As I progress in my classes, I am seeing a common theme-TECHNOLOGY! Just the word gives me the shivers. A WebEx session is enough to send me into a tizzy; anything beyond a simple Word or PowerPoint is beyond the scope of what I can confidently do. I am what some people would call technologically incompetent.
The "keeper of the books" has now also become the "keeper of the iPads." Gone are the days when the most a librarian had to know about technology was how to change the light bulb in an overhead projector. Now a librarian must be able to hold down a second job at the Genius Bar of an Apple Store. In addition to being able to troubleshoot any and all problems, a librarian is expected to know the best ways to implement technology to engage students in 21st century learning and create authentic learning experiences. It is a daunting task, to say the least.
But are librarians positioning themselves in the right way? Do we really have to become tinkers of technology to keep our positions? I do feel like in the next 10 years, the great thinkers of the educational world (the ones that have not been in a classroom or taught for 15 years) will see fit to eliminate the library from schools, focusing that space instead as a place for "creativity to flourish" and "technology to dominate" or some such nonsense. I hear from people already that everything you need to know is on the internet and books are obsolete; I know one librarian who has even been told that by her building principal. But the abundance of technology and the digital age have not made libraries obsolete, and will not for a long time to come. See this article for a great list why being a keeper of the books is not necessarily bad or outdated.
I am learning more about technology. I am pushing myself, trying to become more confident, if not proficient, at the plethora of things I will be expected to know about. I get that this is something that I should have a grasp on, not only as a librarian but as an educator in general. But I also don't want to sacrifice the soul of the library to the Gods of Technology.
I love your entry Sarah! I am right there with you. :)
ReplyDeleteSarah, your post makes me smile with your voice totally coming through! I don't think that you are going to have to become a "tinker of technology" to hold your position. What we may have to do, is be open to the library being a part of technology as education changes. That doesn't mean that the librarian is the one who has to do all of it. It could be your PTA that has this part or an IT, or even high school students coming to help in middle and elementary. For me, the most important thing is to be open to learning and growing while remaining true to the students and books. We don't have to know everything, but give students time with ideas so that they can become learners and leaders. Most importantly, we don't want to forget what brought us into this profession to begin with...THE BOOKS! Well, at least it was the books that brought me.
ReplyDeleteYou have a point....where is the magical feeling of the library going to fit amongst all those computers, ipads, makerspaces, etc.?! Sometimes, just having a good book to read in a sunny room is all the magic you need. We have to remember that we're creating creative people, and that creativity doesn't just come from shinny lights on a noise-making screen!
ReplyDeleteI am so with you on this! I can feel myself starting to become stagnant in technology. We still have a VCR for crying out loud! There is value in books--actual paper, hold in your hand books. Research shows that retention and comprehension increase with a paper book. I appreciate the influx of technology but often wonder if we are doing our kids a disservice.
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