LM_NET: Library Media Networking
In my mind, one of the most important callings of
> being a librarian is promoting the reading of books. I love computers
and
> what they can do as tools in the way of retrieving information, but are
> computers going to become the tail that wags the dog? Will more and
more of
> our time and resources be spent on computers in the library at the
expense of
> printed media and a focus on reading?
Hi Jeran
The role of the teacher-librarian or LMS or whatever term you care to use
has many dimensions, including promoting books and reading. And for what
it's worth, definition of the role is a global issue.
However, if you consider that all that is now known as our newest students
start on their formal education will have exploded 16-fold by the time they
leave Yr 12 (using Australian terms here) then it is critical that we teach
them to
*recognise when they have an information need
*how to find the information they need
*how to interpret, evaluate and use that information to solve their problem
Just think of the steps that you yourself have taken to get an answer to
your questions!
In Australia, this is known as the information literacy process and I think
that it is great term, if you look at the definition of literacy. We can
no longer teach our kids all the 'what' they need to know, but we sure can
give them the tools to find out 'how' when they need to.
And the use of computers is just one part of this process. A critical part
of the 'locating' phase is being able to identify the most efficient
source, which is sometimes print, sometimes electronic, sometimes human.
It seems that teacher-librarians have become the 'traditional' leaders in
the IT field in their schools and when there were just one or two computers
in a school (and they were usually in the library) perhaps it was easiest
for them to maintain them But now with networks so common, I believe that
the smart schools are those who let the t/l do what they do and acknowledge
that the establishment and maintenance of the hardware is a specialist job
and employ someone to do that! At our school we share a technician with
another school and he has his hands full dealing with the miscellany of
issues that arise.
Therefore, if I were you, I would be taking every IT course I could that
gave me a basic understanding of how networks work and their basic
maintenance, and how to incorporate the use of basic programs and the
potential of the Internet into your every day program so that I had a
leading edge on the job. And I would be spending as many hours as I could
developing and perfecting my skills.
For instance, if you have a class all studying a particular book, as seems
to be the case with older students, you could organise a book rap where
students from around the world share their opinions via email and then you
could top the whole thing with an online author chat. And for more ideas
about combining literature and info lit, check out the ideas of the ReadIn
(http://www.readin.org)
So I don't believe computers are the tail wagging the dog - I think you
have to be very clear in your mind what your purpose is and why, and the
role of the library and why, and if you confine yourself to just reading
print materials then you are denying the students in your care a critical
part of their education.
Good luck with your studies,
Cheers
Barbara
Barbara Braxton
Teacher Librarian
Palmerston District Primary School
PALMERSTON ACT 2913
AUSTRALIA
T. 02 6205 6162
F. 02 6205 7242
E. barbara@dynamite.com.au
W. http://www.palmdps.act.edu.au
"Together, we learn from each other."
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