The Demise of School Libraries

Are libraries redundant spaces in schools and universities?  Some administrators seem to think so, and instead of funding libraries, divert funding to other learning spaces and programs.  The building where I work houses not only the library, but also tutoring programs, a writing center, language lab, STEM center, staff work space, and evaluation program.  In order for each of these things to exist, space was taken away from library programs, faculty, and staff.  In some instances, there is no harm- when you have access to digital videos you no longer need the VHS tapes that the library previously housed and tended to.  However, it’s arguable that there is now less space for students to generally study and explore seemingly unrelated topics.

Adam Woods speculates that, for the data driven educational administrations of today, it is difficult to link libraries to assessment-oriented learning activities.  And without the data that proves the space and staff are improving outcomes, it can be difficult to justify maintaining funding. 

However, there is a certain value to having no specific outcome attached- libraries are a space where patrons can explore topics and knowledge and make connections that might not be made in a classroom setting, or a setting where the focus is a specific skill or knowledge base.  My hope is that, as educators push back against standardized testing and move towards a philosophy of education that is more equitable, the value of libraries will be re-realized. 

Wood, A. (2018, June 10). Disappearing School Libraries - Why? Architecture and Educator.

Makerspaces

Makerspaces are one of my favorite additions to any school or library.  The hands on learning is such and advantage to any facility.  What is a Makerspace? Makerspace for Education puts it better than anyone “Imagine DIY meets education!”’  A makerspace has materials ready to be used to ignite an imagination. Makerspace can have items people might normally recycle all the way up to computers and 3D printers.  It all depends on the facility and their budget. Luckily for many children it doesn’t take a lot to get their imagination flowing.  They can find ways to help their communities, their environment or even build a robot.  The sky is the limit!

References

“Makerspace.” Makerspace for Education, www.makerspaceforeducation.com/makerspace.html.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)

To access the internet you used to need a computer.  If you were lucky enough to have one at home that was great and convenient.  If you had a lap top you were blessed. Now you can access the internet from you phone, tablet and even you watch!  Many middle and high schools provide laps tops for students to do school work and most college students don’t take note with paper and pen anymore. So naturally many work places have begun to allow employees to bring their own device to access company information and files or have proved them with phones or other devises to access company data on the go.  The Cloud is helping to make this possible without much risk for the company.

The Demise of School Libraries

The thought of declining libraries breaks my heart.  I know many people believe that they are inadequate and useless now but studies show otherwise. During a survey taken in the United States and the United Kingdom, when children were asked where they got the book they were reading now 30-99% mentioned some kind of library (Siu-Runyan, NCTE President).  Having easy access to a library is beneficial to all, young and old.  Its not just the books that are important, it also the people and services offered by a library.  Librarians and Library Staff guide unsure patrons.  Libraries often offer services based on their community; health care information, education information, community classes, etc.  For many without internet access at home, or who are unsure how to use the internet, these people and services are vital for information or even just to do homework. Hopefully we can do what is needed to protect and grow these resources.

References

Siu-Runyan, Yvonne. Public and School Libraries in Decline: When We Need Them. Sept. 2011, www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/CC/0211-sep2011/CC0211Presidents.pdf.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

It’s no secret that technology has exploded over the past couple decades.  There are a wide variety of technological devices available. More often, patrons bring their own devices to the library. 

This can help the library’s bottom line, because they don’t have to purchase and maintain computer labs or computer terminals.  But it also comes with challenges, patrons still need help with technology, but they have a variety of devices, and library staff are often not familiar with all the devices.  What to do?

The old models of professional development (where employees  one-off workshops) are no longer satisfactory to keep library staff up-to-date on the knowledge and skills they need in their day-to-day job tasks. With online tools and informal in-person training, training should be continuous. 

One way for library staff to become more familiar with the multitudes of devices that patrons bring to the library is to have a “Device Petting Zoo” and visit electronic stores like Best Buy, Microsoft, and Apple in order to ask questions and become familiar with different versions of technology.  Some of these stores also offer free or low-cost classes that library staff can attend.

What other resources are available to help library staff help patrons who bring their own devices?

JOHNSON, D. (2013). Top Ten School Library Game Changers of the Past Twenty-Five Years. Teacher Librarian, 40(4), 28–31. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.palomar.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=87083318&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Koerber, J. (January 01, 2015). MANAGE THE DEVICE DELUGE Learn how to create an effective program to train staff to teach tech to the public in a time of rapid change and gadget proliferation. Library Journal, 140, 9, 28-28.

Makerspaces: How to Start Your Own

In Makerspaces, patrons have an opportunity to learn and create in new ways that libraries of the past did not offer. If a librarian wants to start a makerspace in their own library, they don’t need a huge budget, or to do everything all at once.

 Putting together a makerspace is a great opportunity to form partnerships in your community. For example, many craft stores may donate craft supplies and leftover fabric. Or, they may donate a sewing machine. You may be able to offer free space to house bulky equipment like 3D printers for organizations that have equipment but no space. Use what you already have, and expand on it- consider purchasing creative software like photo, video, and music editing software. Once you get the space started, look for additional funding.

As makerspaces grown in popularity, more grants have become available for this type of project. Your library may be eligible for local or state grants, or grants from technology companies.

Do you have tips for starting a makerspace?  We'd love to hear them in the comments!

 References
Sierra, K. (2017). If You Build It, They Will Come: How I Started a Makerspace from Scratch. Knowledge Quest, 46(2), 42–48. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.palomar.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=125991982&site=ehost-live&scope=site

The Demise of School Libraries

There's been a steady decline of school librarians employed in schools in the United States. School librarians do more than just supervise the students in the library. They also do more than help with research projects and organize the stacks. School librarians are one of the most important teachers of information literacy, they develop programs to help students learn, and play a major role in the overall education of the students. They hold a leadership role and work hard to positively influence the culture and curriculum in their schools.

The common misconceptions stated in the above paragraph are probably what make school districts that they can cut back on library staffing, which can be detrimental to the well being of the school. The article “Ignoring the Evidence: Another Decade of Decline for School Libraries” tells us that adequate staffing, resources, and foot traffic are linked to increases in student achievement. Libraries not only play a huge part in the school system, but also in the community as a whole. If students are taught that libraries aren’t worth the effort to maintain, then they will apply this knowledge to the rest of their lives, and following this snowball effect, libraries as a whole will get ignored. (Oberg abs.)

While some parts of the world are definitely cutting back on school library funding, like Canada and the United States, some countries in Europe are actually putting more effort into their school libraries. These are the changes we should be making as well. Supporting school libraries are supporting our future.

Librarians teach us about information literacy, and that is something that we as students carry with us for the rest of our lives, and it makes everything so much easier and better. So why ignore the people that worked so hard to get us to where we are today?

To hear librarians talk about the importance of school libraries (and to see a man with tape on his forehead), watch this video made by real librarians!

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)

The days of having to go to school or the library to access the internet are long behind us, and as such, there is a growing use of personal computers in both school and work settings. For instance, out of the last 4 years of my college experience, there were only 3 classes that still required students to bring in physical copies of the assigned homework. Nowadays, almost everything is done through a computer and its even primarily online. All of my library technology class homework is done online, and even the homework for my culinary school is online (there are still in-class tests and projects obviously).

This doesn’t mean that physical classrooms and offices are becoming obsolete, because they provide an important aspect to schooling and work, but there are large parts of our daily lives that live digitally now. Its been seen that the use of personal devices like laptops help keep students engaged in the class and on topic, even though they tend to be seen as an excuse to be distracted. And while some students might stray off topic, in my opinion, the use of personal devices in class can actually be extremely helpful!

According to “Information and Communication Technology in the Classroom: BYOD and the University’s Role”, primary and secondary schools are integrating laptops into their education system, but primarily as a 1:1 laptop initiative, where the school provides the students with their own laptops for classroom and homework use. (Davis and Kohun 4) You can watch a video about a school implementing a BYOD program by watching this video by StaplesTV.

Some educators are reluctant to make the switch to the Bring Your Own Device method of teaching, but relying on this article, this is primarily because of a lack of technical competence, and a feeling of a loss of control over the classroom. (Davis and Kohun 5)

Overall, because the rest of the world is moving on to relying on technology more and more, there is really no reason to not support a BYOD system in order to help us keep up.

Makerspaces

Makerspaces, according to “Problem Scoping: Design Thinking & Close Reading Makerspaces in the School”, are “collaborative workspaces stocked with materials and tools for creating, building, designing, and learning”. They are becoming pretty popular in schools, because they incorporate both creating and literacy. It’s no surprise that libraries are utilizing these makerspaces in order to educate and make it fun!

It pretty much follows the same steps as a school science project. It starts with problem scoping, then moves on to brainstorming, designing, creation, and it ends with showing off the final project. This is a great way for students to learn about problem solving, critical thinking,  and subjects like science and engineering, but it really isn’t limited to these topics at all. These makerspaces really make anything possible. (Blakemore 1)

These makerspaces are creative environments for students to explore. There are arguments that these spaces aren’t really necessary, and some repurposing of pre-existing spaces can create the same sort of environments that students can create in, but I feel like makerspaces are kind of like the Scholastic Book Fairs that all 90’s and 00’s kids remember with fondness. It's an exciting space to explore, and it promotes learning! It's also important to mention that a lot of libraries are too small to house the spaces that they would need to create some of these spaces. With makerspaces, every possible learning environment is at the students fingertips, ready for them to use.

To learn more about makerspaces, watch this video from Edutopia!

Cloud Computing in Libraries

The whole world is evolving into the technological age, and libraries are not exempt. Libraries everywhere are making the shift to cloud computing in order to make themselves more available to their patrons, and to help themselves and the growing infrastructures and services they have.

Students and teachers are already utilizing cloud computing through web-based services like Google Docs and Google Slides, which are great alternatives to Microsoft Office products. It seems like it's time libraries step up to the plate as well.

In the article “Implementing a New Cloud Computing Library Management Service: A Symbiotic 
Approach”, we learn about how Pepperdine University is utilizing OCLC’s WorldShare Management Services, which is a nonprofit, membership, computer based library service. It provides not only access to huge databases that both the library and its patrons can access, but it also provides a reduced cost compared to other library systems. (Dula et al. p 7)

Through cloud computing, libraries can manage digital collections, organize interlibrary loans, and implement new discovery systems in a fashion that is so much easier than it previously had been. Library staff can identify items on reserve, for different classes, and the library as a whole can share hardware, services and data. This is great for libraries, because the more libraries that utilize all of the great technology available, like cloud computing, the more accessible information will be for everyone. This will also bring people back to the library, because what might have seemed obsolete a few years back has become very important to us again. (Dula et al. 7, 39)

If you still have questions about cloud computing, watch this video by HighTechDad!