By THEA RUTHERFORD
FN Features Editor
thea@nasguard.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Settled into a dainty lunch of cold salmon and croissants, cubed melons and blueberries — in the hallowed halls of a library, of all places — the Ministry of Education's teacher-librarian group chatted about the library's soul-searching journey to the present.
In a two-day tour of school and public libraries in the area during the week of the 79th Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, the group's notions of the evolving nature of the modern library and its chief custodian — the librarian — were confirmed.
The library is not some dungeon-dim lair where little-used books hibernate on shelves as uninterested students by-pass its halls; nor is the librarian's role limited to the checking out of books.
In fact, the library that the group munched and talked in — the Washington Episcopal School library, which services the school's Nursery through Eighth grade students — was aflame in vibrant colour.
Story-book murals coated the walls of the spacious school library and model creatures and buildings made by the students sat atop shelves that teemed with exciting volumes.
High-ceilinged windows announced mid-day, as sheets of pale light draped the room, lightly brushing the skin like a serene breeze and making the library an oasis at the centre of learning.
If you are in the second to eighth grade, librarian Christine Parker can tell you exactly how to research projects specific to what your grade is studying. And she can show you how to use the library's computer database catalogue to further aid your research.
Nadine Barr, the part-time librarian, read to the smaller children, stimulating their interest in reading while it is still fresh and willing to be nurtured.
Heading towards the standardization of all areas of education in the Grand Bahama district, the Ministry has a keen interest in taking the on-going training of teacher-librarians a step further, explained Senior Language Arts Officer Daphne Barr.
"We need to make a comparison here," said Mrs. Barr of the libraries that the group observed during the trip and those that they actually work with at home. "We can go back now and say these are the things that we need to do in order to enhance our (school) libraries."
Eight Mile Rock High School and COB librarian, Barbara Barton, facilitates the Ministry's teacher-librarian training programme. Mrs. Barton holds a Master's degree in library science and has trained teacher librarians from government and private schools in the district for the past five to six years. Her expertise, said Mrs. Barr, is "a bank of knowledge" for the district.
Last week's trip was the first "hands-on experience" for a few of the group's members that were able to take part. The group took pre-arranged tours to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and a Catholic university library in addition to their tour of the Washington Episcopal School library.
Jack Hayward High librarian, Valencia Carroll; Hugh Campbell librarian, Anne Rolle, and MOE resource centre librarian, Ludell Whylly, represented the group.
The inaugural trip also included, Freeport District Supt. Sandra Edgecombe, who had travelled to the U.S. capital to support the Bahamas National Bee champion, Anjanet Loon, in the Scripps competition.
Enthused by the library tours, Ms. Edgecombe expressed great interest in promoting the progression of the district's school libraries.
PRESENTATION — During a two-day tour of the school and public libraries in Washington D.C., Grand Bahama Ministry of Education teacher-librarian group presented Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library staff member Jason Moore with a copy of The Bahamas, Portrait of an Archipelago (photographs by Michael A. Toogood and commentary by Larry Smith). Pictured from left to right are Hugh Campbell teacher-librarian Anne Rolle; Jack Hayward High teacher-librarian Valencia Carroll; Freeport District Supt. Sandra Edgecombe; Mr. Moore; Senior Language Arts Officer Daphne Barr and Ludell Whylly, MOE resource centre.
