Welcome to my first actual blog post! If you’re reading this, then let me start off by saying thanks for stopping by!
As I was trying to map out exactly how I wanted to tackle the questions and issues around school libraries, technology, and modern education, I was struggling with what exactly should be the lead in discussion. After tossing the idea around in my mind, and having a few discussions with friends, I was struck by a foundational question from one of them: Do we even need libraries in the ‘electronic age?’
My initial reaction to this question was ‘of course’, but as we bantered back and forth, I began to wonder. As was pointed out libraries (whether digital or physical) can never keep up with rate of new information that is being produced. Librarians, no matter how talented, can never sift through all the knowledge out there, nor can they catalogue it in the ever increasing amount of niches, specialties, and subject areas that are arising. And truthfully, at the heart, aren’t Google and other search engines really just ‘Super-Librarians’? They take a query, and help provide us potential answers and sources, ‘pull’ pages and resources that seem to speak to our topic. How is that different from wandering up to a library desk and asking for help? Or wandering through the shelves? Or simply searching an online database?
Needless to say, I found their argument both compelling, and maddening. The assertion that electronic media had basically obsoleted the ‘library’ concept seemed preposterous, as hadn’t ‘libraries’ always been near the front of technological advancement? Papyrus, paper manuscripts, scrolls, the printing press, typewriting/setting, all had been embraced and contributed immensely to the capacity, usability, and accessibility of libraries. Has the format shift from hardcopy to digital really signaled the demise, or at least the beginning of the demise, of ‘Libraries’?
While I didn’t have an answer at that very moment, as I’ve reflected on this I do not believe that libraries, whether school or otherwise, have become obsolete. Libraries are about more than simple ‘museums of books’, and play a much more personal and important role. Later on I want to get into some of these subjects in depth, but for now I firmly believe libraries play an important social role in schools and communities, the physical place (even if that physical place is a website or forum) provides an atmosphere for learning, coming together, and friendship. And perhaps most importantly, isn’t the sheer volume on information out there on the ‘web’, and in the world, almost overwhelming? Having a place where the garbage (per se) was filtered out from the real, true sources and knowledge should be a beacon to an oversaturated world. Whether such places can keep up with the ‘cutting’ edge of information production may not even be relevant, as long as they embrace the knowledge and information that stands past the tests of fad, propaganda, and downright error. (By that, I refer to our over-eagerness to embrace any new theory or idea without first vetting it. Additionally, (and this may be the political science/historian in me speaking) in a democratic society based on the ideas of literacy, access to information, and people making informed decisions, the loss of libraries and the admission they grant to knowledge free from misinformation and censoring, should give us all pause. Finally, if the argument is purely based on format change, then while E-books and digital formats may require a change in how libraries are setup and managed, is that really different than the shared experience by everyone as we transition to a digital world? From huge repositories of papyrus and scrolls, to small, carefully horded private stores of handwritten manuscripts, to large voluminous collections of typewritten and printed books, libraries have adapted in the past. Why wouldn’t they now?
So what do you think? Is there a place in the modern world for a library? Or are they not needed anymore? Will they gradually be rendered obsolete by the internet, search-engines, and the digital age?
I can’t claim all of these thoughts as being completely originally mine, as I have benefited from some excellent sources. I highly recommend the article by Ian Clark from the UK Guardian found at http://gu.com/p/2tbv9 As well I would also point interesting parties to a rather long (it’s over an hour) lecture from Dr. Chris Batt entitled “If we did not have libraries, would anyone invent them?” found at http://sils.unc.edu/news/2010/chris-batt Finally, though it’s a little eclectic and very columnar, Jackie McKenzie’s “Why we still need Libraries and Librarians” on the From Now On website at http://www.fno.org/mar2010/still.html is an interesting read.
Ryan
Friday: I hope to look specifically at School Libraries. Can they be more then easy internet access spots for students? Can they offer resources that can’t be found within a classroom that has computers? What part do they currently play in the fabric of our educational system?
Ryan –
Some thoughts on your question, “Is there a place in the modern world for a library? … Will they gradually be rendered obsolete by the internet, search-engines, and the digital age?”
I wondered about the role of the librarian in today’s schools, particularly in rural schools where I work. If we were to ask a rural librarian to make a list of all the tasks/jobs/supports provided in, let’s say, a month, I think we would be suprised at the breadth of his/her responsibilities! Could these be replaced by technology? Some undoubtedly could, but certainly not all . And don’t forget, librarians are often juggling small budgets and in some schools, few hours as well, to provide the adequate resources needed by a school.
Imagine for a moment a school without a physical library. What supports would be needed? You would still need staff with both IT and ET training. School divisions would need to provide adequate hardware/software to be able to access information. Access to a free and open network and to free content (e.g. textbooks, online books) would be essential in a public education system. Students would need to learn to navigate the web and be able to conduct advanced searches to save time when searching for appropriate resources. Students would also need to be taught media literacy skills (e.g. critiquing information presented on the web). As well, students would need to develop online reading skills and be able to locate information at different reading levels. And I could go on and on …
Libraries are an essential part of schools, but there is room for change as we move to a more digital world. The following link takes you to a page of recommendations from Alberta’s MLAs on how to support public libraries: http://www.albertalibraries.ca/mla-report/
I like recommendation #11: “Aggressively exploit opportunities for public libraries and schools to work together on student supports, co-location, staffing, literacy, and sharing of resources, including videoconferencing.”
Good things can happen when people work together!!
– Jade
I think Jade raises some good points, Ryan, so without going over what she offers, I’ll add a couple of my own.
I heart libraries. I love the way they smell, the way they stand as shrines to information, if not learning. I know that’s a romantic view, and not reason enough to keep them, but I don’t want us to forget that libraries, in many ways, are secular temples, and they carry deep meaning for many, many people.
But beyond that, I’ve just returned from New Zealand, where public libraries charge fees to borrow items. The first time I encountered it, I really found it strange. And then it made me appreciate the commitment, and even the investment, we have made in North America to making information publicly available through libraries. In a way, they were the first OERs, and they don’t discriminate among people by class or ability to pay. That’s important, I think.
Digital libraries, of course, can also be open and free, so I’m not making an argument about digital libraries vs. physical libraries, just that the service they provide should be free (well, paid out of the public coffers).
Most of my academic work that requires a library is now done online, and I think that’s true of most academics. On our campus, our main library has been undergoing a dramatic change. The bottom two floors of the library are now a Learning Commons. The orientation is toward making the library a meeting place, where ideas are shared and collaborative work can be done. Ours comes complete with glass group meeting rooms that are equipped and where students can gather and write on the walls. There’s a coffee shop (isn’t Starbucks everywhere now?), and also a University Learning Centre that includes Help Centres for Writing and Math, technology support, learning communities, peer assisted learning assistants, community service learning, and on and on. It’s an amazing, vibrant place. I haven’t yet seen any online libraries that house this kind of integrated service — one stop shopping for students on our campus. But I think many of these services could migrate into online settings, and wouldn’t it be exciting to be at the front end of that kind of movement?
Okay… I’ll stop now. But congratulations on starting a really important discussion.
I really like this discussion. Here’s something to think about….I believe the computer lab as we know it will disappear before the library does. The role of the library is integral to student learning. We’re in the process of setting up a digital learning centre in our library. We’re bringing in more computers, printers, and new software to help our coded students, however, the software will be there to help ALL students.
What’s most important to any library, digital or traditional, is staff. Having knowledgable people that can help students and teachers alike is critical. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the future of the librarian!
I, too, love libraries and especially librarians! It has been my great fortune to have had so many who have been at the forefront of change. Perhaps it is part of their professional skill-set to be cultivators, curators, connectors, and connoisseurs in this age of information. More and more I see they are helping students connect and create, as well. It seems that learning how to find relevant and significant resources is even more important today – and isn’t that what libraries are about? I hope they continue to evolve!
Great job on the blog.
Hey Everyone,
In my humble opinion the physical library should always have a place regardless of the continual push towards having everything electronically/digital as the library at its heart is one of the core components in the communities in which exists. The physical library is a place where individuals regardless of age, socio-economic status, religion, religion or the countless other societal markers can come together for the sharing and exchanging of information, even if the exchange is brief or impersonal. Think about the last time you visited one of the public libraries in your community, and more than likely you saw a nice cross-section of society coming together because of the physical library. One could argue that the physical library helps to break down barriers. Beyond just the physical resources that a library contains one must remember that the additional learning services provided also help to make the library a place that breaks down barriers.
Far to often in the digital world individuals find themselves isolated from having interactions with others, and are usually sequestered off focusing solely on their own area of interest. Additionally, there are still costs associated with having everything digital, and as it stands this is still passed on to the patron, unless one is lucky to find either a pirated copy or the resource has reached a certain age so that it can become public domain. Unfortunately, for some in society these costs do not fit in with their allocated budget, and ultimately that individual is isolated from gaining further knowledge. Whereas, more often then not, the resource could have been found in a physical library for little to no cost.
All in all, the physical library while it seems like a romantic idea is a place of community and the great equalizer, where individuals of all ages and backgrounds can gather together in the pursuit of knowledge. While digital information and libraries have their place, they are cold and impersonal, and ultimately would cause further isolation, something our society can ill afford to allow.
I think libraries will always be needed and loved. Even if just for a place for study or to relax and peruse new stories (in whatever format) that you may not want to buy (as you have never tried them) or may not have access to for whatever reason. Long live the library!
I like the idea of libraries in continual evolution. They provide the type of physical learning environment that is hard to replace by an online forum or website. I second ShadowGriphon: Long live the library!