I love free books available for download. Thanks! On another note, my immediate reaction (read: haven't read past the title page) is of ultimate agreement.

And I need to take ownership. I'm to blame. Partly.

Unfortunately, Gallagher’s "solid ideas for halting the decline of reading" don’t involve school or public libraries! The emphasis is on classroom collections rather than collaboration with librarians or using the school library. I see this as a major flaw in Gallagher’s work. He says “what they [students] read in schools is important; what they read the rest of their lives is more important.” Anyone who believes that should set their students up for future success. I’m all for teachers sharing great books, especially titles that they’ve personally enjoyed. Of course librarians can also book talk titles and generate interest. But I think it’s critical for students to become familiar and comfortable with the culture of libraries so they can take ownership of their book selection in and out of school. Sort of the same idea as if you give a man a fish you feed him for a day; if you teach him to fish he can feed himself for life. School libraries can be an enjoyable, non-threatening place for students to learn the culture of libraries, how they work and what they have to offer. Librarians can help so much with adolescent literacy. Why does Gallagher marginalize school libraries?

You are so right, Patty. I think this is an important book, but this is a huge and sad omission and I wonder if the author has met any of US. The role of the librarian as partner is ignored. On page 84 to justify the limited classroom library, he says, "Rather than waiting for students to discover the joys of the library, we must bring the books to the students. Students need to be surrounded by interesting books daily, not just on those occasional days when the teacher takes them to the library." In our district drop-ins are commonplace. So are spontaneous visits. In a school with a strong library program this perception cannot be the norm.

Joyce wrote:

The role of the librarian as partner is ignored.

First, Joyce and friends, glad that y'all stopped by the Readicide conversation. I learned a ton from the voices of the librarians in the conversation, that's for sure.

One bit of pushback from a classroom teacher, though----some of the reason that the "librarian as partner" role is underutilized is that partnership requires time to collaborate. And no matter how you slice it, that time is in short, short supply for classroom teachers.

It's funny---in 16 years, I've probably gotten 2,000 emails from librarians saying things like, "We really want to work with you. All you need to do is come down and meet with us."

Every time, I think, "Yeah, that would be nice. But I've got three sets of papers to grade, a PLC meeting to go to, a remediation class to teach, plans to write and four parents to contact."

So it's time for you guys to get on your advocate's horse and start battering principals to find time for librarians and core classroom teachers to work collectively.

Honestly, I sometimes feel like librarians try to shame me into coming to the library. I wonder if other teachers have ever felt the same way? After all, most of us realize that you're a valuable resource.

We're just buried in too much to make the benefits of collaboration outweigh what we're leaving behind.

Does this make sense?
Bill

Bill wrote: So it's time for you guys to get on your advocate's horse and start battering principals to find time for librarians and core classroom teachers to work collectively.

How about finding time before the PLC meeting to walk into the principal's office together? I'm not trying to be snarky, it is just that 2 (or more) is better than one, and many librarians find themselves alone in the principal's office advocating for their program - that yes, includes collaboration time. I do think leaving the library, not just sending a email, is important. I go to classrooms, the lunchroom on occasion, a glass of wine on Friday, wherever I can and look for whatever opportunity. I know teachers are busy, and I am too, so to answer Bill's laundry list - I put on cataloging, ordering, reading so I can recommend books kids like, and any other number of items until I go home at night.

I understand the pressure and time crunch that teachers face daily. Therefore, as a middle school librarian, I go to the classroom: I help out with projects that involve technology, I book talk regularly, I co-teach. Telling teachers that they are welcomed to visit anytime isn't nearly effective as the librarian invading the classroom with ideas, information, and assistance. At my school, teachers don't have extra time to collaborate with me

Norah's Comments Continued: At my school, teachers don't have extra time to collaborate with me; but I find that once they really understand the benefit of spending some time outside of the school day to do so, they won't stop asking to collaborate! I also discover that students follow me back to the library only to discover that it's where they want to spend time selecting books, using computers, asking about research skills, and becoming proficient library users. In my experience, a little persistence goes a long way. And I don't think it's (in Bill's words) shaming teachers into visiting the library; I think they just don't know what is possible. Unfortunately, because there's no time in their schedules, they sometimes need to see what's possible on their own turf before spending the energy to move to another. Without a doubt, however, the effort is worth the result. Just my two cents.

Bill makes a good point about the time it takes to collaborate, however the collaboration I’m advocating to promote literacy isn’t as involved as the planning required for a research project. Using the library and the librarian as a resource for good books can actually free a teacher up, or at the very least not make more work for them. Librarians routinely book talk titles in specific genres. All my teachers have to do is let me know what type of books they want their students to find and schedule a time to bring their classes down. We’ve done it enough that it can be as simple as sending an email. After any formal book talking or instruction on the library catalog, we “tag team” the kids and each talk about titles with small groups or individual students as needed. There’s a much bigger selection in the library than in any classroom and students benefit by learning to use a library, a very important skill for lifelong learners.