Getting Lead-Bottomed Administrators Excited About School Library Media Centers: [Paperback]

Timothy Snyder (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2000 | ISBN-10: 1563087944 | ISBN-13: 978-1563087943

Gain the administrative support you need for your media center and library programs with this practical and enlightening guide. Snyder shows you how differences in background, learning styles, thought processes, leadership styles, and outlooks between school media specialists and building administrators can undermine the success of the library program. He then gives you step-by-step instructions for bridging the communication gap and leading your media center to success. The real-life examples and winning strategies are both instructive and entertaining. Essential professional reading for all media specialists.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

An upbeat, inspirational look at ways library media specialists (LMS) and administrators can work together to improve the effectiveness of library-media-center programs. Snyder, an administrator himself, preaches his support of LMSs' role in school reform and is cognizant of the challenges they face (insufficient funding and administrative backing, ill-behaved students, heavy workload, inadequate facilities, and demanding teachers). He continues with an analysis of various personality characteristics of many LMSs and administrators and how they affect job performance. Much of the book outlines the planning process in a useful step-by-step manner. The author uses interesting anecdotes and case studies to drive his points home effectively. He reports that research shows that schools with strong libraries have high student achievement, although he does not tell where to find the research. A helpful, sympathetic look at school library media centers today.
Sandra L. Doggett, Urbana High School, Ijamsville, MD
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Using a lighthearted, often tongue-in-cheek approach, former lead-bottomed administrator Snyder makes this professional text as entertaining as it is useful. In contrast to the generally abysmal picture of the state of education today are inspiring examples of school library media specialists who have taken discouraging, often unjust circumstances and created small educational gold mines. Once he has hooked readers with enough examples, including a nice gem from Paul Harvey's "The Rest of the Story," he presents a workable plan to help library media specialists get administrators to support their visions for student success. Each chapter begins with an inspiring quotation and ends with a summary of main points. Within that format, the often-informal suggestions take on a step-by-step progression that will make the book useful to systematic, left- brained planners as well as right-brained, creative media specialists. Some forms, checklists, and sample outlines are included. Roger Leslie
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Libraries Unlimited (June 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563087944
• ISBN-13: 978-1563087943
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 5.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,346,111 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars What administrators really want, December 3, 2007

By 

William Carey (Tucker, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Getting Lead-Bottomed Administrators Excited About School Library Media Centers: (Paperback)

What media specialist wouldn't enjoy hearing praise for school media as a profession and important educational institution - from an administrator? For that strong majority of media specialists who sadly don't have any administrators who would be inclined to deliver said praise, Mr. Snyder has generously agreed to rent himself out to deliver it personally, for the mere cost of his book. And it is sincere praise too! To be serious for a moment, Mr. Snyder's book is essentially one part reflections about how he became a 'convert' to the library media cause, two parts a basic personality type analysis for better understanding administrators and fellow educators, and three parts good-natured though often repetative personal reflections about library media, administration and education in general. What the book lacks almost entirely are examples ranging beyond Mr. Snyder's own personal experiences. Surely there are other administrators in Mr. Snyder's philosophical camp that might have been persuaded to contribute, and other examples of positive administrator-LMS relationships that might have been mentioned? Nevertheless, I might still recommend this book for the media specialist who may not be aware of exactly who administrators are, what they do, and what they really want from media specialists and other educators.