Scholarly Communication Issues

As it reads now the mayor and Nashville Public Library director Donna Nicely's plan would consolidate the resources of the 20 public branches with the more than 132 K-12 school libraries. Resources appears to include, among others, print materials, videos, DVDs and databases. Nicely expects "school library media specialists to be folded into the Nashville Public Library's staff if the two groups merge. Those librarians probably would maintain an integral role in buying books for their schools, but all librarians are trained to meet their audience's needs, she said" (The Tennesseean, 11/22/08).

This raises a few concerns for me. "Maintain an integral role" is different than being in charge. However you slice it the duties of a public librarian and school librarian vary. School librarians are teachers. Tennessee does not test on library skills but school librarians are still expected to provide instruction on information literacy skills specific to the grades they serve. "To be information literate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information" (ACRL, 1989). This isn't just weekly storytime anymore. They are expected to collaborate with teachers and staff. They do not give grades or evaluations but are still expected to be part of the school culture that moves every student toward proficiency. Their "audience" and their organization's mission toward serving that "audience" is different than that of public librarians.

That said, there's no reason to remain territorial about such differences. There seems to be a unique, not-always-figured-out relationship between school librarians (media specialists, information specialists, teacher librarians, etc.) and public librarians, particularly those serving and managing children's and young adult resources. Are public libraries responsible for stocking up on summer reading list items required by local schools? Are school libraries obligated to open to the public guests paid for out of their budget? Whatever the communication and collaboration efforts, or lack thereof, are now between school and public librarians, they will certainly rise in importance with a merger.

Logistically "the move would also mean increased hours at school libraries after school and during the summer" (School Library Journal, 11/22/08). This, as well as the whole merger, implies not only will public librarians be shifting to fill schools' and students' needs, but school librarians will also be shifting to serve the public needs beyond their own students and families. What does this look like? Do public libraries create "school posts" wherein a public library worker assists in circulation and collection development needs of the public beyond the school? Or is it integrated? Will the school librarian now be responsible for circulation and collection development needs of the public beyond the school AND within the school community? A consolidation of resources is clear within this plan, but what about an addition of either staff or the school librarian's job requirements, both of which should mean more in employee pay? Is the consolidation of resources that cost-effective as to be able to pay these additional employee requirements? Logistics aside, the human factor is still present. There is still the necessity of cooperation in a time where many school librarians continue to report not feeling encouraged to collaborate within their own school, let alone out of it.

While the loss of control and objective as it pertains to students still concerns me, I do see many benefits:

- incredible increase in collection resources
- savings in individual electronic subscriptions (databases, online journals, etc.)
- breaking through territorial legacies
- growing a student generation seeing collaboration on a daily basis

Hopefully there can be a culture of working toward these ends without mandating a merger. Metro School board Chairman David Fox has made it clear that the decision is up to the school board not the mayor (The Tennesseean, 11/22/08). I wonder, though, if the "surprise" of this announcement will help or hurt library culture. What if Metro school librarians and Nashville public librarians, regardless of politicians and board members, use this as an opportunity to be more open with each other and explore how they can take control of growing that student generation that sees meaningful collaboration taken seriously. I know there are amazing partnerships alive and well already. Let's make sure it's not left up to politicians to encourage growth in these cooperative endeavors.

~bryn samuels