Thing #15: Library 2.0

I read the suggested reading. The two in the middle were all librarian jargon, so my eyes kind of glazed over, but I did appreciate the first and the fifth, I think the last one was "Ripple Effect".

The idea of Web and Library 2.o is fantastic, but my thoughts kept coming back to the kids of my school who do not even have internet yet. I would say maybe 25% of the kids have computers with internet access. So, our librarian and our teachers will be required to spend time teaching students how to navigate the web. I've noticed in the last two years that my students' collective computer skills have actually gone down. For them to get around in a 2.o world will be even more difficult. It might even turn into some form of technological culture shock where some just shut down and avoid the alien environment all together.

Aside from the Starbuck's, the students of my school would need access to all this wonderful stuff they can't get at home. I really wish the $100 laptop would become a reality, but then with all that access, we would also need some adult supervision and guidance, which is another issue in our neighborhood. Funding is always an issue, but maybe through some creative grant writing and, Heaven forgive me, corporate sponsorship, we could provide the physical tools for our kids to get into the 2.o world. It almost seems like another brick in the wall between our students and economic viability in this world. Almost like institutional racism.

"Well, you need to know how to do all this wonderful stuff on the internet to get this position."

"I don't have a computer to practice all the skills I need. My folks can't afford it."

"Sorry! Next!"

As much as it seems that the internet and all its greatness in the great equalizer giving access to information, there's still a population out there, and in my opinion, a big one, that still does not use or have access to computers on the internet. This is just like the early Christian church.

"The word of God, the Bible, is written Latin. Do YOU speak Latin? No? Sorry, you'll just have to believe what I tell you. Now get back to work."

The Martin Luthers out there (the $1oo laptop people, the free wifi in cities people) always seem to run into problems, don't they? It's no coincidence. Am I getting preachy in my blog?

I think this is where the school steps in. We can promote, provide, and the kids can produce, but we need forward looking people who know how to do all this stuff and apply it in classrooms.

I'm going to put that list in my post and challenge anybody who reads this particular post to cheaply come up with a way to get something on the list.

-A multitude of electronic databases and 23,000 cataloged eBooks
-MP3 players available for patron checkout with a new downloadable audiobook program in place for this fall
-Training on how and when to use Google™ versus other electronic sources
-52 computers on the technology island
-30 wireless laptop computers
-Digital motion and still cameras for student checkout
-Laptops for student checkout
-22 TVs that feature news and weather programs
-Cyber café with food and beverages (including Starbucks® coffee) (We could hire those out of work barristas)
Meetings with faculty each summer to review the library’s offerings
-Teacher-required usage of books, eBooks, ILL materials, databases and other library materials in courses
-Annual collection purchases that focus on selecting the most intriguing titles and materials
-Ariel® document delivery of all journal articles to desktops

I'm fired up! I'm mad as...No, wrong movie. Who's with me? Let's go!