SLIS Student - Librarian at Brown County High School
Indianapolis
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Brian Galm, SLIS Indianapolis Student, was featured in the Herald Times newspaper "In School" section on April 29, 2008. The story is available at the HeraldTimesOnline.com - and is reposted here with permission from the Herald Times editor. The Herald Times story includes photos and extra details. Brown County High School is located in Nashville, Indiana.
By the books
Librarian sees computer use growing - but believes books on paper will never go away
Herald Times, April 29, 2008 - reposted with permission
"In School caught up late one evening last week with Brown County High School's librarian Brian Galm (just leaving the building then). Galm's in only his second year as the school's librarian, but he's quite familiar with Brown County High because that's where he attended school himself, and where his father, Bob Galm, taught for many years.
School libraries still have books — but are perhaps among the most changed places on a high school campus, as so much research is done via the Web today. How that has affected the library is among the questions we put to today's featured subject.
QUESTION: Describe your typical school day — what goes on during the day for a high school librarian?
ANSWER: I doubt any teacher has a "typical" day, but this is especially true for the library media specialist. Our role is, in many ways, support staff. We collaborate with classroom teachers and provide materials and resources to expand and enhance the learning experience. In addition, I am responsible for developing and maintaining my library's collection. So, my day can involve anything from guest lecturing to fundraising to audio-visual repair to cataloging books.
Q: You attended Brown County High School when you were in school. How do you see the school and the students now compared to the time you were a student there?
A: I am an alumnus of the school where I teach. I graduated in 1986, which is 22 years ago now. The students I work with are, in many cases, the children of my classmates. Several of my former teachers are still here, so there is that level of continuity as well, but the building has undergone a complete remodel, so much has changed physically. Brown County is chronically underfunded, so our resources are limited. In many ways, though, this is compensated for by dedicated, hard-working human resources.
Q: The library world has undergone a major revolution with the arrival of the computer, the World Wide Web and the availability of so many digital resources. How has that technology changed what students do, and is their computer savvy at a level that allows them to take full advantage of what's out there?
A: There has been a revolution in the world of computer technology. Part of my job is working with students on enhancing their computer research skills. We also have to teach the use of traditional print materials. The best situation is a blend of the two resources. Our students do have a great deal of computer savvy, but their skills are self-taught and rely heavily on Google and Wikipedia. It is our goal to expand their horizons to include more scholarly research tools.
Q: Have you gotten any unusual or notable requests for help with student research projects? What might some of them have been?
A: Student research projects do vary. I have had requests on topics ranging from antique cars to translations from Russian and Greek to how long penguins live. Strangely, some of the more unusual requests for information (usually needed ASAP) come from colleagues. Copies of poems, attributions for speeches, historical dates: I frequently get asked for those. One recent request involved finding an audio recording of an air-raid siren for a programmatic piece the band was performing. To my credit, I found one in minutes and got it to our band director in less than a quarter hour.
Q: How closely does the library work with teachers in the classroom? What seems to have worked well in that area?
A: Collaboration with teachers is the single most important aspect of my job. I am only in my first full year, so I am still building bridges with some teachers, but I try to involve myself as fully as I am allowed. Some of my favorite collaborations to date have been helping the choirs learn proper French pronunciation for two songs they were performing, doing a guest lecture PowerPoint on the European dynastic causes of World War I for U.S. History, and doing research and a presentation on the back-story behind a piece the wind ensemble was learning.
Q: Do you see a day when libraries won't have shelves of books but only banks of computers?
A: NO! There will always be a place for books and traditional libraries, even if this is only for fiction. Reference materials are well-suited to computerization and are often kept much more current in that format. Lugging a laptop on a beach vacation to read for pleasure seems less pleasant, though. The proportion of books to computers will continue to shift, but primary sources in print will always be required for scholarly research.
Q: What are your personal and professional goals?
A: My immediate concerns involve a complete inventory and overhaul of my collection in preparation to computerizing my catalog. I am working in tandem with the other library/media specialists in my system and with Brown County Public Library on grant-writing possibilities and system-wide policies. We are anticipating major fundraising activities and have a great deal of hope for the future of libraries in Brown County."
Posted June 02, 2008
