Not So Distant Future

Beyond the power of what web 2.0 tools can do for our students in terms of connectivity, they are literally transforming our world, in their ability to help communicate news rapidly and at a grass roots level.

For example, this evening, I learned on Twitter that the Fort Worth schools had closed all their campuses due to swine flu, half an hour before CNN reported “Breaking News.”   I shared on Twitter what our school is doing regarding limiting extracurricular travel.  And I learned that a school in Alabama required a school bus bound for Florida turn around and return home with the students tonight.

Meanwhile, on Facebook, I found out that New Braunsfels school district had closed schools until May 11.

At the same time, I’m reading that Google has the ability to track pandemics before they even start(so far the feature is only active in the U.S.) by tracking the searches people are conducting.

These always on, grass-roots tools allow authorities to gather data that will be invaluable in dealing with a potential health crisis such as this.

Do we as educators truly harness or understand the incredible power of these tools to unify our world, to preserve our health, to share important news?  Are we modeling that for our students?  Because like the flu, our news now travels person-to-person via many means.   I know this isn’t any huge revelation but when you start seeing the congregation of data in circumstances like this and how important a part these tools can play, it’s like you “get it” all over again.

ARE WE SHARING this with our students??

In a recent post on the AASL blog, Buffy Hamilton discusses a debate that has been raging about an article in Teacher Magazine about classroom libraries versus libraries.  In thinking about the post, and the responses, I find myself over a barrel here. (see the link to the post I am referring to above). I agree with Miller that more books in more places are important for student literacy–that excitement about books carries a lot of influence with students.

I feel that we have to come to this discussion from a place of strength and assurance about our library programs, not a place of defense.    I don’t think there’s even a question that we need strong school library collections and staffing.
And as a former English teacher, I can relate with Miller’s desire to have a well-stocked classroom library.  My belief is that her students probably also continue to “check out” books whether from the library or her room, and they are reading, which is our ultimate goal.  And I also wouldn’t think to imply that as an English teacher she wouldn’t necessarily be selecting excellent titles for her students, because I myself remember scrounging for great young adult books for my students (though I also used my school library a great deal.)

Now, as a librarian, I too am troubled by the sometimes lack of connection between the classroom and libraries/librarians.  Sometimes we aren’t all working in concert with one another, and that is unfortunate.  I think perhaps we need a better understanding of how to support teachers’ needs.  But we have to remember that we keep the entire school and curriculum in mind–and that is part of our purpose.

I don’t perceive that Miller was arguing to replace one kind of funding with another, though of course that could happen.  And I don’t really love that some see her interest as competing with the interests of the library.

But I do think that in terms of the entire curriculum and entire student body, the excitement and support that a library can provide for students in terms of reading is significant and important.

Buffy asks some excellent questions that are worth serious consideration.  How do we encourage more of a “joint mission”?
How can we be in “more places” in our buildings so we take ourselves to the students?

What does a library look like?  Can’t both things be helpful to students?

(most of this post was also a comment from the AASL blog).

Libraries can tap into the “soul” of a school in so many different ways.    Last night, we hosted the Art Department’s annual “Don’t Des(s)ert the Arts” event, which allows our 7 art and photography teachers to display student art in a gallery format and parents and students to gather for an art opening.

Art is displayed on every surface in the library–we take down all of our displays, make all of our shelf space available, and accommodate the teachers however we can.

In return, the library is literally permeated with art.  There’s music, food, awards, and so many proud students and parents who come to see their work as important.  It’s a really powerful event for our student artists.

And all we have to do is throw our doors open and be accommodating.   I think the function of a library as a gathering place is overlooked sometimes.  It can be an inviting gathering place, a positive piece of the educational environment and a campfire for the school.

How do you invite your school into your library?

This morning I saw a new website twittered– BooksFree.com –which allows you to “rent” books like you do Netflix videos.

Demise of library services as we know them? Will people still want to go to a place if they can get the item via their mailbox? (of course, it’s not free, you have a monthly fee, so the library is still a better deal !)

Similarly, I read in the NYTimes several articles relating to the demise of newspapers and/or magazines, including a touching one about the importance Bostonians have placed on their beloved and threatened Boston Globe, one about magazines raising their prices, and one about “hyperlocal” websites that bring aggregated local news to you customized for your location, and lastly a very telling one about newspapers and the AP attempting to control online content. Wes Fryer has been writing about this as well.

An armload of signs that are all pointing in the same direction–major change is on the horizon, driven by the economy as the tipping point. What will be telling is what communities fight to save–like the Boston Globe, and what things we let go. It will say something about us as a culture.

But more pertinent to this post is what is all of this going to mean for libraries? We are really at a tipping point? How much print content do we embrace and how much digital? When are our customers ready for what? What should we be willing to pay for if our students/staff mainly use “Google”? What will all this move to digital look like from a profit standpoint from publishers and providers that have excellent content?

So, renting books online….should we be mailing books to our students instead of them coming to us? sending them digital books via email? Only subscribing to magazines and newspapers online and not buying print ones? buying Kindles?

Yet students flock to our doors, check out more books than before, and use digital and books interchangeably. There is some need for a “campfire” to circle around for students. A place to be, to interact with books and knowledge and information….and to talk and hang out and do homework and get help when they need it.

On the other hand, I’ve found the teachers are somewhat more sequestered in their rooms with their own computers, so how do we reach them as well?

This is a mixed-up post which reflects the confusion over what direction to take.  It should be an interesting next few years.

I’d be really interested in views from my online learning community about these questions! What do you think?  Which way DO we go?

I got to work a couple of days ago, and this was posted outside our door.  Nice!  (Especially since our open house was the next day after this was put up!)