What do we call ourselves? Is the name of our association important?In recent years, we have learned that the school library message has been diluted by the number of job titles we use. Who hasn't explained that "Educational Media" was not school TV? Just over a year ago, AASL officially stated that we are "school librarians," as opposed to school library media specialists. Should we change the name of our organization? Does our name affect how we are perceived?
Lara Samuels, the Professional Advocacy chair on VEMA's board, did a survey to find out what other state school library associations call themselves. There are only nine other associations with names like ours, and half of school library associations incorporate some variation of school libraries/librarians or teacher librarians.
What do you think?
I am forever having to explain that VEMA is the State of Virginia's organization of school librarians. I think that a more "explanatory" name would be VASL - Virginia Association of School Librarians.
ReplyDeleteI ditto KathieT. I do not have to explain to anyone when i say i am a librarian at a high school. before only school officials understood 'media center specialist'. I would go for VASL too.
ReplyDeleteI recently served on the state's Striving Readers federal grant project and listed below my name in the roster was our organization name. I had to explain that I was representing school librarians. It was amazing to hear how people stumbled over what to call their librarian. I told them that I was perfectly comfortable calling myself a librarian and we all shared a laugh about the various names that our profession has been called.
ReplyDeleteI think that looking at our name VEMA is something the VEMA Board and the membership should do. We need to identify our brand based on how our customers-students, teachers, school boards, et-recognize what we do. I think most of us would be comfortable with Librarian or Teacher Librarian.
How about VATL---Virginia Association of Teacher Librarians
VASL: no room for questions: school librarian: simple and clear: I agree with Kathie.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Kathie. I would be interested in know what the nine other names like ours are.
ReplyDeleteI've never liked VEMA as a name for our organization. School librarian is a perfectly fine job title, so VASL seems like a good name for our group
ReplyDeleteIs there something with a less meek acronym?
ReplyDeleteVTL-- Virginia Teacher Librarians
ReplyDeletePronounced vital.
I agree with Charlie, Virginia Association of Teacher Librarians(VATL). I like the fact that teacher is incorporated because instruction is a very large part of what we do as school librarians.
ReplyDeleteI believe we need to include the word teacher to remind those in power that we do indeed TEACH!
ReplyDeleteI do want to change our name even though it will be hard to keep from saying VEMA. We understand but it is too important for us to reach out to others.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it is hard to consistantly explain what VEMA stands for. I also agree that VATL (thanks Charlie) would be good because we are not just librarians we are teachers as well.
ReplyDeleteThe official, nationally recognized title is "School Librarian", so I'd like to see our state organization reflect that decision.
ReplyDelete