Textbooks, textbooks, textbooks

Textbooks are a HUGE issue in school librarianship. They demand weeks of focus at the beginning and end of each school year. They are extremely expensive ($65 on average) and, with the state of the state budget, they are increasingly difficult to replace. Textbooks are checked out to individual students as well as to teachers in class sets. They are returned to us in all states of disrepair. This years distribution and collection of textbooks left much to be desired - it was not the smooth process I had envisioned. I also do not enjoy making numerous phone calls home to inform families of the large amount of money they are expected to pay because their 12-year-old lost a text book. I look forward to having conversations with the Librarian and Library assistant at Muir about their textbook policies and what Best Practices they have developed over the years. I believe this is one area where you can get better each year although it will never quite be a "done deal".