Who? ME? The New School Librarian?!

1. Who? ME? The New School Librarian?!  Presented by: PSLA Students Committee Suzanne Piorkowski, Susan Hefley Guest Speaker: Stephanie Brame

2. Session Overview Session One: Before you start the job Session Two: Your First Year • Finding a job • Interviews • Portfolios • What to know before you begin • Panel Format • Budgets • Aides/Volunteers • What is your schedule like everyday? • Best Advice for working with Administrators • What do they not teach you in library school • Special Needs Students • Behavior Management • What was your biggest mistake • What was your greatest success • What to do with downtime/what games do you play in the library? Finally: PSLA Students Website, Tips and Tricks for the New Librarian, and Overall Advice for the New Librarian

3. Introductions • Suzanne Piorkowski Co-Chair PSLA Students Committee and an elementary librarian • Susan Hefley Co-Chair PSLA Students Committee and an elementary librarian • Stephanie Brame 2008 PSLA Leadership Program Winner and a Middle School Librarian • Session Attendees please tell us your name, if you are a student or looking for a job or have a job, where you would like to find a job (geography and age level), and if you know of any job openings.

4. Survey • This survey was sent via the PA-Schools List-Serv • Many librarians responded to share their knowledge and wisdom • These are the most popular responses. • All responses are in your packet.

5. PSLA Students Website:PSLAStudents.Webs.com

6. Finding a Job • Job Search Sites • PSLA Conference Job Board • Network at PSLA Conference • PSLA Students Website

7. PSLA Students Wiki: Interviews Page Interviews

8. What is my job description? Can I see/visit the library? Fixed vs. Flexible and Would I have any time for collaboration? Is there any clerical staff? What questions should a librarian candidate ask at the interview? * Don’t ask questions just to hear yourself talk.  The interview is not the place to ask any kind of salary question unless you are being offered the job then and there. If there is something you really need to know.  Ask. But you can find out a lot by talking informally to staff and teachers.

9. Interviews • What should you DO before your interviews? • Dress Professionally • Organize your portfolio • Google yourself • Beware of MySpace, Facebook and Flikr and how you are represented online (it impacts impressions of you BEFORE you even get to the interview). Remove, add or correct all that you can to provide a positive impression. • Also be aware that everyone has beliefs about acceptable behavior for a teacher, just because you think it is ‘ok’ and shows what a ‘fun person you are’ does not mean that everyone would agree with you, sometimes it is safer to prepare for conservative interviewers than to leave those ‘fun’ pictures on Flikr.

10. Portfolios and E-Portfolios PSLA Students Website: Portfolio Page

11. What you need to know before you begin

12. Get out and meet the staff, the teachers, and especially the secretaries and janitors! Get to know the library and the collection What is the first thing a new librarian should do? 3. Run Collection Analysis 4. Make the library look FABULOUS! 5. Become familiar with your circulation system.

13. Budget and Procedures 2. Schedule and Duties 3. Discipline Policy and Procedures What questions should a new librarian ask their principal before the new school year? 4. What are their expectations for you? For the library? 5. How can I help you?

14. Knowledge of the Collection Procedures Rules Library Atmosphere The Circulation System What are the most important things to have prepared before the school year begins?

15. Survive. 2. Tread softly but carry a big stick. Develop discipline procedures early. It is easier to ease up on them than to try to get tough later. What should the goals of a new librarian be for their first year? 3. Get to know the culture of the school. 4. Make the library a welcome spot in the school. 5. Establish yourself with the faculty and get to know the teachers.

16. Varies from school to school, the basics: Introduce yourself Explain the Rules and Procedures Provide them for teachers AND students Explain library orientation in your school.

17. Original ideas, your imagination Upstart/Highsmith Books for librarians Magazines What are your best lesson ideas or resources? 4. Collaboration with teachers 5. Joyce Valenza’s books 6. PSLA Students Wiki: Lesson Plans and Ideas Page Recommended Reading

18. Books Magazines On-Line Resources List-Servs NoveList and AccessPA Show and Tell

19. What else you need to know before you begin • Unions • NCLB • Learning Standards • Resume Building • Join PSLA, committees, Join other orgs. • Volunteer

20. BREAK PSLA: Who? Me? The New Librarian?!

21. Panel Discussion: The First Year, what do we DO? High School Middle School Elementary School

22. Document Everything! (and keep a copy!) Learn the game and play it well. Keep a running consideration file. What is your best advice concerning money and budgets? 4. Be armed with statistics (especially TitleWise) 5. Be vocal.

23. What do you do about aides/volunteers? • Decide and Assign Duties • Establish routines • Appreciate Unique Talents/Contributions 4. Choose carefully 5. Praise and Reward Constantly

24. Describe your daily schedule • Elementary School • Middle School • High School Fixed Vs. Flexible

25. Displays, Displays, Displays! Posters Booktalks Book Clubs AR How do you promote reading?

26. Anyone who wants to approach administrators must be:  A)  Very polite  B) Very persistent  C) Show the value of what you are asking for D) Very concise E) Not afraid to continue asking F) Show results Best Advice for Working with Administrators Joyce Valenza’s Annual Report Annual Report Discussion

27. What do they NOT teach you in library school? Jennie Kiffmeyer’s list of the: Top 10 Things They Do Not Teach you in Library School How to really deal with the kids: Behavior Management and Special Needs Students

28. TOO Much to list, but here are some of them: That “ideal” conditions do not exist and you must make the most of the situation you are in to promote your program. How to memorize 600 names each year; how to break the stereotyping image; how to multi-task; how to beg for funds; how to speed read; how to teach special needs children… What I learned in library school has little application to what I do now (33 years) Keep learning. What do they not teach you in ‘library school’ that you need to know?

29. Eat with the staff Partner with your public librarian. Create a newsletter, especially for staff What tips/tricks and ideas do you have for library promotion to share with a newbie? • 4. Read the new books before anyone else • 5. Keep the lines of communication open with students, parents, teachers, staff and administrators

30. What was your biggest mistake? “Remember, the brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.” -Randy Pausch, Last Lecture CMU, September 18, 2007

31. What was your greatest success? “You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what you're doing is work or play.” • Warren Beatty

32. What do you do with downtime? • Library Games • Games to play in line • Time Fillers/Ice Breakers • Reading!

33. PSLA Students Website:PSLAStudents.webs.com Contribute! Make this YOUR site!

34. Enjoy your job. Smile. Stay Positive. Take it slow, you can’t do everything your first year. What overall advice would you give to a new librarian? 4. Don’t try to do everything at once. 5. Stick it out.

35. Help break the librarian stereotype…try to dress and look stylish.  Celebrate your uniqueness! You have chosen a noble profession that serves the needs of other professions and helps prepare students for the rest of their lives. It gets better every year. Any other ideas???