MS+&+HS

=Middle School/High School Media Specialist=

The corporation had an enrollment of 2,151 students last year. The middle school had 495 students, and the high school had 683 students. The media specialist I interviewed is at both the middle and high school.

I arrived at the middle school a little before 8 am. Since I had arrived early, I had the opportunity to look around and explore the layout of the media center. Once the aide arrived, she told me a bit about changes to the center.

The LMS's office was to the left immediately inside the entrance/exit to the center. The next room is a small work room containing the laminator, large paper cutter, book/CD collection, small refrigerator, coffeemaker, and other supplies. Another auxiliary room directly across from this one has been taken over for an office. It used to house the special book/CD collection and professional materials, but these were moved to make way for the needed office space. (The person from this office was the first to greet me. She greeted students who entered early, letting them know that they could return books and look for new ones, take tests, etc. but could not check out until the aide arrived. I believe she also signed passes for them.) The main room is not rectangular in shape. It had a large main area with two small wings behind the auxiliary rooms on either side. One wing housed the small reference collection. The other wing housed the magazines available for circulation.

An LCD projector was on, projecting news on a screen. This was later turned off.

Three computers were located on high desks for use while standing. Another four computers (for use while sitting) were along the outside wall.

The nonfiction materials were on shelves around the perimeter of the center. Shelves for fiction were located in the middle (short for visibility). The shelves were clearly labeled. Shelves had room for expansion of collection.

The media specialist had many things in her office, but they were well organized. A small shelf housed professional books (for librarianship), a cart had materials to be processed, boxes of books to be previewed were off to the side, current catalogs were arranged on the desk off one one side, and a large filing cabinet housed media files and catalogs. Her desk ran along part of two walls and had a peninsula with a chair on the other side. The curtains in her office windows and the other rooms around the center gives the center a relaxed, home-y feeling.

**Other observations:**

 * One door is propped open for entry/exit.
 * Several students are in and out before school: returning books, finding books, using OPAC.
 * Student helper-self starter before school hours; checking in materials; shelving

**Q. Tell me about collaboration** **with teachers**.
I don't do much. Many teachers are not too open; they feel threatened. At the high school, I have built up a few collaboration lessons that I use each year.

**Q.** **Tell me about your OPAC, website, and other technology.**
We use Follett's Destiny for our OPAC. Our website is also through Destiny. They trained us how to manage our web sites. I have not done much with it, but others have done more.

We do not subscribe to any databases; we use those available through Inspire.

At the middle school we use Open Office, but the high school uses Microsoft programs.

**Q.** **What reports do you turn in?**
I don't turn in any reports other than ones required for grants.

**Q. Please tell me about your policies and procedures**.
Our policies are in the high school handbook. We also have handouts at registration. We have a media center orientation with all the Freshmen at the high school and all the students at the middle school.

Checkout length is 2 weeks with one renewal allowed. Number of books allowed is 2 books for sixth and seventh graders, 3 books for eighth graders, and unlimited books for high schoolers, but they are charged overdue fines.

I coordinate audio visual equipment and purchasing with the technology person at each building and our technology director.

All our teachers have LCD projectors. The high school teachers received theirs last year and the middle school teachers received theirs this year.

**Q.** **Tell me about your collections.**
We have a Book/CD collection for our special needs students. These are kept in the work room to guarantee that the materials are available for the students who need them. The teacher signs out the CD and the student checks out the book.

I do not have much in print reference. Most of what we need is online now.

At times, I take books from the middle school that have mature content and add them to the high school collection instead.

For weeding, we base some on circulation (not circulating) and some on condition of the book.

My middle school aide does the book repair.

Book jobbers that I like are Follett, Junior Library Guild, Perma-Bound, KnowBuddy, and A+.

I get magazines through subscription services (SSA). The most recent copy of the magazine is available for reading within the media center. Older editions can be checked out, but are limited to one magazine at a time.

**Q. Tell me about your schedule and how you use your time.**
Since my aides are only part-time, I fill the gaps. Having a part-time aide at the middle school isn't a problem since we have shorter hours, but the high school center is open longer hours (before and after school) so I need to cover hours there. Sometimes I open the high school media center, sometimes I close it. I spend about half of each day at each school.

I do the administrative jobs of ordering, cataloging, and taking care of things that come up. My aides and student helpers take care of circulation and the day to day operations of the media centers.

**Q.** **Please share any advice you have for renovation.**
You will need twice as much shelving as you think you need. Also, go as far as possible with your input. You will be in the center every day and know what students need and don't need.

**Q. Tell me about your aides and student helpers.**
I have a part-time aide at each school. They do the day to day running of the library including circulation and overseeing the student helpers. My middle school aide also does book repair.

I choose the students who help. They come to the library and help instead of having study hall. If their grades fall below a certain level, they go back to study hall.

**Q.** **Please tell me about your budget.**
I work with the technology staff for part of it. My budget is given to me. It has stayed the same. My accounts include books, magazines, AV equipment, AV materials, furniture, repair budget, and general supplies.

**Q.What programs and events do you do?**
At the middle school, I introduce the Young Hoosier Book Award nominees. I get three copies of the sixth through eighth grade titles and two to three copies of the fourth through sixth grade titles. Our sixth graders have the choice between the lists. Only one YHBA nominee can be checked out at a time by a student. We keep track of what they read with the Reading Counts tests. Students who read at least 5 books by Spring Break are invited to a voting party. We have a pizza party, the students vote, and I have door prizes that include mugs with pens, pencils, and other supplies. I also give certificates and recognize students who have read at least five YHBA nominees at the end of year awards ceremony.

At the high school, I introduce the Rosies. I purchase 3 copies of each title.

We do Scholastic Book Fairs at both schools. This funds our pizza party and prizes at the middle school and other promotions at the high school.

We also have a literacy committee thanks to a grant. They are doing a book of the month club. They purchase 14 copies of the book then put the books in classrooms. They also do book talks on announcements.

Our corporation uses the Reading Counts program which is based on reading lexiles.



**Q.** **What professional organizations you would recommend to me**?
AIME! It is great for resources. You can bounce ideas off of people.

**Q. What advice do you have for me?**
Have fun! It is a great career.