The "c" word

I was a brand new MLS student during my last year as a classroom teacher.  One afternoon I remember waiting in line for the copier behind one of our math teachers.

She slammed her teacher's edition down on the copier and fumed, "I wish I could be a librarian.  What a cushy job.  Either the library is closed or she's sitting back there reading.  I wish I could close MY classroom whenever I felt like it."

I gotta tell you that made a huge impression on me.  I'd never thought about it much before, but it made me look at the library from a new perspective.

Some librarians will tell you that reading is their job.  No argument there.  But there's a giant difference between reading being your job and reading ON the job.  Reading is your homework.  If the library isn't busy, get out there and drum up some business!

As for the library being closed, remember my math-teaching friend and avoid the "c" word at all costs.

The library is a shared space that belongs to the entire school.  And as such, there will be hearing and vision testing, Coffee with the Counselors, TAKS testing, PTA board meetings, and the like that can shut the library down for more time than you'd like.

During one of your early scheduled visits with the principal, mention that you'd like the library to be open as much as possible because you want to impact student achievement as much as possible.  Is there another place that some of these meetings could be held?

Some closings are beyond your control.  Others rest squarely on you.

Always be open the first day of school and ready to go.  Can kids check out books?  You bet.

You'll need to get the books back in the last few days of school and do inventory, but let your campus check out books until the last two weeks of school and hold off on inventory until the last couple of days.  Even then, there's no need to close the library.

And yes, it's semantics, but choose your wording carefully when you're emailing the staff to let them know that the library is closed or when you're putting a closed sign on the door.

"Open after the meeting" sounds much friendlier than "closed."  Avoid the "c" word, both in philosophy and in practice.    The math teacher and I may be watching.