Re: [LM_NET] SEC: Building the new high school without a library

[Paula Yohe <paula_yohe@YAHOO.COM>]

I posted this in a different way a few weeks ago about the School of the Future 
being built in Philadelphia in conjunction with Microsoft. I did not say it 
specifically because Ii wanted to see who would catch that when they went to the 
website and read all of the information about the School of the Future.
   
  I would ask the architects to give you specific schools that have been built 
without a library -- and what impact it has --
   
  In South Carolina we have a State Committee working on this very topic right now.
   
  Do your school plans have to pass approval through your State Dept. of Education?
  Do you have any current building regulations that require a certain amount of 
space for libraries?
   
  OUr professional organizations need to get proactive about this very topic -- but 
it seems to me they want to worry more about Internet filtering and censorship than 
the reality that is going on in schools every day.
   
  Now don't start sending me the importance of freedom of speech, etc, that I 
support 100% -- Our professional organizations are not proactive enough -- they are 
more reactive.
   
  Also, I asked last summer for statistics on library circulation from school 
districts.
  I saw high circulation in ele. schools and then virtually nothing in high schools
   
  Since I now work at the district level --
  how do I justify full-time staff, huge libraries, book purchases, etc. that are 
not being used......
   
  Recall the discussion a few weeks ago about how to keep kids out of the library 
during study hall -- because they were not doing real research..
   
  Ask yourself -- if you didn't work in a library -- why would you go to do 
research when you can sit a home or in your classroom and search Google -- (don't 
go off the deep end and send me the list of why this should not be the case) you 
need to work with others and convince them.
   
  How many times has we seen or heard about librarians who don't want kids in the 
library? or the kid can't check out a book because they have overdues --
   
  Shall we even mention classroom collections?????? for pleasure reading??? 
   
  I don't have answers but tquestions ---- these are reality questions that we need 
to deal with and address as a profession as well as in our individual roles as 
librarians (media specialists, instructional specilaist) or whatever darn term we 
are calling ourselves these days.
   
  Paula
   
  Paula
   
   
   
   
   
  

Lindy Hutchison <lhutchison@MAIL.SWEENY.ISD.ESC4.NET> wrote:
  Dear LM_NET,

Our district is in the process of planning a new high school. The architects are 
here and are saying that "many new schools are being built without libraries," and 
that "students will each have their own individual gizmo and be able to access 
everything they need on-line." (sigh) I've already turned over to them the results 
of the Colorado Study, et. al., but they seem unconvinced that, in planning for 
"the school of the future," the library will not be obsolete. They postulate that 
the students of today and of the future are so used to being wired (& wireless) 
that they think and learn differently from those of us who are older. Arguments 
about snuggling up with a book and quilt in front of the fire, they say, hold true 
for older generations, but our students are coming of age in a new ethos. 

I've been to the meetings; teachers, parents, and many students seem stunned at the 
thought of doing away with the library. The architects seem to have convinced the 
superintendent and the assistant superintendent of finance, though, that they are 
right. 

I've looked through the LM_NET archives & could not find a similar situation. I've 
been researching & did not find evidence of other school districts thinking that 
this was a good idea. If any of you have experience with or know of such a 
situation, especially research showing that the library is not totally on the way 
out, I would really appreciate hearing from you. 

Ever thankful for LM_NET,
Lindy


Lindy Hutchison, Librarian
Sweeny HS Library
Sweeny, TX
lhutchison@mail.sweeny.isd.esc4.net

"Let us put our minds together and see what life we will make for our children." 
--Tatanka Iotanka (Sitting Bull)


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Paula Yohe
Director Of Technology/Library Media Center
Dillon School District Two
405 West Washington Street
Dillon, SC 29536
Phone: 843-841-3604 Fax:843-774-1214
paula_yohe@yahoo.com
                
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