I got a vast array of answers including, Oh, do they get a budget? I thought it would come out of the English department. and I dont know, maybe $1000.00? and, I would be surprised if they even got a budget! to, I thought that a piece of every departments budget would go to the Library. I always find it very interesting how unaware most teachers are about the funding situations in their schools. The TL at School X was very clear that her entire budget had to be spent every year, as departments are not permitted to roll over their budgets, and save for a big purchase. She estimated that about 80% of her budget went to new books, mostly fiction, mostly paperback, with 10% going to technology, which included printing paper and toner and 10% going to maintenance and upkeep. Maintenance and upkeep included repairs to furniture and computers.

Resource Management
One of the first things that I did not notice when I entered the SRLC at School X was a bright, colorful display at the checkout desk that highlighted recently added books to the Library collection. All of them were paperback, and all of them were books that I had seen reviewed in magazines or the mainstream media. There is defiantly an attempt to include interesting, current fiction in the collection at Library X. I asked the TL about the display, but she explained that it was entirely the project of the Library Technician, who picked the books, ordered them and highlighted them monthly with her display. The TL described the Library Technician as, a real bookworm. Teachers that I spoke to actually looked forward to the monthly updates of fiction that are also highlighted in the school

newsletter, and staff memos. One teacher said, I always keep and eye out for the new fiction coming in. In fact, I have used 2 of the novels for new novels studies for my English 9 and 10 classes. The books were initially read by most of us in the department, and thought they were so good, we ordered several class sets and added them to our novel study units. The SRLC at School X has a fairly generic checkout policy, with 2-week loans for most resources, and overnight, or 3-day loans for materials in demand due to a class project and reference materials. Late charges are sent to English teachers once a month. In terms of weeding, the TL said that she spends most of June on housekeeping. She goes through her collection and repairs books that can be salvaged and recycles those that have seen better days the TL admitted this is her favorite part of the year as it allows her to get organized and plan for the following September.

Personnel and Facilities Management

The SRLC at School X does not have any parent volunteers. Along with the TL, who has two teaching blocks and five blocks of Library is assisted by the Library Technician, who works part-time, splitting her time with another Secondary Library in the District. There are several students who volunteer their time in the Library. Most of their responsibilities include re-shelving books, cleaning and checking books in and out. The TL is very grateful for the support of her Technician, as well as the students that volunteer. She does host a sushi lunch at the end of the year to thank students who have volunteered their time. The facility itself has an open layout, with an upstairs devoted to senior students only. The TL spoke about the senior students only policy as being a right of passage, it is a privilege for our older students to access the upstairs, and it is solely

devoted to quiet study or reading. The upstairs has several kiosks, and both times that I went upstairs, there were groups of students quietly studying, and playing cards. Downstairs, there are desks amidst the shelves of books. The reference area is separated, and there is an area with 12 desktop computers and one printer. The TL has made an effort to organize the computer area in a very open layout so that supervision is easier. The TL has an office with glass windows, which allow her to see the rest of the Library while in her office. The office contains two desktop computers, two desks and a photocopier. Many teachers and students access the photocopier throughout the day, which the TL said, can be a distraction

Technology Management
The desktop computers appeared to be out-of date, and I actually rarely saw any students using them. Several teachers admitted that if their students needed to use the computers for a project or assignment, they would book the computer lab and not the Library. The Library Technician carried her own laptop, which was her won from home, I just found the PC really frustrating, I have always used a MAC, so I just started bringing my own from home. The TL herself admitted to not being very technologically savvy, The most I can really do is email! The 10% of her budget that is devoted to technology is used mostly for paper and toner for the printer. The TL places work orders when computers are not working properly, but said is can take, several weeks, before they are attended to. At the time of my visits, three of the desktops had Out of Order signs placed on their monitors. There was also a mounted projector and screen in the center of the Library, but the TL admitted she had never used it and wouldnt even know where to start The

screen and projector have been used in PAC meetings as well as Pro-D activities for the school as a whole. It did not appear to me that the TL was resistant to technology, but simply did not know where to start with it. She seemed intimidated and frustrated with the fact that technology, doesnt always work properly. I asked her if she would be willing to participate in Pro-D to become more aware of the technology that was available to her, but she said she had never seen any Pro-D in that area that interested her.

Pro D and Leadership

As previously mentioned the former TL at School X was deeply involved in the graduation activities at the school. She was the chair or the Grad Committee and held an instrumental in the planning and organizing of the Grad Cruise, the Grad Dinner Dance as well as the Valedictory Service at the end of the year. The current TL was also apart of this committee, but admitted that she did not hold the same role as the her former colleague, I help out with some fundraising, and I always attend the Dinner Dance and the Valedictory Service. There has been a longstanding Library Scholarship which I present at the Valedictory Ceremony. In terms of Pro-D, the TL said that she always attends the school based professional development seminars, but says that many of them do not relate to her Library practices. When I asked her about other opportunities available at other schools, she said, Pro-D is so expensive now! I often cant afford to go to the ones that I really want to attend.