I love that Andrew Church's answer to this is a resounding YES!! And I love that he keeps some books without hesitation but also realizes that information comes in new packaging and our students need what it takes to access those new sources. Read his post here from the Committed Sardine. He has some great points about the space, staff and contents in what he considers an ideal library. Katie
This NPR article titled "Libraries Make Room For High-Tech 'Hackerspaces" speaks to where many see libraries moving in the future. No longer are libraries warehouses for information in print format (books, magazines) but they are becoming spaces to not only access but create new information. While this article describes public library settings try to envision what this might look like in a school library world. Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century02/26/2011 This is the title of a study published in 2006 by the MacArthur Foundation. I thought one paragraph would be of interest to library staff and of use for advocacy purposes. They say, "Beyond core literacy, students need research skills. Among other things, they need to know how to access books and articles through a library; to take notes on and integrate secondary sources; to grasp what kinds of information are being conveyed by various systems of representation; to distinguish between fact and fiction, fact and opinion; to construct arguments and marshal evidence. If anything,these traditional skills assume even greater importance as students venture beyond collections that have been screened by librarians and into the more open space of the web. Some of these skills have traditionally been taught by librarians who in the modern era, are reconceptualizing their role less as curators of bounded collection and more as information facilitators who can help users find what they need, online or off, and can cultivate good strategies for searching material." The entire 'occasional' paper can be found at the MacArthur Foundation website under Digital Media and Learning. I recommend you look it over. Katie While the report, Perceptions of Libraries 2010: Context and Community, prepared by OCLC doesn't look too inspiring on the cover I recommend you scroll in a few pages and read some of the data. It is beautifully presented and fascinating to see how usage has changed over the last 10 years in the various age groups from teens (14-17yr), to young adults (18-24yr) to Gen X, Boomers and Seniors. I found it noteworthy that the first recommendation among the younger groups when asked how libraries could be better was to "add/update collection." Its a large report but the presentation sucked me in and I read more in one sitting than I anticipated. Hope you find it as interesting and useful. Katie Below are ideas shared by our elementary library staff on ways to help reluctant readers in the library setting-
 New Free App Available called Bluefire. This app enables users to borrow library ebooks without wires or having to sync your device. Ebook Nation! Did you know that Ebooks now account for 10% of book sales? Do you know the difference between a “traditional Ebook reader ” and an “enhanced Ebook reader”? A traditional Ebook reader, such as a Kindle, provides just the words, whereas an “enhanced Ebook reader” provides the user with color pictures and even video! This is a great improvement to support children’s picture books. Traditional book sellers are joining in the Ebook fray, with the larger book retailers getting more into selling the various devices along with the Ebook content. You can support your small local book store owner by purchasing Ebooks from their store websites. Exciting news!! You can access your local library Ebooks downloaded to your iPad or iPhone with no sync or wires required. There is a FREE new app available from Bluefire Productions called Bluefire. This app works well with Overdrive and Adobe Digital Editions, which are the programs currently used by Noel Wien Public Library to deliver their Ebook collection from Listen Alaska Plus (available from the Noel Wien Public Library homepage by clicking the Digital Download Center button on the left hand menu). More information on how to get this app working for you is available in Library Journal Vol. 135 no.20 December 2010 p.29. Library Journal is available from Library Media Services. I followed the brief directions in the article noted above and downloaded two library books to my iphone, just like magic. Minutes later, I showed a collegue and wow, with nary a stutter we downloaded two more. Try it. ma 12/21/2010 Heard about the libraries across the country going to a "bookstore" format? Here is a free 50 minute podcast about a library in Maricopa County, AZ that did just that. While much of the information pertains to a public library setting, this particular library also serves a high school, so there are items that might be of use to the school library world. http://ifpmedia.org/podcasts/The_Deweyless_Library.mp3 This link talks about the session and has links to the powerpoint slides which you really need to follow to get the most out of the podcast- http://www.infopeople.org/training/webcasts/webcast_data/291/index.html So, on these rainy "snow" days, get yourself a cup of cocoa and sit back and listen. OR.. check out some of the other options at http://www.infopeople.org/training/webcasts/list/archived Katie | ArchivesMay 2013 CategoriesAll |
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