April 1998

Staff -- School Library Journal, 4/1/1998

A Very Visible Library

After reading the letter "'Invisible' Librarian Hits Home" (February 1998, p. 8), I must praise our faculty on its collaboration with our school library. We have asked teachers to fill out a form if they are doing any in-depth research so that we will be able to work together and add to any project they may need help with. It never fails -- the forms come to us before the classes arrive in the library. We therefore are able to search out information (we call ourselves an Information Center) or be ready for instruction when the classes arrive. We have added to projects in a variety of ways which seem to enhance children's ability to learn and retain information.

Our staff is not a bit shy about coming into the Information Center looking for ideas, the latest books, new purchases, or just to read the newspaper or chat about life in general (quick chats!). Many times staff members will say, "We are working on thus and such, I wonder how we could put this together?" or "Could you do a poetry reading on this unit?" or "Since the library is full with another class, could we roll 15 or 20 books on scientists down to our room for a period?" We really do come together as a family unit and learning happens in a harmonious working environment.

I must add that the children at the school are as interested as the teachers. They buzz in and out of the Information Center to work in our computer room on a variety of projects -- unbelievable proj-ects, which are part of another successful, ever-evolving program manned with a wonderful staff. Or they beg for the latest book (they are enamored with Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass [Knopf, 1996], which is the first of a trilogy) or just want to know what book would be good to read. Please know that there are some extraordinary things going on in our school libraries. Praise for these teachers, here and there!

Blinded by the Light

Regarding the article about sun-drenched libraries in your February issue ("Sun Drenched: Four Libraries That Have Seen the Light," pp. 34-35): They may be bright and cheery, but there is one big problem with well-lit libraries -- you can't show slides in them.

I am a children's book author who visits about 50 schools a year. Part of my program is a slide show. Several times now I have given my talk in libraries with huge skylights that cannot be shut. The students can't see a thing.

Thought your readers should know before spending millions of dollars.