The librarian is the library (From Machines Are the Easy Part)

From Machines Are the Easy Part; People Are the Hard Part. 
Illustrations by Brady Johnson

 61. The librarian is the library. 

The best facility, the best resources, the best budget and the greatest curriculum do not make a great library program. 

The single key ingredient of a successful program is a library media specialist who is approachable, collaborative, and supportive of staff and students.  

If the right media person is in place, the rest of the “stuff” follows.

62. The paraprofessional is often the face of the library. 

When Mrs. Palardy was my library clerk, I was called Mr. Palardy about half the time. Of course, Mrs. Palardy was also called Mrs. Johnson frequently as well. 

Library patrons, especially kids, don’t know and don’t care who the “professional” librarian in the media center is. We are all “librarians” in their eyes. 

So? 

When is the last time you provided a staff development opportunity for your paraprofessional? If the clerk is crabby, what do the kids think about your library? Have you given your paraprofessional a chance to be creative or try a new task lately? 

Behind every successful librarian is a competent paraprofessional. Never underestimate the para’s importance. 

63. There is no reason not to have a budget. 

Too many library media specialists confuse having budget with having a fully funded budget. 

It is our job to create yearly budget proposals that realistically reflect the resources necessary to run a program that makes a difference in student achievement. Just because it may be unlikely the budget is fully funded doesn’t mean it should not be submitted. 

How’s a principal going to know what you need and why you need it unless you tell them? 

Schools, administrators and states have lots of money – more than enough to support quality library media programs. They may not choose to fund such programs, but they have it.  

Help them make good choices. 

64. Be virtual.  

Don’t fight the fact that kids would rather access information online than in a physical library. Quite frankly, so would I. Even the most convenient library is never as close as my computer. 

Every library needs a web page that guides its patrons to reliable and relevant resources. Librarians should be taking and answering requests and question by e-mail. 

Learning to make web pages is not rocket science. 

Tom Peters observes, “If you don’t like change, you’ll like irrelevance even less.”