I think one quote from the Rick Anderson articles sums up the two sides of this argument very well: "No profession can survive if it throws its core principles and values overboard in response to every shift in the zeitgeist. However, it can be equally disastrous when a profession fails to acknowledge and adapt to radical, fundamental change in the marketplace it serves."
As with so many things in life, this boils down to finding balance. As librarians, we need to consider the difference between abandoning our core mission and altering it a bit. Between ignoring every new technology fad (or blindly jumping on the bandwagon - equally disastrous) and cautiously evaluating new Web 2.0 tools.
I think the Web 2.0 tools have enormous potential in school libraries, and need to be carefully considered. The most amazing part of all is that they are often FREE! If we can get the next generation of library users - today's children - to see librarians as tour guides through the Web 2.0 world, then it will have a positive impact on the future of our profession. And if we can let kids learn in formats that appeal to them (such as wikis) then I'm all for it.
I don't think we need to mourn the end of our nostalgic notion of libraries as sanctuaries full of storybook adventures just yet. But my philosophy has always been "Let's just get them in the door!" It's the first step, and from there the possibilities are endless.
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2 comments:
One of the things we are going to be working on this year in the curriculum committee is curriculum guides for K-6. I see them as a tool to hold onto the core values (standards) that we need and give people the flexibility and guidance to adjust to what is a confusing plethora of tools and needs. We have a quickly changing marketplace, and we need to adjust. :-)
Ann
I really like the quote from Rick Anderson and your perspective on core principles. As librarians, our job is to provide information and reading opportunities for our patrons. Format can change and does.
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