Last week I spoke to the students about how to get the best out of their school library – how to help the Librarian, what to expect in return, not forgetting “we are all individuals“. I thought my mindmap of notes just required printing, but instead it was nowhere to be seen. And I knew there were some things I’d missed out in the resulting discussion. Today I realised what.
Teacher A has classes booked for the LRC this week. They’ve been booked for weeks. Today I get told what they’re investigating and asked if there are any books on the topic.
So, had I been given the topic in advance I could have done any or all of the following:
- visited other libraries to borrow materials
- visited book shops for purchases (quite short notice, and the pupils wouldn’t have been able to borrow the resources, but they would have been usable in the LRC)
- gone through all my existing stock to check for material on the topic, and made sure it was properly keyworded
- had discussions with the teacher to assertain which elements of the subject were being investigated, preferred outcomes, possible information literacy inserts/guidance etc
- contacted other departments who teach elements of the same topic to borrow materials / create possible larger cross-curricular projects (maybe not for now, but in future – at least the connection is made)
- searched the web for suitable websites, so the pupils are not flying blind into a wall of information
- added those websites to a Filamentality list or to our own school website
- requested a more reality-based questioning type of investigation, to enthuse and inspire the kids, rather than the sad old dinosaur unit, which practically encourages copy and paste.
And so on. I quite honestly can’t do my job under the circumstances I’ve been handed. And I recognise that perhaps the teacher did not want some of the elements I’ve outlined above to be included. That is the teacher’s professional prerogative, just as mine is to offer the possibilities.
Same day, different class. This time, Teacher B had told me in advance what the topic was, and what was required of the class. Fabulous. I have been working with this teacher, using my powers of persuasion to improve the collaboration between department and library, so this is a vast improvement. I was also told that there were specific websites that should get used. I’ve no argument with that - until I realise that it was an exercise from a textbook, with some websites far beyond the ability of the class, and others which didn’t exist any more.
Oh dear.
I can only assume that the teacher had not checked the sites in advance. Perhaps a B+ for effort, but once more, there’s a professional information specialist just around the corner? Why not use them more?
Of course, if I was used any more, I’d probably crack under the stress, but the principle remains sound. Now where’s that brick wall…
