Trice

Perry Trice Sep 10, 2010 6:24 pm Plan of Action (POA)

The objective then is to find a medium between [high school art magnet] students who can utilize library services and a student who will choose to utilize library services. A list of solutions follows:

Just like every roadside attraction and under ground cavern in the U.S., the library is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. But, like most hidden treasures, you need a map to find it. The solution is to produce and distribute a “tourist” brochure of the library. This brochure can include, little known facts, under utilized areas of interest and most importantly of all a map detailing the individual sections of the library. The back can be reserved for a FAQ section.
 * 1. The library is a destination and all destinations need a brochure.**

Just as it is when you enter an unfamiliar city having good signage can go a long way towards helping you find your way around. Signage should be posted throughout the library so there can be no mistaking what section you are standing in and what you will find there. This also cuts down on the excuses some students who remain apprehensive to learn the catalog system will use to avoid approaching the shelves.
 * 2. Signage.**

For younger students and older students who need advanced help, one librarian can not be everywhere at all times. Enter Library Docent. Teachers who do not wish to moniter the lunch room, coaches with a free period and even student aids can all be given basic training on how to utilize the library and how best to help others. Student Aids can be especially helpful because not only are they aware of the curriculum, they can be more approachable to the timid student.
 * 3. Library docents.**

Although the concept is of course well known to students of library schools, the idea of the librarian who teaches in tandem with classes is new to some administrators. At least twice a year, all classes should be given tours of the library and throughout the year teachers should be submitting lesson plans to the librarian to let them know what their class is studying. Bookstores know enough to put a hot seller out where customers can find it and the librarian who is kept in the loop on what students are studying can do the same.
 * 4. The Teacher Librarian**

Most schools have websites and a great feature to help kids during the day or even after hours is by providing an IM chat function called Ask a Librarian. It works just like the customer help sections used on other service provider websites and it cuts down on the old excuse that the student gave up looking for something and just tried google. No more excuses. Ask a Librarian.
 * 5. Ask a Librarian.**

In the age of teaching to the test the last thing students want to see is one more hurdle for them to pass but unfortunately for the sake of information literacy its has come to this. All students, upon entering the library during the first week of school will be given The Test. The test will consist of naming sections (not to hard, because of signage) and then explaining why one would use that section. A section where the student is given an imaginary report (randomly assigned subjects for each test) and asked to name the first 5 non-internet sources they would use to research that topic. A third section, designed with the novice in mind, asks them to then go to a pre-selected group of websites, all of which purposely contain errors about the topics they report on. The students must then pick out as many factual errors or personal opinions as they can for each website. Find 80% of the errors and be 98% correct on the rest of the test and you pass. Fail, and it’s just like the DMV. Failing students will attend a special “library instruction class” after school, held once a month, until they pass the test. Students must pass every year.
 * 6. Mandatory sentencing. Don’t want to come to the library? Test out.**