Media Center Aide Field Test
So you want to be an aide in the media center? Many students think it is an easy gig. How hard can it be to sit in a comfy chair behind the front desk and chat with friends while occasionally checking out books, right? WRONG! Being a SCHS media aide is very much like a part time job. Be warned: while almost anyone can initially be registered as a media aide, not just anyone can remain one! Aides do get to relax in comfy chairs, work with other students, use the computer, and read great books BUT aides MUST know all about Melvil Dewey, the Dewey Decimal System, how to shelve books and complete various organizational tasks, the media procedures and how to complete basic computer tasks.
Mission One: Know What the Job Entails
Behavior Expectations
o Attend class daily and be on time! Skipping would result in your removal from the media aide program.
o Check in at the circulation desk when you arrive.
o Follow all school rules and expectations and do not leave the media center without permission.
o Make every student who enters the media center feel welcome. Do not comment on any students’ book choices as they check out. Aides are not to demean, make fun of, or bully any student in the library. All students are welcome in the library!
o Maintain the responsible, adult behavior that your position of authority requires at all times. That includes maintaining the confidentiality and trust that your position requires at all times.
o You may not check the status of other students unless requested to do so by that student or an adult. You may check the amount a student owes for fines, but you may not collect money for fines or dismiss fines in the system.
o You may not goof off or otherwise engage in distracting behavior.
o When you have completed assigned tasks, you are expected to see if anything else needs to be done. If you have spare time, you are expected to READ or work on homework. You can expect that you will have at LEAST 20 minutes of work each period. This is not a study hall, but if you finish what we need you to do, you will have time to complete some homework.
Job Roles
Everyone is responsible for the following tasks every period:
o Straighten all chairs every period
o Make sure trash cans are in the designated areas and pick up trash off the floor
o Complete any tasks asked of you by the media specialist or media clerk
o Assist in all areas if there is not an aide assigned to that area
In addition, Media Aides will rotate through the following job roles:
Media Greeter/ Front Door
o Greet every student as they enter the media center
o Make sure all students entering the media center have a pass (unless they are with a class)
o Have all students entering with a pass sign in
o Maintain accurate records of the times students enter and leave
o Guide students to the correct area if they are here with a class.
o Maintain the direction sign at the front of the media center.
o Plan and maintain the front bulletin board.
o Answer questions as needed.
Circulation/ Front Desk/ Coffee Bar
o Monitor the front desk at all times.
o Organize the front desk, making sure that everything is in order and accounted for. Dispose of trash.
o Run the Coffee Bar, including keeping it clean, supplies filled and serving patrons.
o When a student prints something, collect 5 cents per page printed and make sure they receive the correct papers.
o Correctly check books in and out for teachers and students.
o As you check out books, monitor student fines and let them know how much they owe. Do not check out a book if a student has an overdue library book without approval.
o Stamp the correct dates on the due date cards and place them in checked out books.
o Check in books and place them on the cart in order for shelving.
o Answer questions as needed
Roaming Help/ Main Floor
o Reshelf books and DVDs correctly using the Dewey Decimal System.
o Check the shelves to make sure everything is in the correct order- this is a year-long, methodical task. Do one shelf a day and mark on the sheet at the circulation desk what you checked so the next media aide knows where to start.
o Dust and clean the shelves.
o Maintain the magazine shelves.
o Assist with small computer problems.
o Answer questions as needed.
o Attend class daily and be on time! Skipping would result in your removal from the media aide program.
o Check in at the circulation desk when you arrive.
o Follow all school rules and expectations and do not leave the media center without permission.
o Make every student who enters the media center feel welcome. Do not comment on any students’ book choices as they check out. Aides are not to demean, make fun of, or bully any student in the library. All students are welcome in the library!
o Maintain the responsible, adult behavior that your position of authority requires at all times. That includes maintaining the confidentiality and trust that your position requires at all times.
o You may not check the status of other students unless requested to do so by that student or an adult. You may check the amount a student owes for fines, but you may not collect money for fines or dismiss fines in the system.
o You may not goof off or otherwise engage in distracting behavior.
o When you have completed assigned tasks, you are expected to see if anything else needs to be done. If you have spare time, you are expected to READ or work on homework. You can expect that you will have at LEAST 20 minutes of work each period. This is not a study hall, but if you finish what we need you to do, you will have time to complete some homework.
Job Roles
Everyone is responsible for the following tasks every period:
o Straighten all chairs every period
o Make sure trash cans are in the designated areas and pick up trash off the floor
o Complete any tasks asked of you by the media specialist or media clerk
o Assist in all areas if there is not an aide assigned to that area
In addition, Media Aides will rotate through the following job roles:
Media Greeter/ Front Door
o Greet every student as they enter the media center
o Make sure all students entering the media center have a pass (unless they are with a class)
o Have all students entering with a pass sign in
o Maintain accurate records of the times students enter and leave
o Guide students to the correct area if they are here with a class.
o Maintain the direction sign at the front of the media center.
o Plan and maintain the front bulletin board.
o Answer questions as needed.
Circulation/ Front Desk/ Coffee Bar
o Monitor the front desk at all times.
o Organize the front desk, making sure that everything is in order and accounted for. Dispose of trash.
o Run the Coffee Bar, including keeping it clean, supplies filled and serving patrons.
o When a student prints something, collect 5 cents per page printed and make sure they receive the correct papers.
o Correctly check books in and out for teachers and students.
o As you check out books, monitor student fines and let them know how much they owe. Do not check out a book if a student has an overdue library book without approval.
o Stamp the correct dates on the due date cards and place them in checked out books.
o Check in books and place them on the cart in order for shelving.
o Answer questions as needed
Roaming Help/ Main Floor
o Reshelf books and DVDs correctly using the Dewey Decimal System.
o Check the shelves to make sure everything is in the correct order- this is a year-long, methodical task. Do one shelf a day and mark on the sheet at the circulation desk what you checked so the next media aide knows where to start.
o Dust and clean the shelves.
o Maintain the magazine shelves.
o Assist with small computer problems.
o Answer questions as needed.
Mission Two: Have The Knowledge To Do Your Job
You will need to read and explore the following websites in order to learn the basics that you need. As you read, take notes. You will turn your notes in to me to verify your completion.
Read about Melvil Dewey and the Dewey Decimal System here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewey_Decimal_Classification
Explore the media center website so that you know the media center policies and procedures. Know where to find the answers and resources people will need!
Read about the difference between fiction and nonfiction books here: http://library.thinkquest.org/5002/Basic/ficnf.htm
You need to be able to recommend a good book to students who come in to the media center. Be prepared with a list of at least 5 books that you have read and enjoyed. Be ready to tell a student a little about the book, why you liked it and where they can find it on the shelf. Give me a list so I can create a poster listing your 5 recommendations to be hung up in the media center as a “staff favorite pick.” If you need help, visit the book recommendation sites on the media center homepage.
Read about Melvil Dewey and the Dewey Decimal System here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewey_Decimal_Classification
Explore the media center website so that you know the media center policies and procedures. Know where to find the answers and resources people will need!
Read about the difference between fiction and nonfiction books here: http://library.thinkquest.org/5002/Basic/ficnf.htm
You need to be able to recommend a good book to students who come in to the media center. Be prepared with a list of at least 5 books that you have read and enjoyed. Be ready to tell a student a little about the book, why you liked it and where they can find it on the shelf. Give me a list so I can create a poster listing your 5 recommendations to be hung up in the media center as a “staff favorite pick.” If you need help, visit the book recommendation sites on the media center homepage.
Mission Three: Understand How Your Media Center is Organized
The DDC is the system that organizes books in our library. Spine labels indicate where a book is shelved. There are 7 main sections a book can be shelved in: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Reference, Biography, College and Test Prep, Professional Materials (stuff for teachers), and DVDs (for teachers). LOOK FOR SPECIAL STICKERS THAT INDICATE SPECIAL SECTIONS.
FICTION
In our library, Fiction spine labels have an F and at least the first 3 letters of the author’s last name. Fiction books are shelved in alphabetical order according to the author’s last name. When an author has written more than one fiction title, the books are alphabetized by the title within the section for their name. They are located by the entrance.
BIOGRAPHIES
SCHS keeps biographies and autobiographies separate from the rest of the non-fiction. Biography and autobiography spine labels have a B and the first three letter of the biographee’s (the person it is written about) last name. Biographies are shelved in alphabetical order according to the biographee’s last name on the shelves in the center of the room.
NON-FICTION
The non-fiction section is all along the outside wall. The books are shelved according to the Dewey Decimal System. Non-fiction spine labels have a number and the first three letter of the author’s last name.
REFERENCE
Reference books are non-fiction books that cannot be checked out of the library for as long as the rest of the nonfiction. SCHS keeps the reference titles separate from the rest of the non-fiction. Reference spine labels have an R and are shelved according to the DDC system.
FICTION
In our library, Fiction spine labels have an F and at least the first 3 letters of the author’s last name. Fiction books are shelved in alphabetical order according to the author’s last name. When an author has written more than one fiction title, the books are alphabetized by the title within the section for their name. They are located by the entrance.
BIOGRAPHIES
SCHS keeps biographies and autobiographies separate from the rest of the non-fiction. Biography and autobiography spine labels have a B and the first three letter of the biographee’s (the person it is written about) last name. Biographies are shelved in alphabetical order according to the biographee’s last name on the shelves in the center of the room.
NON-FICTION
The non-fiction section is all along the outside wall. The books are shelved according to the Dewey Decimal System. Non-fiction spine labels have a number and the first three letter of the author’s last name.
REFERENCE
Reference books are non-fiction books that cannot be checked out of the library for as long as the rest of the nonfiction. SCHS keeps the reference titles separate from the rest of the non-fiction. Reference spine labels have an R and are shelved according to the DDC system.
Mission Four: Demonstrate What You Know
Answer the following on a piece of paper:
1. Why is Melvil Dewey a library rock star?
2. How does his work affect our library?
3. What is the difference between fiction and non-fiction?
4. What would the spine label for a novel look like?
5. What would the spine label for the biography Michael Jordan look like?
6. In what order would these books be shelved?
8. How many items may students check out at once?
9. Who is welcome in the library?
10. What are at least 3 tasks that media center aides complete on a daily basis?
Complete the following activities and turn them in:
1. Why is Melvil Dewey a library rock star?
2. How does his work affect our library?
3. What is the difference between fiction and non-fiction?
4. What would the spine label for a novel look like?
5. What would the spine label for the biography Michael Jordan look like?
6. In what order would these books be shelved?
- 031.2 AAB
- 031.12 AAB
- 031.2 GEF
- 600.45 BED
8. How many items may students check out at once?
9. Who is welcome in the library?
10. What are at least 3 tasks that media center aides complete on a daily basis?
Complete the following activities and turn them in:
- Complete the 10 question quiz. Turn in your answers along with the notes that you took as you looked at each of the websites in mission one.
- Draw a map of the media center and label where you would find all of the key items needed (Be sure to indicate where the different book sections are shelved, but your map is NOT just of the different book categories- where do you find the diecut machines, the laminator, the bathrooms, the catalog computers, etc.)
- Tell me why you would be an asset to the media center in a well developed, elaborated paragraph or essay. What will you do to help? What are your strengths?
- Give me the list of the top 5 books you recommend.
Mission Completion
So, have you completed the tasks required to be a media center aide? Are you up for the challenge? If the answer is yes- WELCOME! We are glad to have you aboard!