Mending Miss Spider, losing staff

I cleared out the book hospital today. I had to glue four loose spines. They are drying overnight and will be ready in the morning. I had another dozen or so that had torn pages or hinges to mend. The oldest title was Miss Spider's Wedding. It was purchased in 1997 for $15.00 and has been checked out 78 times since then. It would cost over $18 to replace and the funds are simply not available right now. All things considered it is in remarkably good shape for such a vintage book. i mended small tears in ten of the pages. One larger tear had been previously mended with packing tape. BTSB books do hold up well. I think the trick is to keep up with the page mending. Our media specialist has donated about $60 to purchase mending supplies - mostly various tapes. With that we can repair at least a hundred books. It isn't ideal, but it was what we have to work with right now.

We are still holding our breath about next year's staffing. Our technology associate was laid off today :( She's been at the school since it first opened, starting as a TA and then moving into the technology position a few years ago. At first she was still getting TA pay. Two years ago she asked for a pay increase since she was writing lessons and teaching classes. Our principal offered her a yearly contract. This year it was not renewed. This has happened in other schools and the media specialist has been asked to cover technology as well. I will say this much. I will NOT teach either media or technology classes unless they pay me as a first-year teacher. If my boss wants to quit teaching classes and just do collection development and technology support, that is on her. It is hard to stick to your professional standards when your job may be on the line. I think we owe it to our students.

I am a media assistant. I help the media specialist with whatever ongoing projects she has. Mostly I run the circulation desk, shelve books, mend books, and assist students and staff. I have subbed for her in the past, but always got paid as a substitute. I wonder what my future here will be?

LH