Contemporary Trends:

Contemporary Trends:The changing landscape of our school libraries.

      Mindlab - Week 27

The world as we know it is a rapidly changing place and the ever evolving and complex technological environment of the 21^st century creates new challenges for schools and in particular our school libraries. We face a future where the landscape of our school libraries is vastly different from the traditional idea of a house of books. The school in which I work is an example of an evolving educational institution, with among other things, the development of learning environments that are more fluid spaces and this includes the library. Our role as educators is to provide our students, with skills and competencies necessary for a future which will be technologically driven and far from clear. The implications from apparent trends today are that those students with the ability to connect, create, collaborate and use technology will be successful in the future. In other words we no longer use technology just to access information but also to store it, to build and to create with it and to connect with our communities and the wider world.

 In view of these changes, libraries are being forced to evolve or as some see it “fade into irrelevancy” and librarians have been forced to redefine themselves. Within the information ecosystem which libraries are becoming, the focus is on the process of learning rather than the dissemination of information. Within the library service we need to aim for more than providing access to a collection of digital content and the more traditional sources of information. We need to support students and staff to develop digital literacy skills and capabilities. School libraries are already in a position where they can enable learners to connect with resources available through other libraries and organisations, as part of a wider knowledge network and these links will continue to grow and develop.

Studies both within New Zealand and other western countries have shown that having a school library staffed by a qualified professional librarian increases student achievement. However, sadly there are 178 New Zealand schools that don’t have a dedicated library, while 330 schools have less library space than they’re entitled to. School libraries are being forced to close in order to accommodate growing rolls within New Zealand and budgets are being cut to release funds for other resources. My question is, what is the point of providing students with the best and most up to date technologies if they are not also being provided with support in how to use these resources effectively and responsibly? As Nardo and O’Day state “It’s important that the spotlight is not on technology, but on human activities that are served by technology”. We must not lose sight of our goals which are to create responsible, ethical, digital citizens. Citizens who have the ability to source quality information, critique and evaluate that information and to use it in meaningful ways. And of growing importance is the need for these citizens to use this information and technology ethically, to consider intellectual property and the power of their “voice”. This is where school libraries and more importantly the staff who support them, can make an impact on the educational quality of a school.

I consider myself fortunate in having a principle and a majority of colleagues who recognise the unique position of the library within our school and the role the librarian is able to play in the development of digitally literate and responsible future citizens. This hasn’t made me immune to cuts to both the budget and staffing levels, which remains a concern but it has made me take a good long hard look at the future of libraries within my school, the wider community and the New Zealand education system.

I Love Libraries. (2015). Student Success. Retrieved from http://www.ilovelibraries.org/school-libraries/school-libraries-and-student-success

National Library of New Zealand. (2010). School Libraries and learning. Retrieved from http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/school-libraries/effective-practice/school-libraries-and-learning-research               

TVNZ. (2017). Overcrowding forces 178 NZ schools to go without a library. Retrieved from https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/overcrowding-forces-178-nz-schools-go-without-library