Y’s Guide to Starting a New School/Library/Job:

Good luck in your new job, and welcome to the profession! Here is the “getting ready checklist” I share with the fledglings I’ve mentored over the years:

MONTH BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS:
1. Make friends with school secretary.
· Get copy of first month’s school calendar.
· Find out school/district timetables for purchase orders, admin. reports, major events, etc
· Find out names/phone numbers of any district contacts you will need to interact with (supervisors, personnel office, accounts office, other librarians, PTA volunteer coordinator, etc.)
· Find out school policy on use of copiers, laminators, poster-makers, etc., especially if they are located anywhere near the library.
· Find out about supply room, supply orders, etc.
· Discreetly try to find out what clerical help (if any) might be available from the office staff, especially if there is no library staff.
· Find out if/when/how the library facility is used after regular school hours.

2. Make friends with school custodian(s). Ask questions about cleaning schedules, use of library space after school, etc., and what kinds of cookies they like. (Even if you can’t bake, you can provide. . . .)

3. Make friends with library staff, if any.
· Discuss roles and responsibilities, and schedules.
· Discreetly try to find out:
a. what previous librarian did first week of school
b. which teachers tended to ‘hang out’ in the library (you need them)
c. who (if anyone) organized volunteers from PTA (might be dif erent info than from school secretary!)
d. which local librarians are/were friendly with previous librarian.

4. Meet with principal, and discuss his/her goals for library program. Ask what s/he wants you to concentrate on. Find out what library schedule will be (fixed vs. flexible, open immediately or a week to set up, what kind of orientations necessary, etc.) and WHY.

5. See if you can go through the library files (you hope there are some), and find out what last year’s schedule was really like.

6. Figure out the circ. system (automated or not), and decide on borrowing policies and rationales.

7. Make contact with pro-library faculty (see above): pump them for info.

8. See if you can talk to previous librarian, or neighboring librarian, re: circulation system, circ. policies, faculty attitude toward library.

9. Find a copy of “The Little Engine That Could.”

10. Inform significant other/family members that you will NOT be cooking dinner the first week of school.


WEEK BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS:
1. Plan and rehearse your orientation lessons. Make sure to allow at least 10 minutes for book browsing/checkout with each class.
2. Figure out the circ. system’s quirks, and find out what kind of clerical/volunteer/student help you could hope to have.
3. Learn how to use any computer and/or AV equipment you are responsible for. Find the instruction manuals (yeah, right) or send for more.
4. Figure out the shortest route to the faculty bathroom, and how long it takes to get there.
5. Read “The Little Engine that Could” to yourself.
6. Pick out wardrobe for entire first week of school. Make sure that you have comfortable shoes, clothes with pockets, and that everything fits and is ready to wear.
7. Practice looking welcoming but not over-eager or terrified.
8. Remind SO/family that you will not be able to cook dinner next week. Make alternate arrangements, plans, etc., as needed, and post the info on the refrigerator door.
9. Buy throat lozenges.
10. Practice looking welcoming and confident.


FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL:
1. Re-read “The Little Engine that Could” to yourself every morning, before you get to school.
2. Wear pin or badge that says “Hi, I’m ——. How can I help you?” at all times. Be very visible in the library- at the shelves, etc., NOT hiding behind the desk.
3. Greet everyone who comes into the library. Remind library staff (if any) to introduce you whenever possible, and to give you background info discreetly.
4. Eat lunch with different faculty group each day (if possible). Do NOT skip lunch, or eat by yourself in the library. Yes, you may have tons of work to do, but one of your most important jobs is to get to know the rest of the faculty… . as a person AND as a professional.
5. Observe faculty interactions and school culture carefully. Don’t get sucked into any one clique or grade-level group. Be equally friendly to all (even those you hate at first sight — you don’t know who they are friendly with, yet).
6. Do not make any changes in the library routines right away, unless absolutely necessary, and be prepared with good ‘practical’ reasons for any changes you do make.
7. Do NOT be the first person to arrive at school, or the last to leave. Work regular hours, just like the teachers. You don’t get overtime pay or brownie points for extended time in the building.
8. Keep a work log of what you did each day. You’ll be amazed at how time disappears.
9. Start a personal diary. Use this for venting, instead of spewing every night to your family. It will be interesting to see how your perceptions change over the next few months.
10. Insist that someone else take care of dinner this week. You will be too pooped to cook, or even go out.


FIRST MONTH OF SCHOOL:
1. Use every spare moment to learn your collection. Read shelves, play with technology, etc.
2. Learn kid’s names, or at least 4 in every class. (You will probably quickly learn the names of the trouble-makers, but make sure tolearn others, too)
3. Learn all the teacher’s names. If there is a yearbook with pictures, use that as your cheat-sheet.
4. Find out which teachers are the most influential faculty members (and why), and find ways to work with them.
5. Stay late no more than 1 day per week, and for only 1 hour. Set timer if necessary.
6. Remember to HAVE A PERSONAL LIFE on the weekends.
7. Volunteer for one school committee.