Comments on: Consider the difference between librarians and school teachers…

By: Janet Griffing

Janet Griffing — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:11:52 +0000

I loved this kid’s take on public education which matched my own thoughts as someone who suffered through my own experience, plus those of my two sons. I could rant on about that, but the point I sadly wish to make is that, while I’m glad this young man believes that “even the bad kids” respect the public library, I don’t find that to be necessarily and generally true in our case. I guess I am still disturbed by the past weekend’s mischief which included teens who twice — TWICE — stuffed the men’s room toilet with entire toilet paper rolls and paper towels. In the meantime, a young lady used her own feces to fingerpaint on the women’s room wall.

I don’t see how either of these behaviors shows respect for our fine public library located in a very “Wonder bread” small city in a rural county in Northeast Ohio. Where can we find more kids like the one who made this video?

By: Tasha Squires

Tasha Squires — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:32:34 +0000

Too many great quotes to keep track in this diatribe. I agree with Tom’s posting about school libraries. I would like to show this to school librarians and get them to understand they ARE different from the classroom, and not in a bad way! Celebrate the difference, rather than duplicating what happens in the classroom by directing kids toward “their” books.

Wonder if this teen knows we are all enjoying his work?!

By: Tom Kaun

Tom Kaun — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:55:18 +0000

Very interesting. I also posted the vid on my Library Leaves blog as food for thought. The young man is talking about the difference between public libraries and school in general. It would be interesting to get his take on the difference between libraries in schools and the classroom. Most school libraries, I have to admit as a school librarian, play into the same kind of game that schools have to. I prefer to think that I provide some more choices than those that occur in classrooms–but not as many as the public library can provide. And. of course, some teachers are better than others in encouraging kids to try different, eccentric, dare I say outre, materials–but they don’t have the resources of the smallest public library. Let’s hear it for public libraries!
BTW, I found the link through the AASL blog and a comment on a gaming in libraries grant from Deborah Stafford.

By: raison d’etre

raison d’etre — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:43:09 +0000

[...] I ran across this video (thanks to Blue Skunk Blog for the link), made by a high school kid, about some of the problems [...]

By: MarcyB

MarcyB — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:09:48 +0000

Oh. My. God. I can only hope that when my kiddo gets to this age that he is as thoughtful and articulate. Even bad kids respect the library. My ADHD son who is sometimes labeled a “bad kid” definitely agrees and is definitely liking the library more than school right now. LOVE IT!

By: Doug Johnson

Doug Johnson — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:53:39 +0000

Rachel,

Fantastic video. I reposted on my blog, thanks to Walt’s pointer.

Thanks so much for sharing this.

Doug

By: walt crawford

walt crawford — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:51:17 +0000

Why I love being pointed to the handful of YouTube videos I need to watch…(and love that the medium is available). Wow…tough kid (as in tough-minded) and wise beyond his years. Doug Johnson (Blue Skunk Blog) and some of the other school libloggers need to see this and respond (or not).