Sunday, November 17, 2013
8.3 School Libraries Going Virtual?
I really had a hard time with this debate because I see the pro and cons of both. It is inevitable that libraries will be completely in digital format at some point and time, I just feel that students should be able to grab onto a "real" book and read it if they want and escape from the socially required life in technology. After reading the posts from my classmates I discovered many reasons for and against digital libraries. I think bridging the informational gap with digital resources is and amazing option. Again, I am on the fence about completely going digital, however, I do believe that the approach needs to be scaffolded and at a slow and steady pace. Making such drastic changes overnight is never the best way to go.
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You make some good points about the technology failing, or having the lack of the tools available. My library is in a slow transition to including more digital content, however, the library and media specialist has yet to figure out how to purchase books for the nooks and allow students to have access to that, without having access to the account that purchased the book.
ReplyDeleteMaking this transformation has to be slow and deliberate. Teachers, and students need appropriate support to be able to just fully accept a digital or virtual library.
Nice prezi!
Windie,
ReplyDeleteI am also conflicted on how I feel about virtual libraries as there are many pros and cons. I do believe that libraries are moving towards more of an all digital format, but I believe that we are still many years away from closing the brick an mortar libraries. There may be a day when this occurs, but that would have to be a day when all have the same access and opportunity to use it. We still have substantial portions of our population without high speed Internet access and the proper devices to fully utilize a virtual library.
Harry, Why close the brick and mortar (or steel and glass) libraries? Why not have a digital media center along with traditional books, all with the services of a librarian or media specialist? Younger students especially need to learn research techniques and be assisted by librarians/media specialists to navigate the volumes of information on the Internet. Even Cushing Academy, who gave away 20K books continues to have a physical media center and even increased staff 25% to supply research skills help to students.
DeleteMike, you should have your media specialist talk to ours. We are fortunate to have a digital library (actually we call it the media center) already, equipped with a dozen computer stations. But we also have books and videos (on DVD) and iPads and ereaders. Because we are a special needs school, students use the media center to do their reading work using Reading A-Z (Raz Kids). They also use the media center for leisure time also, playing games on the computers, watching movies in the presentation room, etc.
ReplyDeleteIt is also a great place for after school activities. We are thinking now about starting a Minecraft club in the library after school.
I agree it is the inevitable that libraries will eventually be digital, and also agree that student's should still have the ability to grab a book and escape technology. This is especially important to teach student ways to read, and resources to read that do not involve technology. Although library resources using technology allow students to have more updated information, it seems a shame there cannot be a happy medium of both. Do you think that schools should offer some type of books in physical resources, while using technology resources for research and discovery? What do you think is the best balance?
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