Sometimes we are our own enemy
Jan 8th, 2012 by Cathy Jo Nelson
How do you store class novel sets?
In my area, recently a librarian was asking for cost effective management solutions to class novel sets. There was a general reluctance to add them to the library management program (in this case Destiny.) The suggestions that respondents gave were to just use the library program. So the librarian expressed the concerns with doing that:
We do not want them in our (circulation) system because someone else will be checking in/out these books and will have access to student records (patron privacy) and could possibly mess up the records in existence.
I responded, but would love to see what my readers think as well. Maybe you do have some viable suggestions. But in my mind, this is absolutely a potential for negative opinons and attitudes by others in respect to the library. The following is my suggestion.
Catalog them in your Library Destiny system. If your biggest concern is privacy, then instead of allowing teachers or other school personnel to manage the checking out and in, you and your library staff handle it.
In previous years I have had class novels handled in two ways through my library program. One way was to have every novel barcoded, and each student check out their own novel. The other way was to store novel sets in tubs, catalog the “tub” of books, and check that one item out to the teacher for management in the classroom.
Managing resources through Destiny is very doable, and it adds a level of accountability, so in my opinion, you should just voluntarily manage them there instead of seeking a second program to do this. It just makes sense fiscally. This is no different from cataloging videos, cameras, magazines, and other resources that are atypical from the standard book on the shelf.
As far as messing up records in existence, I have materials cataloged in my Destiny program, and when I run reports, I tell the system to ignore certain records–things I feel will skew my statistics. That is the beauty of cataloging today.
Don't draw a line in the sand.
The danger I see here of refusing to accomodate a request like this is that you alienate a group of teachers. Risky business IMHO. Don’t draw a line in the sand. Maybe you can offer a compromise. Go back to the teacher making this request. Ask her to assist in barcoding the books and even perhaps storing them in the classroom. Create a catalog record with its copies and even indicate they are stored elsewhere, and not in the library. Ask her to bring the books and the class to the library when it is time to “check them out” so the only real work is you and your staff checking out the books, which might take all of ten minutes. This way you are preserving that privacy you are worried about compromising.
In this day and age where administrators are looking for ways to trim the budget, I certainly would not want a teacher going to my administrator complaining that I won’t help with a situation that I could very well manage. Not worth it.
In my own teaching context, I feel if a teacher went to my administrator with this issue, my administrator would probably come to me and say add the books. Wouldn’t you rather be seen as a team player than obstinate? IMHO it’s more important to be seen as a solution than a problem. The potential for a teacher walking away seeing you or the library as a problem is great. Repeat–not worth it. This is a losing battle.
I totally agree with you! It’s also an eye-opening experience for teachers to see what goes into cataloging and processing books.
I agree with you. However, in our school, the Language Arts Department keeps their own sets of class novels so I don’t have to catalog them. They monitor who has which set and when they use them. I only supply extra copies if they are needed.
It is this way in my current teaching context as well. Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment.
Agreed Julie!!
It seems like every school I have worked in has done it differently. Some via the LMC, others with the reading teacher, curriculum specialist, grade level closet, or individual classroom teacher which usually meant little or no accountability. In today’s budget-minded schools, we really need to keep tabs on all items purchased with education funds. I agree with your idea to tag them in Destiny so that they are not included in your collection statistical reports, but they can be managed for all other practical purposes.
I think many handle them a variety of ways, but like you, Im thinking if school money is invested in something, then by all means tracking use and other accountability measures should be taken. As good stewards of school resources, the library is a logical choice. And let’s not forget, these are BOOKS.
In my days of bigger budgets, we actually purchased several class sets (and I inherited several that were already there) It’s very easy to tweak the call number to indicate class set, or even use a sublocation. With the ease of cataloging these days, if there is minimal processing involved, why not?
I’m concerned about the trend of avoiding the library and not including us.
Yep, I agree too. We are about making teachers and students successful, not about building walls. I have also argued when I was a school-based tl that all the school’s information resources, whatever the media, should be considered as part of the whole-school budget, not as “silos” under the control of any one department (and that includes the library).
It was great to run across this post and validate the decision I came to in a very similar situation. All our classroom libraries are being centralized and the media center will be coordinating the cataloging, processing and circulation of the materials. We have the robust database and the ability to easily track, run statistical reports etc. This offer has created good will with the office staff, administration and teachers and makes us an integral part of classroom activity.
Kathy Kaldenberg´s last [type] ..1-7-12
Class sets here are handled by departments (ELA, Social Studies, Science, etc.) However, I do have a few class sets I purchased to use for book club. These are NOT cataloged, but I do circulate them (using a temporary barcodes) when students want the book and it isn’t on the shelf.
That said, I wouldn’t have a problem cataloging class sets (either as a set or individually) as I’d see it as just one more service. It would make sense from an accountability & convenience standpoint for me to handle them instead of teachers. What I would have a difficulty with is storage. I do not have any space to store all of the various class sets from each department.
Heather Loy´s last [type] ..Teacher Cadet Blogging
I would have a serious storage problem too if they were not stored in the book room.
There was never a clear solution in my school. The sets that were in the library were often used by staff without properly checking them out. Novel sets that were stored in a common room for the division to use were not returned properly or taken care of. These things proved difficult to take care of because of both staff and student neglect.