The WWW Virtual Library A New Way of Looking at Public Library Engagement in America The Pew Research Center’s Internet Project has intensively studied the changing world of public libraries for the last three years. The first stage of our research explored the growing role of ebooks, including their impact on Americans’ reading habits and library habits. Our second stage examined the full universe of library services, as well as what library services Americans most value and what they might want from libraries in the future. In March, we released a report from our third and final stage of research—the fruits of a representative national survey of 6,224 Americans ages 16 and older. It explores public libraries’ roles in people’s lives and in broader American culture—how libraries are perceived, how they are valued, and how people rely on them. provision of digital content is certainly a key element of the services that make libraries useful. This approach is a little new for us. The table above (PDF) provides an overview of the typology groups. Other insights in the data
S.O.S. for Information Literacy The Brave New Librarian Why Brave? For several decades now we have seen some school leaders dismantling the library programs and cutting back the library staffing of their districts. During this period, some school librarians did not view the struggle as one of survival, and in many districts they have seen the cuts happen without putting up much of a fight. There are exceptions to this trend, but we have reached the point where all school librarians must view the threats to program and position as severe. We are facing what amounts to a war against libraries and information literacy. Trained to serve schools, students and the community in a polite and restrained manner with services whose value was rarely questioned in the past, school librarians were not generally inclined toward aggressive advocacy, political action or the launch of bold new program initiatives. Joan of Arc?
The School Librarian as Learning Alchemist | American Libraries Magazine The landscape of learning is changing. Children and young adults learn not only in school but fluidly across home, school, peer culture, and community. This transformation in learning and the school environment has prompted educators to ask challenging questions about how to develop learning spaces to meet these needs within the sometimes competing economic, social, and political realities. At the same time, school librarians continue to serve their communities by linking children, young adults, and teachers with both the information they need and the skills to use it. Information on demand In the near future, there will be a significant reduction in physical library space and collections. Even as some schools move to virtual collections, the opportunities for school librarians to influence learning will actually increase. report such augmented reality programs as Aurasma allow students to use their devices to scan physical objects and receive interactive help and instructions.
If we stop telling kids what to read, they might start reading again A rain shower sends Maynard Elementary School kindergarten student Maya Roby to shelter during a literacy program in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP/The Knoxville News Sentinel, Paul Efird) As a treat for Hanukkah last month, Sandra Stotsky took her grandchildren to the New England Mobile Book Fair in Newton, Mass. They were wandering around aimlessly. The store in a suburb of Boston has 32,000 sq. ft, of books, but the kids had no favorite authors, nothing they'd been longing to read. Stotsky, a self-described "professional Jewish grandmother," had plenty of suggestions. The book, Stotksy said, was too easy, and in any case, she didn't think it conveyed the values that she wanted her grandkids to grow up on. "For us, choice is key," said Kyle Good, a spokeswoman for Scholastic. In the survey, 78 percent of students, who read frequently for fun (at least five days a week), said they had time to read a book of choice during the school day.
THE PIPELINE: Influence--7 Rules (And You Can’t Just Do One!) They always say that in polite company we don’t talk about politics, religion, or sex. Because, well, it runs the risk of offending someone and sparking fights and passionate opinion. I never believed that, and I love engaging in the good fight for the rights associated with the basic human condition. That said, when we talk about school library funding, you can get a similar reaction. Some say it’s like the weather: Too many people talk about it but few really do anything about it. I believe that school libraries are a human right—plain and simple. In today’s world, access to information, learning, and technology is a human right in an advanced civil society and especially in a democracy where an informed and educated electorate is critical. Nearly everything we do requires more influence and oversight than it used to. So, here’s a short list of what leaders have built and tried in our profession to influence the success of libraries for learners: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. So What Could Help? 1.
A Handy Visual Featuring The 7 Learning Styles September 10, 2014 During the first month of the new school year, teachers get to know their students in terms of their learning levels, where they are at with their learning, their strengths and weaknesses, and, most importantly, their learning styles. I emphasized the last point because it is the key to a successful learning journey for students. When teachers identify the plurality of the learning styles in their classes they become in a better position to cultivate a learning environment where every student have their share in the learning taking place in class. One of the most popular theories that inform pedagogy in this regard is Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences theory. Source: Blue Mango Learning
Ten Things Your Administrator Needs to Know as the School Year Begins 10. That you are a teacher who teaches not content but process. You teach children to be information literate, digitally literate, media literate, and visually literate. The skills that you teach, the dispositions that you help children to develop, the responsibilities that you foster, and the self-assessment strategies that you instill will serve children not only in school but also in life. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. If your administrator already knows these things, wonderful! Author: Audrey Church, Leadership Development Committee Chair and 2017-2018 AASL Past President Like this: Like Loading... Categories: Advocacy/Leadership, Blog Topics, Community, Presidential Musings
the seer’s hat The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a seer as one who “predicts events or developments” and while I can’t lay claim to having that extraordinary insight that sets such visionaries above the rest of us, in the past few weeks I have had the opportunity and privilege to see what might be in the world of libraries. While no one can accurately predict the future, nevertheless there are those who examine what has been, what is and can make a very good forecast of what will be. They undertake the research, read the reports, study the trends and draw conclusions that the astute amongst us will consider and act on so that what we are offering remains relevant and required. In a keynote address at the recent SLANZA conference in Christchurch, Mark Osborne identified three distinct phases in the evolution of education. Skills required in the 21st century How to teach all the skills The New Work Order Report curriculum leader information services manager information specialist the learning space