Argus, 1 janvier 1988, Décembre

[" t-rj \u2022\t* - V.\t*\t\u2022 Volume 17, numéro 4/décembre 1988/ISSN 0315-9930 -\t\u2022\t-I\t* Numéro spécial: BIBLIOTHÈQUES SCOLAIRES Corporation des bibliothécaires professionnels du Québec Corporation of Professional Librarians of Québec / Ateliers des Sourds ERRATUM À la page 108 les photos de messieurs Jacques Girard et Laurent Lapierre ont été malencontreusement transposées au moment du pelliculage.Nous nous en excusons auprès des personnes concernées et de nos lecteurs.La réfaction. IIAiiO NUMÉRIQUE Page(s) blanche(s) Veuillez vous informer auprès du personnel de BAnQ en utilisant le formulaire de référence à distance, qui se trouve en ligne https://www.banq.qc.ca/formulaires/formulaire reference/index.html ou par téléphone 1-800-363-9028 Bibliothèque et Archives nationales Québec ES E3 ES ES ARGUS Comité de redaction/Editorial Committee Paulette Bernhard, présidente Louise Carpentier Nathalie Groulx John Leide Michel Lefebvre Josée Schepper Monique St-Jean, secrétaire Correc t rice s/Cor rec tors Brigitte Butticaz Danielle Fleury Argus est une revue trimestrielle publiée par la Corporation des bibliothécaires professionnels du Québec Elle vise à l\u2019information et à l education de la profession La rédaction laisse aux auteurs l entiére responsabilité de leurs textes L abonnement annuel est de 25$ (6.50$ le numéro) au Québec.30$ (7,50$ le numéro) au Canada et 30$ U S (7.50$ U S le numéro) pour l'extérieur du Canada Les étudiants bénéficient d'un prix spécial de 15$ l abonnement annuel Toute demande concernant les numéros manquants doit être envoyée, au plus tard un mois suivant la date de parution a l\u2019adresse suivante Argus Secrétariat de la CBPQ 307, rue Ste-Catherme Ouest.Suite 320 Montréal (Québec) H2X 2A3 Toute reproduction des articles, en totalité ou en partie, doit être faite avec la mention de la source Les articles de la revue sont indexés dans Pascal Thema.T205 Sciences de ( information-documentation.Information Science Abstracts.Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA), Library Literature et dans Point de repère Dépôt légal à la Bibliothèque nationale du Canada et à la Bibliothèque nationale du Québec Argus is a quarterly journal published by the Corporation of Professional Librarians of Quebec It aims to publish original papers to inform and educate the profession Articles are the entire responsibility of the authors The yearly subscription is $25 ($6 50 an issue) in Quebec.$30 ($7 50 an issue) in Canada and $30 U S ($7 50 U S an issue) outside Canada A special student rate is $15 for the yearly subscription Any request concerning missing issues should be sent, no later than a month after the date of publication, to the following address Argus Secretariat of the CPLQ 307 Ste-Catherme Street West.Suite 320 Montréal, Québec.H2X 2A3 Articles may be reproduced, in whole or in part with proper credit to their source Articles are indexed in Pascal Thema part 205 Sciences de r information-documentation.Information Science Abstracts, Library and Information Science Abstracts (USA).Library Literature and in Point de repère Legally deposited as required with the National Library of Canada and the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec Courrier de deuxième classe \u2014 enregistrement no 5794 VOLUME 17, NUMÉRO 4/DÉCEMBRE 1988/ISSN 0315-9930 /4RGUS Corporation des bibliothécaires professionnels du Québec Corporation of Professional Librarians of Québec La lettre d'Argus page 91 The school library: an indispensable catalyst by Anne M Galler page 93 La bibliothèque/médiathèque en milieu scolaire: un service essentiel?par Paulette Bernhard page 101 RÉALISATIONS ET EXPÉRIENCES* Les bibliothèques du Danemark: compte rendu de la mission sur les bibliothèques scolaires par Gérard Héon et Raymond Julien page 109 La promotion de la lecture dans renseignement primaire et secondaire au Québec par Marie Cimon page 115 La livromanie par Gisèle Desroches et Isabelle Cottenceau page 117 Bibliothécaires de collège et enseignants: une expérience positive de sensibilisation par Madeleine Proulx en collaboration avec Gisèle Laramée page 119 INFORMATIONS Les bibliothèques scolaires: une sérieuse préoccupation du ministre de l\u2019Education par Gilles Bouchard page 121 L\u2019information sur les bibliothèques scolaires et la littérature de jeunesse: liste des principaux périodiques par My Loan Duong page 122 * Les textes correspondants n\u2019ont pas été soumis à une évaluation externe au comité de rédaction ARGUS/DÉCEMBRE 1988/VOLUME 17/NUMER0 4 89 BBF THE FRENCH TOUCH BULLETIN DES BIBLIOTHÈQUES DE FRANCE t Aujourd'hui la bibliothéconomie et les sciences de l'information n\u2019ont plus de frontières : mais, vous-même, savez-vous ce qui se passe à l\u2019ombre de la Tour Eiffel ?Bien sûr.vous avez entendu parler de la Bibliothèque Nationale et du Centre Beaubourg ; mais vous avait-on dit que c\u2019est fa France qui a au monde la plus grande densité de terminaux vidéotex?Le Bulletin des Bibliothèques de France, la ligne directe vers les bibliothèques françaises et l\u2019Europe Tarifs 1988 (6 numéros par an) : 410 FF.Commandes : Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Bibliothécaires 17/21.boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918 69623 Villeurbanne Cédex France.A** fcVROPr LA LiTTRi O\u2019ÂlFSûU Le numéro que vous avez entre les mains est consacré aux bibliothèques scolaires, en particulier celles des ordres d'enseignement primaire et secondaire.Les auteurs y insistent sur le potentiel éducatif de la bibliothèque (quelle que soit son appellation) et des ressources documentaires en milieu scolaire.On y sent aussi souffler un certain vent d'espoir, avec la mise sur pied, en août dernier, d'un comité d\u2019étude ministériel sur les ressources documentaires dont le mandat est de faire le bilan de la situation actuelle et de proposer des mesures de redressement.Le contexte actuel des bibliothèques scolaires au Québec est plutôt sombre: absence de politique et d\u2019orientation générale à tous les niveaux de décision, faible intégration des ressources documentaires aux programmes éducatifs, vieillissement des collections, insuffisance des budgets d'acquisition et de fonctionnement, manque de personnel qualifié.Cette situation apparaît encore plus alarmante si on la compare avec celle d'autres provinces et d'autres pays.Par exemple, Roderer et al.(1983) relèvent que, en 1982, 48%, soit près de la moitié des bibliothécaires américains étaient employés dans des biliothèques scolaires, contre 23% dans des bibliothèques publiques, 15% dans des bibliothèques universitaires et 14% dans des bibliothèques spécialisées1.Même si les projections de ces auteurs identifient ce secteur du marché de l\u2019emploi comme susceptible de décroître légèrement d'ici les années 1990, à cause de la diminution des effectifs scolaires, il n\u2019en reste pas moins qu'il semble bien pourvu en ressources humaines.Cet état des choses n'est peut-être pas étranger aux résultats des études menées en 1987 dans ce pays grâce à la base de données SchoolMatch et aboutissant à la constatation d\u2019une corrélation très nette entre le succès scolaire et les dépenses dans le domaine des bibliothèques ou des médiathèques: «Of ail expenditures that influence a school\u2019s effectiveness \u2014 including those for facilities, teachers, guidance services and others \u2014- the level of expenditures for library and media services has the highest correlation with student achievement»2.Des «lignes directrices» pour l'élaboration de programmes intégrant les bibliothèques et les médiathèques scolaires à l'enseignement viennent de paraître aux Etats-Unis3, remplaçant les normes parues en 1975.De son côté, l\u2019Association canadienne des bibliothèques scolaires est en train de mettre au point une version renouvelée des normes qu\u2019elle recommande4.Ces activités témoignent, selon nous, de la vitalité d'un secteur en évolution.Espérons qu'il en sera de même au Québec et que la bibliothèque pourra enfin y devenir le cœur de l'école et inscrire sa place sur la carte du système éducatif.Le comité de rédaction 1\tRoderer et al 1983 Library human resources a study of supply and demand Chicago: American Library Association, pp.2-35 2\t-Pupil success firmly linked to school library funding » American libraries, vol 18.no 8, (September 1987), pp.632-633.3.American Association of School Librarians, Association for Educational Communications and Technology, 1988 Information pou er guidelines for school library media programs Chicago ALA 4 Voir -Guidelines lor effective school library programs Rationale.» School libraries in Canada, vol.8, no 4, (1988).p 31 ARGUS/DÉCEMBRE 1988/VOLUME 17/NUMER0 4 91 La dernière passion des rats de bibliothèque par des bibliothé HH|caires pour des bibliothécaires, multiLIS intègre une multitude de fonctions avant-gardistes II donne à tout moment une vision précise de la situation: aux gestionnaires, aux préposés et aux usagers Toutes les fonctions sont intégrées à partir d\u2019une même banque de données où elles vont à la fois puiser et verser de 1 information.Vous avez donc un contrôle absolu de toute la gamme des opérations.Les usagers, eux, sont ravis, car multiLIS est accessible aux petits rats comme aux grands érudits, selon leur capacité d\u2019utilisation.\u2022Système automatisé véritablement intégré, développe par l'université du Québec à Montréal \u2022\tInteraction avec l'usager, unique en son genre \u2022\tSix fichiers d autorités en accès direct \u2022\tCatalogage en format régulier ou en format MARC intégral \u2022Acquisitions, prêts, recherche (booléenne, troncature) \u2022Production de rapports et statistiques \u2022\tMultilingue \u2022Fonctionnalité «reseau» \u2022\tPour petites ou grandes bibliothèques.spécialisées, publiques ou académiques \u2022\tmultiLIS opéré sur toute une gamme d'ordinateurs -\tles ordinateurs VAX de Digital -\tles TOWER 32 de NCR -\tet plusieurs autres équipements qui utilisent le système d'exploitation UNIX system V Malgré ses caractéristiques avant gardistes, multiLIS est peu coûteux et ne requiert pas d analyste sur place pour son entretien Les experts sont unanimes: multiLIS est largement en avance sur la concurrence C\u2019est d ail leurs le premier système en importance au Canada et le cinquième en Amérique du Nord.Demandez une rencontre d in formation sur multiLIS; vous verrez: c\u2019est passionnant! Écrivez nous: multiLIS Groupe Sobeco Inc.Édifice Sobeco SOS.boul René-Lévesque Ouest Montréal.Québec H2Z 1Y7 Ou appelez-nous à frais virés au & ÜCAe« tn Cop tf- r */94y.( ojj\tl9Ue» jLLé- (514) 878-9090.*n Un service de Sobeco 92 ARGUS/DÉCEMBRE 1988/VOLUME 17/NUMÉRO 4 The school library: an indispensable catalyst.bv Anne M.Galler* / Les peints suivants relatifs à l\u2019importance des bibliothèques scolaires sont développés le rôle du bibliothécaire scolaire, le rôle du bibliothécaire scolaire comme bibliothécaire spécialisé, et les habiletés spécifiques aux bibliothécaires scolaires Ces demieres vont au-delà de la formation donnée dans les écoles de bibliothéconomie, en raison de la relation particulière que le bibliothécaire scolaire entretient avec les enfants et les jeunes adultes On différencie egalement les approches que les bibliothécaires aeui rant dans les milieux scolaire, public et universitaire ont face à leurs clientèles On examine enfin pourquoi les bibliothèques publiques et scolaires ne devraient pas être fusionnées, sauf dans des cas très particuliers This paper addresses the following points in elaborating on the importance of school libraries: the role of the school librarian, the role of the school librarian as a special librarian, the special skills required by the school librarians These skills are over and above the training given in library school, because of the very special relationship that the school librarian has with children and young adults.The paper also addresses the major difference in approach to the clienteles, which is requiredfrom school, publu, and university librarians, as well as the question of why public and school libraries should not be merged except in very special circumstances.\u201cSchool libraries are both the foundation as well as the cornerstone for all other types of libraries that are found in society.\u201d (Nlparutsa, 1988, p.20) This article emphasizes the crucial role of the school library in the development of children.It speaks of the training, qualifications and skills required by the competent school librarian who, in the opinion of the writer, is a special librarian and should lx* in possession of the highest qualifications among all librarians to be allowed to serve the youngest and most impressionable minds.The role of the school librarian Why do I refer to the school librarian as the indispensable catalyst?The definition of catalysis is as follows: \u201cAn action or reaction between two or more persons or forces provoked or précipitât d by a separate agent or force, especially by one * Professional Librarian Ms.Galler is Associate Professor, Library Studies, and Director of the Center for Off Campus and Distance Learning at Concordia University.that is essentially unaltered bv the reaction.'' (VVebster's third 1967) In this case it is the librarian who is the \u201cagent*\u2019 who \u201cprecipitates\u201d the student by introducing the wonders of the library world, by awakening and guiding the young intellect and subtly supervising this process without being altered by it.The role of the school library For years I have been advocating among my library colleagues the crucial role of the school library in the development of the child.The child who is, after all, the future reader, the future literate member of the community, the future user of libraries be they college, university, public or special.There are numerous reasons why the school library, especially the elementary school library, presents a unique opportunity to capture children at the most impressionable age.This is the age when children should be introduced to good reading habits and have their eyes opened to the pleasures of reading.We have to realize that many children are not introduced to reading by their parents nor are they taken to the public library at an early age.Thus it is the school library that has to fulfill these requirements.It is even better to introduce children to the library at the preschool, i.e., nursery or kindergarten level.The younger the child the more impressionable he or she is.We also know- now that reading to babies is helpful in forming good library habits for life.It may be self evident to school librarians, but it needs emphasizing to the government authorities, to the library profession, and to the general public that the school library is the only place where children are taken on a regular basis and they can have access to a library within an Institution of learning without having to step outside.It is the place, therefore, where ARGUS/DECEMBRE 1988/VOLUME 17/NUMERO 4 93 the student must be reached, captured, and retained as future library user.It is suggested that at the introductory stage, especially at the preschool or nursery level, the visits should be conducted in an unstructured and playful fashion It is here, in the school library environment, where the imaginative and creative, highly qualified and highly skilled school librarian can and must stimulate the impressionable mind of the pupil.I am convinced that it is at this earliest contact point that the future user of the library can and must be created or could, sadly, be turned away from libraries forever.Because it is important to form children's library habits properly at the earliest age, it must be only the best qualified, the best educated, and the best trained librarians who are allowed to run the school library.Although the fact is not always recognized even by the library profession, I maintain my belief that the school library is a special library which by definition serves three special categories of users: the pupils, the teachers and the school administrators.In addition to serving this highly specialized clientele, each with different needs, the school librarv also has another and most crucial function, a pedagogical one.This pedagogical function differentiates the school library from all other libraries.A special library that caters to engineers, financiers, businesspersons or other categories of special clients does not have a pedagogical function as it performs mainly a service role.The pedagogical role of the school library\u2019 enhances its service aspect and goes hand in hand with the teaching function of the school.While it is important to attract children to the library by a pleasant environment, by offering them story-telling, filmstrips and other fringe benefits, these are frills, which are not always possible or even necessary.Quoted in a recent article, a worried school librarian asks: \u201cIs my school library to become a club house?\u2019* and the answer is \u201cYes, it can be that too.\u201d \u201cThere is something cozy and intimate about a club house, which the school library should also aim at being.\u2019' (Moller, 1987, p.2) While we should and must attract children by offering playtime and by making the young patrons of the library comfortable, we must also inform them that they are in the library to do serious work, to study, and to learn.The crux of the matter is to offer information handling skills, research and reference skills, and critical thinking skills in the structured environment of the school library.Once children are assigned to the library' for a weekly period, it is the duty of the school librarian to take advantage of the opportunity, and teach how to seek out, record, and digest the wealth of information available in the library.It is the duty of the school librarian not to allow students to sit down in the library with a reference book simply to copy from it, but to teach the young patrons how to take notes, how to absorb information and then reformulate it in their own words.It is the duty of the school librarian to teach children not to accept everything that is printed as fact, to point out that there are often two, three sometimes more facets to a question.It is the duty of the school librarian to insist that more than one source be consulted, in order to show the children that there is more than one point of view\u2019, and help the young minds come to the realization that it is fun to make one\u2019s own decision, and to find pleasure in discovering one\u2019s own solution to a problem.Competencies of the school librarian Some of the traditional roles attributed to librarians have been to be: a custodian of books or archivist a cataloguer and classifier a reference person or dispenser of information a bibliographic searcher a manager of records or retriever of information an administrator While all these functions are general and undoubtedly important and relevant for the library profession, first and foremost, the school librarian has to be an educator.By describing the librarian as an educator I do not mean to imply that the librarian has to be a professional teacher rather than a librarian, but I am looking for someone who is a born educator, one who enjoys the educational role that is part of being a school librarian.The school librarian has to be aware of the curriculum and should be allowed to participate in it\u2019s development.Because in the school library the children can be seen in a more relaxed atmosphere, the librarian often has a 1946*1986 À VOTRE SERVICE DEPUIS QUARANTE ANS PERIODICA AGENCE NTERNATiQMAl INTE R NATION A LE SUBSCRIP TIO\u2019.D\u2019ABONNEMENTS AGE NC v.pour vous abonner à toutes les revues de langue française du monde commandez notre catalogue général \u2022\t5 000 titres classés par sujet \u2022\t42 pages \u2022\t3.00$ PERIODICA.C.P 444.Outremont, QC H2V 4R6 Tél.: (514) 274-5468 94 ARGUS/DÉCEMBRE 1988/VOLUME 17/NUMER0 4 different insight into curricular needs than the teacher has.Ideally the school librarian, with knowledge of childrens\u2019 literature and young adult literature, chooses all materials, books, software, audio-visual, and other items for the school library, taking into account curricular needs, recreational aspects, and the budget.Unfortunately, this is not always true.According to Rubin Sirkis, in his \u201cL\u2019utilisation du livre et de la bibliothèque à l\u2019école élémentaire\u201d (Ministère de l\u2019Education, Québec 1976, p.25): \u201cl>e bibliothécaire n\u2019existe tout simplement pas à l\u2019école élémentaire Sauf dans les commissions scolaires qui ont des bibliothécaires responsables à l\u2019échelle de toute la commission scolaire et pour quelques rares exceptions, les bibliothécaires n\u2019ont donc pas non plus d\u2019influence sur la sorte de livres achetés, pour la bibliothèque de chaque école \u201d We can ask the question: who does the book selection, and what are the competencies of this person in the above described situation.The school librarian (if we assume the existence of such a person) should also develop good liaison with teachers and administrative personnel who are very important patrons of the school library and should not be forgotten.Last but not least, the school librarian must be aware of and able to absorb new technologies.As an educator the librarian must be a consumer of continuing education, and attend workshops and professional updates.Especially in this age of rapidly changing technologies, one must constantly be alert to educational opportunities and keep abreast of new developments in the field as well as absorb new technologies as they emerge.Today, at least in North America, many schools have microcomputer terminals which link them to mainframes, CD ROM equipment, video disks or other, newer techniques, which enable them to access information far beyond the range of the traditional school library.In the meantime, faced with all these new technologies, school librarians have to teach children how to use and organize the information thus accessed, how to choose the most appropriate items, guide and subtly supervise the individuals left in their care to assure that they develop these new skills.Slowly the competent librarian will lead up to the third and most important area of expertise for students to acquire namely, the ability to develop the art of critical thinking.Once the material is located, acquired, and assimilated, judgment will have to be exercised as to the relevancy of the information found and choices made to present it most appropriately.Last but not least, the school librarian must possess excellent interpersonal skills, to communicate with children, teachers and administrators with equal ease.In all these steps the school librarian\u2019s role as catalyst is crucial.Training of the teacher-librarian school-librarian According to Noelene Hall from Australia, she cannot emphasize enough how important it would be to teach teachers information handling skills, to force teachers to use the resources of the library of the teacher training institution they frequent, so that \u201cprospective teachers gain competence and confidence in information skill and increased awareness of resources and net works available for continuing professional development\u201d.(Hall.1986, p 44).The Library Association of Australia Policy Statement (1985) avers that \u201cAnything less than courses leading to full qualifications for teacher-librarians are not approved by the LAA\u201d (LAA.1985, p.3).It is apparent from the literature that it is an accepted fact that teachers should have library skills both their own enlightenment as well as for teaching children.The other side of the picture, namely that school librarians should have curricular and teaching skills, does not seem to emerge clearly at all.Based on thirty years of library experience, I feel that the best combination for a school is a teacher with Table 1 School Library Related Courses by Canadian Library and Information Science Schools Mc U de U of U of Ü of U of Dalhousie Gill\tMtl Alta\tBC\tTor W\u2019esOnt \u2022\tChildren's Literature\t1\t_____________l_______________________________1 ____ \u2022\tHistory of Children\u2019s I atei ature\t________________1_____ \u2022\tMaterials & Service to Young Adults\t1\tl \u2022\tMaterials for Children\t1\tJ\tl \u2022\tMaterials for Y< >ung Adults\t1\t1 \u2022\tReadings for Young Adults\t1 \u2022\tS< h< >ol Libraries 1\t1\t________________ \u2022\tSchool Library Programs and Serv i< es\tl \u2022\tSchool Media C entres__________________________________________1__________________________1____ \u2022\tSen ice t« * ( Children\t1\t1 \u2022\tService to Children and Young Adults\tl ____________________________ \u2022\tSruiy Telling ___________ 1\t1 \u2022\tY\u2019oung Adult Literature\t1 Only two schools, University of Western Ontario and University of British Columbia offer a course called School Libraries.A course on School Media Centers is offered by University of Alberta A course on Planning and Development oj School Library Programs and Services is offered by Dalhousie University.Unfortunately, due to lack of enrolment the entire program of 5 courses offered by the Section on School Libraries and Resources, by the University of Toronto, has been put on hold since 1983/84, to be re-examined in 1987/88.MacArthur College of Education, at Queens University, Kingston, used to offer a 6 credit School Library Course as part of its teacher training.Again, due to budgetary restraints this programme was discontinued a few years ago.ARGUS/DÉCEMBRE 1988/VOLUME 17/NUMER0 4 95 highly developed library skills or a professional librarian with solid teaching skills.In both instances I would like to see indepth training in the related profession.\u201cEffective school librarians have come from those with background and experience in either librarianship or teaching and those whose first choice, training and experience has been in school librarianship School librarians need to have the ability to manage a learning environment in order to implement teaching and learning activities effet-tivcly\u201d (Hannesdottir, 1986, p 47).Unfortunately, most teacher training institutions in Canada do not include library skills in their standard teacher training curricula.Conversely, library and information training institutions do not usually include teaching skills in their standard curricula, and they seldom offer school library' courses.Table 1 reports an analysis of the courses offered by the seven library- schools in Canada.The librarian at the University or college level vis-à-vis the school library Whether the school librarian has teacher training or the teacher called upon to run the school library has professional library training, is of less importance than the fact that the skills of the school library professional must be of the highest calibre (at least MLS or M.Ed.).As children grow and mature and we hope and presume, acquire better library skills along the way in the elementary and later the high school library, the role of the librarian they encounter in college and university will be less that of an educator and more that of a facilitator and guide to the specific collections.The role of the college and university librarian is thus fundamentally different from that of the school librarian.Librarianship in college and university libraries today is highly specialized.To work in the reference department of a university for example, one is required to be a subject specialist, with preferably a Master's or a Major or Specialization in a particular field.This specialized training enables university reference librarians to prepare annotated bibliographies in their areas of expertise, to direct students to specialized reference and research tools, and to conduct well defined searches either manually or by computer.It is understood that in order to discharge the reference job in an appropriate manner, the university-librarian thus employed must have a flair for research, must be aware of the library literature and library tools but is not expected to be an educator or pedagogue.In general, college and university librarians resent the fact that students arriving from the feeder schools are not able to access the library collection on their own.Although introductory orientation sessions are available for first year students, these are usually tied to a specific subject area and are not of a general nature.While university librarians feel that they can and must introduce specific reference tools relevant to a topic that would not have been available in schools, they do not wish to teach \u201cHow to use the library.\u201d Unfortunately, precisely because of the weak nature of our school library system in Canada, college and university librarians often lament the lack of library skills in students arriving at their doorsteps.Therefore a certain amount of teaching of specialized library skills has to be expected in the university or college library-.However, neither in the public library nor in the business library- is the client or patron expected to be taught how the library works.Moreover I cannot emphasize enough that librarians, except in academic institutions,' are not expected to play a pedagogical role.In essence, what is or should be expected of school librarians is to fulfill the dual roles of teachers and librarians.The school librarians have the unique opportunities to be super librarians and teachers extraordinaire.Why?Because the school librarians do not have to face students on a day-to-day basis in the very- confined quarters of a class room.School librarians can use their imaginations to teach these basic skills: 1.\tin for mat ion retrieval 2.\tinformation handling or manipulation 3.\tcritical thinking Carolyn Chrvston Leopold in the Preface to her book entitled School Libraries Worth Their Keep states the following devastating fact which I am sure is as true today as it was in 1972.\u201cAt present the school librarian is not treated as one skilled in the transmission of knowledge, but merely as a subordinate clerk who keeps track of tomes on shelves In this suppressed role, her training is not utilized, the teaching process suffers, and our expensive library facilities are not yielding results commensurate with their costs.\u201d Among the main areas that are usually cited as library skills to be taught I did not mention the traditional ones such as cataloguing, classification, reference, circulation.These are required for the skilled school librarian as for any other librarian.As these subjects are part of the basic library school curriculum, I did not feel the need to list them in addition to the school librarian\u2019s main and most important skill, that of an educator.The School Library and the Public Library From time to time, in various countries of the world there is movement towards the integration of the school library and the public library to create a symbiotic relationship that some current thinkers, especially in government education departments feel is appropriate.While it is perhaps laudable to find new and creative ways to cut budgets, and while there are precedents for this type of relationship JEAN DOSTERT PRÉSIDENT DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL Tél (819) 478-4991 (514) 286-7001\tC P 607 (418) 647-2644\t1 1 70 Rocheleau (613) 564-0072\tDRUMMONDVILLE.QC .J2B 6W6 96 ARGUS/DÉCEMBRE 1988/VOLUME 17/NUMER0 4 Un REGARD suffit.Pour une gestion complète des ressources documentaires Vous désirez un système souple et polyvalent qui permet une gestion complète des ressources documentaires?REGARD est un système informatique conçu spécialement à cette fin.C'est l'outil par excellence du personnel et des usagers: \u2022\tdes bibliothèques: \u2022\tdes centres de documentation des écoles (bibliothèques scolaires); \u2022\tdes services centralisés de gestion de la documentation audio-visuelle: \u2022\tdes services centralisés de traitement et de préparation de la documentation.REGARD regroupe toutes les qualités que vous recherchiez: \u2022\tcommunication facile avec les Services Documentaires Multimédia pour la récupération des notices sur support magnétique; \u2022\tmise à jour interactive des données: \u2022\tfacilité et convivialité du logiciel grâce à l'approche par menu et à l\u2019utilisation des clés de fonctions; GRICS \u2022\tmodule complet de gestion de la circulation des documents (prêts et renouvellements.retours, réservations, mises en réserve) convenant tant aux bibliothèques qu\u2019aux services centralisés de gestion des documents audio-visuels; \u2022\tmodule de recherche des informations et des documents disponibles, accessible à l\u2019usager du centre de documentation, débutant ou expert; \u2022\trecherche rapide de documents par l\u2019utilisation de mots-clés ou d'expression, ce.avec l\u2019aide d\u2019opérateurs booléens (caractéristiques supplémentaires: troncature, masque, parenthésage.etc.); \u2022\tprogrammes d\u2019impression et d\u2019exploitation des différentes données; \u2022\tpour les organismes d\u2019enseignement: mise à jour massive des données concernant les emprunteurs (liens avec SIGNE ou OMÉGA); \u2022\tet bientôt, production de statistiques sur les prêts et liens avec le disque optique numérique (CD-ROM) des Services Documentaires Multimédia.Depuis plus de 20 ans.la Société GRICS offre des produits de haute aualité.Sa structure de concertation lui permet de répondre aux besoins particuliers de sa clientèle.Avec la Société GRICS.on s\u2019assure d\u2019une solution adéquate qui sera constamment supportée et régulièrement améliorée.c\u2019est une assurance pour l\u2019avenir.Pour obtenir plus d\u2019informations ou pour de la documentation: Service à la clientèle: (514) 251-3730 ARGIJS/DÉCEMBRE 1988/VOLUME 17/NUMER0 4 97 (especially in the Scandinavian countries), these two institutions, the public and the school library, although necessary to each other, should not and must not be merged.A good example comes to us from Norway.\u201cThe key to successful Y A service lies in the line between the school and the public library Neither of these institutions can afford to ignore the other if success is to be realized.Adolescents use both types of libraries, often in different ways\u201d (Amev, 19t6, p 12) Linking the school library to the public library in a more than casual or voluntary fashion can lead to problems.\u201cA report compiled by the Norwegian Directorate for Public and School Libraries in 1983 stated that a major hinderance to the development of school libraries was the linking of these libraries to the Public Library' Act.\u201d (Horn.1987, p.9) As long as it seemed that school libraries came fully under the Norwegian Public Libraries Act, the school authorities did not have to worry about developing, funding, and maintaining school libraries.Therefore the Norwegian authorities were finally convinced to omit school libraries from their Public Libraries Act and make the school libraries the full responsibility of the school authorities, urging them to establish cooperation with the public libraries.Inevitably, the public library will attract those who have been properly-introduced to libraries and library-skills in the schools, and who want to extend their horizons.The public library does not and cannot have a pedagogical function.It is there to serve and supply additional reference materials, add an additional dimension to knowledge and materials found in the school library which strictly speaking has only materials related to the curriculum.Students, once they have become familiar with their school library collections should gravitate to the public library, to leave the familiar but limited school library collection for the larger resources of the public library.The public librarian is there to provide recreation, to provide good reading, good literature, to upgrade reading skills but has neither the time nor the role to teach children how to use the libary.Moreover, attendance at a public library requires an adult intermediary to accompany the child to an external location, at least at the elementary school level.It is, of course, possible that the public library is down the street from the child\u2019s house, but it is contraindicated and dangerous to let a preschool or elementary- pupil go into the street alone.Thus the public library-, especially in larger centres, is inaccessible to children till they reach high school age.Hence, the premise of the \u201ccaptive audience\u201d in the elementary school library-.One must catch the imagination of the child when one has the chance, preferably at the preschool age and \u201cin situ.\u201d Having the child taken to the public library- by a parent, relative or sitter also presumes another factor, namely that the adult in question is already a library user.Yet it is a well known fact that only a certain percentage of the population uses public libraries.The school library\u2019s potential is one hundred percent use! It would be naive to presume that all those introduced to a school library at preschool age will have had a positive library experience, especially if there are not enough competent librarians in our schools.Yet I am convinced that early training in good library habits in the school could increase the number of public library-users substantially, and create a new' generation of eager library users of all other types of libraries as well as a more clearly literate public.\u201cLibrarians should placr themselves in a position of building a potential clientele, a clientele that has the basic skills and maturity to use the libraries' resources efficiently.The potential clientele then become mature, independent users \u201d (Lyman, 1977, p 29).There is a lot of work to be done right here in Quebec if we look at the devastating statistics just recently published on the state of the public library network in our Province.According to this research, during the years from 1979 to 1983 there was a steady decline in the purchase of new books, and in 1983 Quebec had the lowest total collection of volumes among all the provinces, regardless of population.(Mittermeyer, 1987, p.29 and 31) Therefore, I am inclined to view the suggestion that school libraries are unnecessary because they are overlapped by public libraries as naive and unrealistic.While public libraries are chronically underfunded, we are also keenly aware of the sad state of school libraries.Funds have been steadily cut from school libraries across Canada.While costs of books, materials, and salaries have steadily climbed during the last decade, the budgets allocated to school libraries have steadily declined, making the gap between what should be done and what in actual fact can be done with the constantly diminishing resources at our disposal always wider.Unfortunately, there are no statistics available to prove this steady decline.My statement is bas