I find it amazing that the computerized cataloguing system has only been in effect for the last 10 - 20 years. In September, I gave the new grade 8 and grade 9 students a library orientation about how to access the library catalogue when they are doing research or looking for a certain book. I showed them the basic search; however, when the students come into the library throughout the semester for a research assignment, I remind students how to use the catalogue, and I also show them how to do a Power search (Boolean Logic). I explain the "F", "DVD", and Call numbers and then I show them with an example how to find the book on the shelf. The students can also see if the book is checked out or not. Students can click on View to see more of a description about a book. The catalogue system is very user friendly for students and teachers.
The Sirsi Dynix Work Flows system is more complicated. The teacher-librarian can see all the topics associated with a search, the publication dates, the authors, the Call numbers. The TL can click on the description tab to see if that particular book is applicable or not and can see if the book is checked out and who has it. The teacher-librarian can also check for a resource by author, subject, title, or for a particular resource, such as DVD for Kelly Road, and also for other schools in the district. When I first started in the library last year, I needed a little guidance to use this program for searching, signing out books, and discharging books. There is so much a TL can do with this program besides searching, signing out books, and returns. I do not know the full extent of everything I can do, but I am still learning.
I am amazed at how much information is in the Bellingham Public Schools Manual. The first year I started in the library at Kelly Road, there wasn't a policy manual or any written manual about how to run the library. This year, the library clerk brought one from her previous school and then, the other TL and I adapted it and changed it up to suit our library. Most of our policies, tasks, and information is included in there, so that if someone had to suddenly take over, they could. This binder worked well when our library clerk went on holidays for two weeks. Everything was explained clearly in this binder. I would like to further enhance this binder by putting it online and making it even more thorough like the manual for Bellingham. The area that needs the most up-dating for Kelly Road would be the curriculum connections. I am familiar with the research projects that come into the library each semester, such as the Planning 10 Health Research and Social Studies essay questions. One activity that I did differently as a result of taking this course is that I also made spreadsheets for each research topic and teacher with all the available sources for each assignment on it. A huge task at first, but it will save a lot of time in the long run. I love the Selection Sources page (Managing Our Library Collections for Information Power, page 27, 28, and 29 of 58) with a little description and the web site address; I will find this very helpful in selecting resources.
At Kelly Road, students may sign out as many books as they can carry in their packsack. We do not sign out Reference books overnight, but the student may take the book to the office and get a page photocopied (I tried to get a photocopier in the library this year, but it was not approved). Overdues seem to be a problem at our school, so I needed to find a way to reduce them. When a student comes to sign out a book or textbook, and they have an overdue, I ask them to go to their locker and get the overdue book before I will sign out another book. If the book is an overdue text, I will still give the student a novel, but not a text; if the overdue book is a novel, they may have a text, but not a novel. Students are issued bills at Term Reporting periods. Students either return the item or pay for the lost resource. If the resource turns up, the student is reimbursed. There are some exceptions if a parent complains because technically, we cannot withhold texts from students. However, we get a lot of returns this way and it teaches the students to be responsible for their books. I am setting up a draw with a gift certificate to the Mall as an incentive for students to hand in their books. The grade 12 prize will be more as once they leave the school, they do not normally come back to return books.
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