Dear Doug
As usual you are spot on!
If you took everything out of my library, you would have a large barn, so
what I have done is partition it into 'rooms' using the shelves (no lines of
stacks here) and so immediately it is more inviting. This year about a
third of it is for seniors (Yr 5/6) only at lunch time, and they have a
lounge suite, coffee tables, computers, work spaces, their senior fiction
collection AND a loud CD player which is on all the time during lunch break.
Never have I seen so many in there at lunch, and the most unlikely kids!
Chess is popular, some do their homework (and there is research evidence to
suggest that this age group cannot work in silence), others just chat or
read. But they are there - they are exposed to what we offer and are
forming habits and attitudes about libraries.
The rest of the place is for the littlies and they are always there,
especially in the bean bags or playing chess or drawing or playing schools
or whatever. The only thing I don't allow is running. And again - they are
there and exposed to what we offer and are forming their attitudes and
habits.
There are some photos at
http://www.palmdps.act.edu.au/resource_centre/lunchtime/lunchtime.htm taken
18 months ago - I will update these soon!
Barbara
Barbara Braxton
Teacher-Librarian
Palmerston District Primary School
PALMERSTON ACT 2913
AUSTRALIA
T. 61 2 6205 6162
F. 61 2 6205 7242
E. barbara@austarmetro.com.au
W. http://www.palmdps.act.edu.au
-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU]On Behalf Of Doug Johnson
Sent: Saturday, 8 March 2003 2:28 AM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: "Are libraries obsolete?" is the wrong question
Hi folks,
I've been half following the conversation evoked by the recommendation
to read Mr. Herring's article from American Libraries
http://www.ala.org/alonline/news/10reasons.html. While I agree with most
of what Mr. Herring has to say (and indeed have written similar
arguments myself <http://www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/internet.html>, I
am beginning to wonder how helpful such articles and arguments really
are for the health of our profession. The article suggest no way to
change the situation he finds deplorable.
I don't blame regular folks for increasingly using the Internet rather
than libraries. Just yesterday, I saved a (short, but darned cold) walk
across the alley to our lovely high school media center to find a copy
of R. L. Stevenson's "The Bottle Imp" short story by finding it in less
than 3 minutes on the web. It is really, really handy to one's
information needs met right at one's desk or in one's home.
Yet, I have no doubt that SOME libraries will survive despite the
increasing use of the Internet to fulfill needs previously met by those
libraries.
The libraries that will continue to thrive will be those which meet real
needs that CANNOT be met by the Internet (or bookstores or classrooms).
And defining, discovering and emphasizing those needs is what our
profession should be doing right now rather than writing
well-intentioned, but awfully defensive articles like Mr. Herring's.
There are a great number of physical businesses and institutions that
might very well feel threatened by the increased use of the Internet:
book stores, travel agents, banks, and stock brokers, just to name a
few. Even virtual schools are now taking the place of brick and mortar
buildings for many students. So how are the savvy among these
institutions surviving? Here are a few things that pop immediately to
mind:
1. By providing a physical comfort that the Internet does not. I still
buy books and spend time at our Barnes & Noble because I like having
coffee there, sitting in the comfy chairs, and handling physical books.
2. By providing expertise that as an Internet user I do not have. My
travel agent knows more about vacation destinations than I do - or am
willing to take the time to research and read about on the Internet.
3. By providing "high touch" experiences to offset the "high tech"
environments. I think it was John Naisbitt in his early '80's book
Megatrends that predicted that the more people use isolating
technologies, the greater they will need avenues for face-to-face human
interaction and socialization. This is why I still like going to the
public library to read the paper sometimes instead of reading it online
- I see and meet people there. Internet usage is lonely - even for the
chronic chatters, I'm guessing.
4. By recognizing and using the Internet to compliment one's business. I
still value my bank down on Hickory Street despite the fact I can check
my miserable account balances online, have my paltry paycheck direct
deposited, visit the impersonal instant tellers to get cash, and pay
some of my horrendous bills electronically. I don't go in the physical
building much anymore, but I use their banking services more than ever.
I don't see the Internet displacing Wells-Fargo anytime soon. Why?
So let's take just these four ways in which a physical experience may be
superior than a virtual experience (and I am sure there are many more)
and think about how we in school libraries can capitalize on these
qualities rather than try to compete head-to-head with the Internet.
(Darwin called this adaptation and recognized successful species were
good at it.)
1. Physical comfort and welcoming environment. This means creating a
library where kids and teachers REALLY like to be. Comfy chairs,
friendly atmosphere, low-stress, safe, and forgiving. If my library is
not a wonderful place to be, kids and teachers will stay on the Internet
or in the classroom. Period. A frightful quote was given in the Pew
study "Digital Disconnect" by a middle school student: "The Internet is
like a librarian without the bad attitude or breath." OUCH!
2. Expertise. Classroom teachers still send kids to the library because
the librarian is better at helping them find information or complete a
task (especially in technology) than the teacher him/herself can. Do we
have a curriculum and skills that no one but us CAN teach?
3. Social experiences. Are our libraries places for kids to interact
with each other in positive ways? Instead of the library being the tomb
and the study hall/computer lab being socialization central, maybe we
should reverse those atmospheres.
4. Complimentary use. This means not buying (or buying less of) the
sorts of things kids are now getting online - paper magazines, current
events sources, print indices, etc. It means buying more online
resources since that is the format kids find most usable and convenient.
It means having a very useable library webpage - tailored specifically
one's school curriculum - accessible from home. How about providing
online reference services?
I am deeply troubled by reading about cut after cut after cut in school
library programs throughout the nation and deeply sympathize with those
whose jobs are gone and feel their work has not been appreciated. We can
and should mourn with and for them. (As my father used to say, "There
but for the grace of God go I."
But as individuals, we cannot let our reactions end with simply being
rueful - we need to figure out how our services need to change in order
to meet the needs of teachers and students who DO use the Internet, to
remain absolutely vital to schools that ARE strapped for funds, and to
be seen as important by decision-makers who DO allocate funds in
zero-sum game.
Sorry about the rant here. I hope we all keep thinking about things we
can do than the Internet can't.
All the best,
Doug
************
Doug Johnson
Director of Media and Technology
I.S.D. 77, Mankato Public Schools
Box 8713, Mankato MN 56002-8713
Voice: 507-387-7698, Fax: 507-387-2496
E-mail: dougj@doug-johnson.com
Web: www.doug-johnson.com
"The fates guide those who go willingly; those who do not, they drag."
Seneca
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