Cathy Nelson’s Professional Thoughts

Recent developments, the Teacher Librarian Cafe Elluminate last night, and yes, the AASL name change have my emotions so stirred I cannot think straight.  Even at supper tonight my husband and I debated on who was being harder hit, the media specialists with the discovery that our President and congress see little value in our programs, or the teachers that rumors say will be losing their positions at the end of the school year.

So many of us exchanged thoughts and ideas today regarding what has us up in arms of late, and something Mike Eisenberg shared today with this network of friends and colleagues really struck me. I feel so lucky to be connected to such a group!  I share it with permission below:

Regarding brand:

No, I cannot agree with School Librarian. To me, it’s retro – conjuring black and white images of stereotypical 1950s librarians. At the very least, let’s use teacher-librarian. Teacher-librarian emphasizes that we are educators – along with classroom teachers, special education teachers, technology teachers and others. That’s the term used in Canada and Australia. Here in Washington State, it’s the term written into educational code. I urge AASL to reconsider their decision. Yes – let’s move away from the 60’s – away from library media specialist or media specialist. But, let’s go forward, not backward.

Also, please remember the audience – it’s school boards and administrators and other teachers and students and community. It’s not us! It’s not how WE feel. This is how we are perceived by others.

Regarding the program – we’ve discussed this at length in the Northwest – with major input from the 3 Moms. We now agree on Library Information and Technology Program – the LIT Program. It’s a bit of a mouthful, but it captures key terms – library, information, technology. Yes, it is somewhat redundant to include all these terms, but politically and brand-wise it makes sense.

I know that there are strong feelings throughout the field on all of this. But I assure you – BRAND MAKES A DIFFERENCE. Returning to “school librarian” and “school library” gets us nowhere. “Teacher-librarian” can help a little because no one can say it and not realize that teacher-librarians are educators and not caretakers of rooms and books. “Library Information and Technology Program” can help a lot because it defines the scope of our responsibilities and links us to key, central, essential elements of 21^st Century Education.

I plead with everyone – especially the AASL leadership PLEASE ACCEPT THIS PROPOSAL. I think it would be impossible right now to reach consensus on an entirely new title for the professional. So, the choice is really between “school librarian” and “teacher-librarian.”  School librarian? Been there, done that. Teacher-librarian? We haven’t really given that brand a concerted, nationwide try – shouting it from the rooftops. As for the program, accept a new term that does capture and stake out  the breadth of what we do – library information and technology.

I truly fear for the future of the field. Like newspapers and bookstores, I think we are truly endangered. THERE IS A CRISIS. It seems that we lose positions every day. I think it is crucially important if we have any hope of stopping the erosion of cuts in positions across the country that we need to take these 2 steps now!

Teacher-librarian. Library Information and Technology Program.

I’ve worked in and for this field for almost 40 years. I think most of you know how hard I have worked on the ground in individual schools, districts, in states, and on the national level.  I put every ounce of my reputation on the line for this plea. Even if you don’t fully agree with me, but you respect my efforts and work over the years, please give this a chance.

Thanks for listening,

Mike

p.s. – and the tag line,  mission statement is clear – “to ensure that students are effective user and producers of information and ideas.”  There is no mission more powerful than this.

***************************************************************

Mike Eisenberg

Dean Emeritus and Professor

The Information School of the University of Washington

Box 352840
Mary Gates Hall, Suite 370
Seattle, WA 98195-2840

Phone: (206) 616-1152

mbe@u.washington.edu

http://www.ischool.washington.edu/mbe

***************************************************************

Wow. Can’t you just feel his passion in that?  I too feel we NEED the “teacher” brand in our title to make our congress and President take us seriously. Mike is right. When they think school library and school librarian, they remember what it was like 40+ years ago when they were in school. They have not experienced the library of today.

Introductory Webinar focus  – TL Cafe discusses the “name”

Last night in the TL Virtual Cafe, there were some very animated discussions centered on the title issue as well as the national budget eliminating school libraries.  The TL Virtual Cafe is going to happen every first Monday of the month, so stay tuned to see what the next topic is and how to access it. There were over 86 particpants last night alone! Checkout the resources provided to us from our special guest Mike Eisenberg.

And so, I leave you with the question–>What’s in a name?

Our brand, our livelihood, I daresay.  Call your congressman TODAY. Claim yourself as a TEACHER Librarian, and ask them to rethink cutting our budgets. End that call (or letter) with our clear mission:

“to ensure that students are effective user and producers of information and ideas.” (quoting Mike Eisenberg)

Photo Source: Michael Eisenberg

http://faculty.washington.edu/mbe/

Tags: Eisenberg, K12, teacher librarian, TLCafe, undewey

So we recently had our title changed to “school librarian” by our professional organization, and although I felt like it was a set back, in the grand scheme of issues that need advocacy, seriously the name change was small potatoes.  But recent events have suddenly made that name change completely fall off my radar.

President’s FY2011 budget proposals calls for cuts to school library funding

To say I am shocked is an understatement. I realized that I needed to educate my administration and even teachers in my building of what I do for the schoolwide program, but WOW, it seems our president and congress need this education as well.

Some quotes that bug me, seriously:

He discussed the $20 billion in cuts for programs that are inefficient or have outlived their usefulness, and cuts for worthy programs that must be trimmed accordingly.  (Read the whole article here.)

Today the President’s FY 11 budget is out – with greater detail about what we’re proposing and additional initiatives that will help middle class families get ahead. (Read the whole article here.)

Bailout please?

Okay President Obama and esteemed congressmen and congresswomen, where in this plan is the bailout for school library programs? While you are considering this, I have to wonder if the Sidwell Friends Lower School Library, the Sidwell Friends Middle School Library, and the Sidwell Friends Upper School Library are at risk of losing their funding? The Sidwell Friends Upper school boasts if offering 1,000,000+ resources to their students (go watch the cutesy video for yourself!) Not familiar with Sidwell Friends School? Oh, I thought everyone knew that the Sidwell Friends School is the chosen (private) school for the president’s children.

Once again the privileged benefit, despite measures to affect change with less than privileged

It is painfully obvious that even leaders such as our president and congress haven’t got a clue about the importance of school libraries.  But why would they? Their own children no doubt have every advantage to get resources needed to support their learning, including parents (or guardians) who will drive them to bookstores to buy books they may want or need, an up-to-date computer to search the Internet, and even tutors to teach them searching strategies.  No, due to their stature and position in life, they will never know how middle class or even under-privileged youths rely on our resources.  They will never know of our expertise or skills in helping these students utilize their higher order thinking skills or seamlessly use technology as a tool to demonstrate concept mastery.  It’s a sad state of libraries to be sure, and it won’t even be missed by these decison makers cutting our budgets.

Tell me how to apply for a bailout!

How do we apply for a bailout program for school libraries? Banks got them. Car dealerships got them. I promise I won’t give out financial bonuses with the funding. But I do promise to equip students with the means to be successful in our world. Isn’t that the purpose of a bailout? To make the ones receiving help independent? We are not inefficient programs that have outlived our usefulness. And cutting school library program budgets will most certainly negatively impact middle class (and lower) students.

Just FYI by the way…

By the way, it costs roughly $30,000 for a student to attend Sidwell Friends, so for our President, multiply that by 2. Oh that just 10% of this pittance were the norm for budgets across our state. Sadly, I think that may be an elevated figure.

Tags: 11NationalBudget, advocacy, PresidentObama, School Library, SchoolLibrary

I like this on many levels. What an affirmation, as sometimes being a change agent is a lonely walk. Thanks for sharing it Ben.

Field Guide For Change Agents
View more presentations from Ben Hazzard.

“This Field Guide for Change Agents was developed during a workshop at Educon 2.2 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in January 30, 2010. As workshop leaders, we were honoured to have participation by educators from around the world, including remote participants who joined us via Elluminate.”

The creators have agreed to license their work with an Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Creative Commons license. You are free to share or adapt the work, on the condition that the author page and photo attributions are included.

So, who wants one??

Will this replace the textbook as we know it? I’m not sure the “iPad” can do it. In my experience, nothing Apple or MAc has been reasonably priced to be used in Education–at least here in the Southeast. But I can hope.

I still think Netbooks will replace textbooks soon, and my guess is four years. We’ll see.

Tags: Apple, K12, Mac

A true interaction that I had with a student Friday:

Me: So, how are you liking your new classes this semester?

Student: They’re alright, I guess.

Me: Just alright? Why not great?

Student: 3 of my 4 classes are in locations in the building where my phone does not get a signal. So those classes are just alright.

Me: What about the other class–and I don’t need to remind you of the cell phone policy here at school, do I?

Student: My other class is PE, and well, I don’t have pockets in the school issued PE uniform, so having a signal on my phone isn’t, um, useful. And you know everybody does it. Geesh.

Oh that we could channel these phones properly.  Kids are very savvy in their in class use. You know, if classes are so interesting that our kids want to be on their phones instead of participating in class, what does that say about the presentation of content. Hmmmm.

Tags: Engagement

I was surprised at the news coming out at the ALA Midwinter Conference that our title was changing back to school librarian. The change has garnered some attention here, here, and here,  and even wider.  I should say though that my surprise was not by the title change, as much as by the manner in which this was done. As an AASL member, I think I do recall completing a survey. But at that time I had no idea the one actionable item that would call for executive board vote would be to change our title from “school library media specialist” to “school librarian.” It would seem more pressing for our profession at this time would be advocacy efforts to save our jobs, not a focus on merely what to call us. There are other even more debatable issues that give “school librarians” need for advice,  such as implementation of the new standards, how to motivate and move forward LMS’s out there who are not growing, changing, or adapting to the current trends of electronic or digital everything, and getting our school districts to lighten up on the severe interpretation of CIPA through strict filtering programs used, particularly in terms of sites deemed as “best” by AASL (http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/bestlist/bestwebsitestop25.cfm).

Can we talk!
I wondered openly with my networked friends upon learning of the name change what kind of discussion had taken place at the affiliate meeting if any, and the feed back we received (through chats, blogs, and email tags) was that the proposition had not caused much of a fuss.  To quote AASL Blogger Floyd Pentlin who apparently was there,

Tags: AASL, ALA, brand, media specialist, School librarian, teacher librarian

First let me say no, I’ve never been to ALA Midwinter, and GASP, not even ALA Annual.  But I am a standing member, and now that I use tools to stay connected, I can follow events at these conferences when they are offered. So this post is strictly from the view of an outsider looking in.

I give to you a list of reflective comments based on lurking or things I think were most popular for school librarians from the ALA Midwinter 2010 Conference:

• ALA Youth Media (Book) Awards
• Campaign kick-offs for ALA President Elect / Flat Sara. Sara Kelly Johns was hugely popular throughout the conference, and where Sara could not be physically, there her Flat Sara stood in.
• AASL renames the school library media specialist to that of “School Librarian”
• Vendor hall design and layout was a classic #fail; I read so many complaints about the exhibit/vendor area it became funny! At big conferences I do attend, the Bloggers cafe and uncommons area compete for my time, and they usually win.  I really have to have a purpose to be in the exhibit/vendor hall.
• Networking Uncommons Learning area super success – Impromptu BattleDecks, sharing, networking, more.  I know many used Flip cameras to video the impromptu sessions. Joyce Valenza is said to have done an quick session on widgets.  Looking forward to these videos surfacing in the coming days.
• Sessions Ustreamed or video streamed out using Qik got me into YALSA’s session led by their Teen board members – Best Book for Young Adults program and one other.

How to follow such big conferences from afar?

• Twitter feeds (search #mwala10 here.)
• Friends in attendance
• Netvibes from attendees

Some photos that I was impressed with or struck by:

A youth member suggested “Could it be that…we (teens) are depressed because we picked up a book like this…” Drew lots of laughter form the audience!(Photo from americanlibraries’s Photostream)

“Set Sail to Fail” impromptu session in the Networking Uncommons at Midwinter. Look I see Buffy Hamilton on the right taking photo. (Photo from ALA Staff’s Photostream)

Seems like “Flat Sara” got lots of photo ops throughout the conference! I see Sara, Polly, and Buffy from my PLN.  (Photos from Michael Golrick’s Photostream and Pollyalida’s Photostream)

Why LOOK!! I see Amanda Leblanc and Joe Myers, our 2009-2010 SCASL president and president-elect. (Photo from the americanlibraries‘ photostream)

Now that ALA Midwinter is over, I hope Amanda and Joe will be sharing their learnings and ah-ha moments with SCASL members.  I for one can’t wait. Isn’t it fantastic that SCASL has representation annually at such an event?  Come on Amanda and Joe–please share with us not there!

Tags: AASL, alamw10, SCASL

I’ve blogged this before, and I am blogging it again today.  There is in the midst of the candidates for ALA president elect a candidate I want to see WIN!  Yes, this is MY ringing endorsement for Sara Kelly Johns as president-elect of the American Library Association.

REPRESENT, SARA!!!

Far too often I’ve felt leaders of my professional organizations were out of touch with the needs of school librarians (the title just recently voted for/adopted at ALA Midwinter 2010), but having our own Sara Kelly Johns leading ALA will ensure that teacher librarians (my choice for my title) everywhere will be in the minds of leadership as ALA takes on initiatives, activities and plans for moving the organization forward.  Join me in voting for Sara Kelly Johns as the 2010 ALA President Elect.

Please VOTE

You must be a member of ALA by January 31, 2010 to vote, so hop on over to the ALA site and JOIN! Read about Sara from any of these portals:

• http://skj4ala.com/
• http://skj4ala.wikispaces.com/
• See who else has endorsed Sara Kelly Johns!

Photo from Teacher Librarian Ning

Tags: AASL, ALA, Sara Kelly Johns, SKJ4ALA

I took my annual Technology Proficiency Test that all SC public school educators must take.  I’m not sure there is a penalty for not doing well. I guess I would need to go back and read up on this proviso.  Based on the login page, it is merely used for funding school districts.  But does it give more money for poor results, or more money for great results? I guess it’s a good thing I do not know that (wink, wink.)

Just a 90?

I’m bothered that “I” did not get a 100%.  But in my defense I really did not like the wording on some of the questions and answer choices. I have to worry about my colleagues who are not as tech savvy as me too. But I suppose this instrument has been put through the validity and reliability tests, so who am I to question it.

One thing that did make me laugh…

I did get a chuckle out of the many references to web 2.0 and collaborative apps! While I have a comfort level there, many of these apps are blocked across our great state. (Oh yeah, here I go again waving the filtering flag–shame on me!)  I wonder where I can review results for my district as well as those districts who have heavy handed nazi-like filter mongrels who do not let words like blogs, wikis, Google Docs, student email accounts, chats, etc enter their districts. I know, I know…I’ll try to play nice. Even though I know there are many SC educators just like me that have a huge foundation in the terms and apps, I know most of their learning happened outside of school and far far away from their lans and wans the school provides. So it is funny to reflect on that assessment.

Image from my flcikr photostream! It’s a screenshot of my results, posted january 15, 2009.

Tags: Assessment, K12, South Carolina, TechProficiency

I was asked to contribute some video clips that demonstrate the many facets of a library program and what it looks like today. So I whipped out my Flip camera with no real idea what I would do, and this is the result.

Teaching Today’s Students (and their teachers) to be Smart Searchers from Cathy Nelson on Vimeo.

My point? In the library we teach the entire room, and more often than not that includes the teachers as well as the students.