Re: "NEA Today" article bothers me as a LMS--what do you think?

[Debbie Pinckard <pinckardd@TEN-NASH.TEN.K12.TN.US>]

The NEA Article bothers me too, but I think that instead of, or perhaps
in addition to, writing the author of the article, we should write NEA
Today.  Gail Bray's article may have reinforced the opinion of principals
and administrators that the Internet is the glorious info-answer, better
than libraries.  WE all know that isn't true, but we need to insure that
those that hold the purse-strings get the right message about the
Internet and libraries.

Not long ago my husband wanted some information on Nolan Ryan.  He had an
autographed baseball that he was going to present to someone as an award,
and he wanted some statistics and achievements about Ryan to cite in his
presentation.  I got on the WWW and searched.  A couple of hours later I
gave it up.  Sure, I found dozens upon dozens of Nolan Ryan sites, but
basically all I found was information about baseball cards and fan
clubs.

The next morning, in the space of about 15 minutes I booted up the
InfoTrac computer, found a Sports Illus. article which was just what my
husband wanted, photocopied it and faxed it to him.

Let's see now -- two hours on the Internet and no results versus 15
minutes using library resources and the right results.  Hmmm...

The general public seems to hold one of two opposite opinions about the
Internet.  Either they see it as the panacea or as the downfall.  You and
I know that neither of these extremes are true, rather the Internet is
just ANOTHER RESOURCE but certainly not a replacement for the library and
its resources.

I know I'm "preaching to the choir" but I had to get that off my chest.

Without library resources ... I don't even want to think where my family
would be.  My 10-year-old daughter has multiple disabilities and we very
nearly put her in an institution when she was about three.  Her sleep
patterns and behavior were so horrible at that time that our family was
falling apart.  We went to a Medical College library and did some
research.  As a result of that we went to different doctors and had
different tests done.  They changed her medication and her sleep and
behavior and development improved tremendously.  We withdrew our request
for admission to the institution.  I'm SO thankful for those library
resources and the librarian who helped us with our research.  (That was
before I became a librarian.)

Because of my experience I'm an avid library crusader.  I contend that
the most important thing ANY student (college bound or not) learns in
school is how to use library resources and find information.  I know
firsthand that libraries DO change lives.

Anyway, I think we should write NEA TODAY in addition to the author of
that article.  Anybody have an e-mail address for NEA TODAY?

Whew -- I haven't been on this soapbox in a while.  The thoughts of a
teacher promoting the idea of Internet as an alternative to libraries
has my dander up.

As I write this my daughter, Bethany, is sleeping peacefully in her
bedroom at home.  I attribute that, at least in part, to a library and a
librarian.

Debbie Pinckard
PinckardD@ten-nash.ten.k12.tn.us