New Administrator - where do we start?

[Becca Munson]

My wonderful principal is retiring in June. The new principal is a great, energetic guy from another district. At this point, I am not sure his view regarding the role and importance of the library program/librarian. How do we begin?

[Lesley Edwards]

This is a great thread for me as we will be in the same boat come September. I plan to give him a personal tour, share my report from this year, and explain how I see my role in the school.

[Joyce Valenza]

Becca,
I am in exactly the same boat. I am on the interview committee. I hope that whomever follows our Joe (who will now be our assistant superintendent) will "get" libraries as Joe does and will be as much an instructional leader for our learning community. Fingers crossed for both of us!

[abeaman]

I meet with our principal once a month to keep him updated on what's going on in the library, talk about library issues, and share professional information [although I can't take credit for this idea, which I got from Brenda Thompson]. It might be helpful to establish this habit right off the bat with a new principal, and use your meeting time to educate him about what you do in the library and about the impact you have on the school. It's hard for an adminstrator to miss what you're doing when you're sitting in his office once a month talking about it.

[Karen Hornberger]

I totally agree about sharing the Annual Report with your new principal. I might set up a meeting with him/her and provide the report and bring along a descriptor of the roles and responsibilities of your position and the position of any library support staff. Joyce shared the idea of the annual report with me a few years ago - what a great idea and so perfect for PR (which I wasn't naturally good at).
If you don't do an annual report - I know Joyce has hers posted on the end of year protocol and here is a link to two of mine: http://www.palisadessd.org/60642092093014793/site/default.asp
Another thing that may be a nice idea is sharing the studies by Keith Curry Lance on importance of library programs and achievement.
Best of luck and even if it starts rough - it may not always be that way just take your time and prove yourself throughout the days!

[guybrarian]

I'm glad for this thread too. We don't have a new principal- but a new district coordinator. She has been here a year, but has never been in the library, or taught in public schools. I think we librarians finally realize that need to do some education with her. I'll be taking copious notes from this forum! Thanks for the ideas.