I realize that the original question was asked to convince a principal
whether it would be better to purchase encyclopedias in print or to purchase
the online version.
I wanted to add to the conversation that I just purchased a new set of World
Book encyclopedias 2004-- AND purchased the online (off-campus)
accessibility at half price--it was a "buy the print, get the online at half
price" sale. The total amount for my purchase? Around $800. Check with
your representative to get a price for your district because it depends upon
the number of users when it comes to the online version. My cost was based
upon our school which is small compared to some districts, I know. However,
if several of you need print and some of you need the online, there may be a
way to "share" the expenses---my elementary librarian bought her print
encyclopedia now and I bought the online version now...I will receive my
print copy in the fall but we will each have the access to the online
version now because we "shared" the expenses (I paid for the online version
now and she paid for the print now.)
My choice in choosing both was that it will give my print-lovers immediate
access to the books while it will give my online lovers the accessibility
that they wanted both at school and at home (most of them love the "at home"
access now!) My high school students want /need online usage and the
elementary librarian's students want /need the print usage, so we got the
best of both immediately.
I felt that the print was still needed even at my level to show the students
how to locate the materials using "guide words" at the top of the page and
then allow them to perform the same search online with the encyclopedia.
(Even having races against different groups of kids using subjects is fun
and shows them how one medium is easier or more difficult depending upon the
user or the question being posed.)
This is something you might think about and if you're one of several
libraries in the district and you often share online resource expenses, then
perhaps you can also share the expenses of the encyclopedias. World Book is
having a great sale now...ask your representative. We received our books in
about a week and the online access took only two business days!
Just an idea.
~Shonda Brisco
Trinity Valley MS / US Librarian
Fort Worth, TX
sbrisco021@charter.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nancy Hagler" <NKH13@aol.com>
To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2004 3:58 PM
Subject: HIT: print encyclopedias
> Thank you to all who replied. I have great ideas to make my case for print
> encyclopedias. Here's the hit:
>
> It doesn't matter if the computers are down or if the internet
> connection isn't working; you have the encyclopedias.
>
> Sometimes it's just easier to spread some books out and compare what they
> say,
> rather than bookmarking pages and going back and forth in a browser. Plus
> print is easier on the eyes, and - depending on screen/printer
resolution -
> images and graphs may actually be easier to read from a print set than an
> electronic version.
>
> The thinking process is different and in many ways clearer for small
children
> and even teens in the print resources.
>
> My teen wandered around on the internet unsuccessfully last night looking
for
> Verona Italy on a map.He chose to ignore everything I had ever taught him.
> Finally, indesperation, he asked me for the I volume and had the
> answer in 30 seconds.
>
> Take a child to the zoo because the child asked about a particular animal.
> Ask him/her to remember the trip. Now imagine that when the child asked
about
> the animal, the child is
> blindfolded and earplugs put in. Put the child in the car, drive to the
zoo,
> lead the child to the animal in question, remove blindfold and earplugs.
When
> the child has seen enough of that one animal (make sure no other animals
are
> seen) put the blindfold and earplugs back on and go home.The online
version is
> quick, and gets you the information you want at that moment, but you miss
all
> the other articles that are in the print version. You really need both
print
> and online versions to adequately serve your students.
>
> On on-line encyclopedia can be used by one person at a computer. A set of
26
> volumes in a print encyclopedia means 26 people can use that one set of
> encyclopedias in a class setting.
>
> An online encyclopedia is no use when the power goes out or the network is
> down. A print encyclopedia can be used anywhere, anytime.
>
> An online encyclopedia gives you exactly what you ask for (so if you can't
> spell you won't find the information). A print encyclopedia allows you to
browse
> and if you've spelled a word slightly wrong you can still find the
> information a page or two before or after where you think you ought to be.
>
> An online encyclopedia stifles the serendipity- the ah ha moment of
research
> because you only see what you asked for. The print encyclopedia allows you
to
> scan a page and see other information that you hadn't thought of looking
for.
>
> An online encyclopedia can't be borrowed and taken home for a report
(unless
> you're spending huge amounts of money for off site access and you might as
> well buy several print sets for that kind of dough because not every
student will
> have a computer with internet access). A print set can be borrowed by 26
> students for home use.
>
> I like on-line encyclopedias but I always had a current set of print for
the
> above reasons. Children need to learn to scan, search alphabeticaly and
think
> critically. The only way to do that is through practice- the set of print
> encyclopedias gives them the chance to practice.
>
> Havinga range of reading level, authority, detail in articles, lack of
> supporting
> graphics and text features, distracting ads, printing out issues, make
them
> all too expensive in terms of student learning.
>
> 22 volumes vs 1 keyboard for a class of 25 students learning guide words
and
> notetaking
>
> In a race for three pieces of information, encyclopedias will always win!
> Start in the middle of the library and meet back there with the facts. You
know
> who will win.
>
> Some students have great difficulty reading from screens. It's something
to
> do with the flicker.
>
> Students who have forgotten their passwords or been cut off the Internet
for
> cause can still use an encyclopedia.
>
> You may have more volumes of encyclopedias than computers in the library.
>
> Having both resources appeals to different learning styles.
>
> Having both resources allows you to serve more patrons simultaneously.
>
> Nancy Hagler
> Queens Valley School
> nkh13@aol.com
>
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