Would you recognize a 21st Century school library?

Could you imagine living in an age where access to information was only for the elite?  With the vision of librarians and educators, the right to an education became free to all Americans and librarians fought for equal access for anybody to use the library.  Even though our future looks different than 50 or 100 years ago, educators and librarians have constantly adapted, changed, improved, and grown to give students the best and most forward thinking education. 

 

The future of the school library needs to play a major role in educating students.  Wools from The School Library Media Manager states, "the library media program should function as the information center of the school with resources and activities and provide "a diversity of experiences, opinions, and social and cultural perspectives."" (11)  With state achievement scores driving how teachers teach, the job of the SLMS is even more important for the success of the school.  The SLMS has the skills and tools to give each student the skills necessary to be critical thinkers, creators and sharers of knowledge, ethically responsible users of information, and self-assessors.

 

It seems that we know what has to be achieved, but getting from point A to point B is not as easy an answer.  Fifteen to twenty years ago, our options were much more limited and definitely less chaotic.  But, today students can access information instantaneously, while texting their bff, and updating their Facebook all at the same time.  How do we connect with the students, who have an attention span of a hyper Chihuahua, and hope that they develop the skills necessary to be lifelong learners?

 

"A Revised Manifesto" by Joyce Valenza makes it quite clear that we have to do about any and everything possible.  I know that by the time I was done reading this article, I had decided that if this article didn't truly convict me to be a great SLMS, then it scared me death and made me rethink my decision to be a SLMS.  She makes a comment referring back to question that was asked her about "what does a school librarian do?" (Valenza,1)  Her reply was "it is clear that the concept of modern teacher librarian practice is not clear." (Valenza,2)  But, she is clear that, yes there may be some new, energizing, and exceptional approaches for the SLMS, there are also "some aspects of emerging practice" that cannot be left out. (Valenza 2) These practices include: reading through different formats is necessary; the SLMS is the research guru for the the school; collection development is online as well as offline; access, equity, and advocacy is school wide; collaboration is not a choice; ethical practices cannot be glossed over; the SLMS is the "info-technology scout"; being a leader in the school and a 21st Century advocate through PD, technology, and professional outreach must not be an afterthought; lastly, the SLMS always must always focus on authentic learning. (Valenza, 7)

 

"15 educational experiences my granddaughter won't have" by Stephen Abram, goes to some extremes when examining the future in education.  I couldn't imagine not having a book to physically hold and experience.  I know that many people prefer their ebooks, but I still feel that their needs to be this emotional connection that only a book can provide when you are so pulled into the story and you can't wait to turn the page.  On the other hand, I think that anything that is not Wi-Fi, in this age of on the go, just slows us down.  It is hard to believe that I had a phone that didn't have internet, let alone no 4G.  Now, engaging students at their level by using their internet accessible phones or even tablets, may seem tricky on the trust level, seems logical. What a picture to be seen, when you say to the students, "ok class, everyone pull out your phones." 

 

"Readers Respond: Do schools still need brick-and-mortar libraries?" by Andra Brichacek created quite the responses to her question.  One responder rubbed me the wrong way.  He stated that "hard drives are far more economical" than libraries.  This same person wrote about an experience with a student that was struggling with understanding a learning concept, and blamed this on the fact that if the classroom had had instant access to a computer then the student would have made the connection much quicker.  His response to that experience was, "sure, we had a library upstairs, but it may as well have been on Mars. I couldn't forsake the rest of my class to take one child on a Mars quest. So, probably alone, the librarian sat in her information monarchy." (Brichacek)  I find this very cynical and most of all, what does not having a computer in the classroom have to do with the library/librarian?  This is not the responsibility nor the fault of the librarian.  I would like to assume that the librarian has tried to advocate for all classrooms to have computers.  Maybe the teacher needs to make a concerted outreach to the librarian.

 

School Libraries 21C makes a concerted effort to find solutions to fundamental questions that supports the necessity of a school library and librarian in the future.  One of the questions that was proposed was, "What would a school library of the future look like?"  As I read this section, it isn't so much the physicality of the space, but the interaction of the SLMS, students, and even teachers observed in the library.   What better way to know if the library is functioning with a higher order of learning taking place, than to observe different learning stations inside the library.  These areas are "customisable" to the needs of the learners.  Maybe you will observe students collaboration with other students, or even the librarian.  Maybe students will be doing individual learning through research, both online and offline.  You might also observe the SLMS teaching a class about ethical practices or the best online databases for their class.  And in another area of the library, you will see a group of students updating their blog for the newspaper. 

 

The future really is now, so what is holding us back?  Is there support at the administrative level?  Do we have teachers on board with collaborative teaching?  Or, are we, as the SLMS, staying informed and ahead of the game?  The SLMS is always going to have to work a little harder and know a little bit more in order to guarantee the future of the library and SLMS. 

Questions for the class
1.  Does the physical make-up of the library make a difference for a 21st century libary?

2.  How many hours beyond the contracted duty will a librarian have to work to make a 21st century library match the vision of Joyce Valenza.  How attainable is her vision?

3.  If the future really is now, what is holding back you, the SLMS, or an SLMS that you know?

 

 

Works Cited

 



Abram. Stephen. “15 Educational Experiences my Granddaughter Won’t Have.” Stephen’s Lighthouse, 8  May 2012. Web. 5 Sept. 2012.

< http://stephenslighthouse.com/2012/05/08/15-educational-experiences-my-granddaughter-wont-have/>.
 
Brichacek, Andra. “ READERS RESPOND: Do Schools Still Need Brick-and-mortar Libraries?” ISTE Community Ning, 17 Aug. 2009. Web. 5 Sept. 2012.
 http://www.iste-community.org/group/landl/forum/topics/readers-respond-do-schools.
 
Hay, Lyn, and Ross J. Todd. School Libraries 21C. Rep. NSW Department of Education and Training, 2010. Web. 8 Sept. 2012.
<http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibraries/assets/pdf/21c_report.pdf>.
 
Valenza, Joyce. “A Revised Manifesto.” NeverEndingSearch, 3 Dec. 2010. Web. 5 Sept. 2012.
 <http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/neverendingsearch/2010/12/03/a-revised-manifesto>.
 
Wools, Blanche. The School Library Media Manager. Westport: Libraries, 2008. Print.