Don’t look now, but I think the library is following us

Libraries are held in high esteem by the public, higher than any other public institution. Users are satisfied, and even non-users have praise, recognizing the cultural and educational contributions libraries make. But that can’t be taken for granted. The recent budget slashing at state and local levels in Michigan and other states show that no publicly funded institution – police, education or libraries – is safe. For libraries to maintain their support, they must reinforce and refresh ties with current users, and grab the attention of non-users by showing them something they may not have expected. The effort to do that with online tools is called Library 2.0.

The definitions of Library 2.0 range from the philosophical to the technical, but they have, in some form, these things in common:

Libraries must be where the users need them. For most users, the first time they encountered their library outside the bricks-and-mortar boundaries was then the library put its catalog online. What a convenience! Come home from the book club meeting at 9:15 Sunday night and put next month’s book on hold by 9:20. Reading a magazine or surfing the Web and you see a title you want to explore? Go find it. And if it’s in a branch at the other end of the county or farther, you’ll still find it, all while you are sitting at home or work. Suddenly, a vital part of the library is always available. Other Web services enhance the user’s relationship with the library, but access to the catalog is essential.

After that, library data bases became accessible. Then programming, tutorials, multimedia presentations, library information, all were on hand whenever the users needed them. As Web sites improved, users responded. At the Kent District Library, which I use most often, Web site visits more than doubled from 2005 to 2008, when the site received about 5,600 hits a day. In the same period, the number of items circulated increased 70 percent, while the number of library card holders actually dropped slightly. Clearly users are taking advantage of this constant access to the library’s collection.

Another “always there” element is online reference. With e-mail or instant messaging, reference services can be available no matter where the user is. They also can be available 24 hours a day if the library chooses, either through library staff or more likely, a consortium or outsourcing.

The increased use of mobile technology gives libraries another opportunity to be where the users are. Apple sold 7.4 million iPhones in the last quarter alone, and that’s just a portion of the mobile phone market. Libraries that plug into the mobile Web are going to preserve their connection to their most technologically sophisticated users.

Some proponents of Library 2.0 argue that a Web site is too static. Yes, it always is available, but the user still has to seek it out. Could the library follow you around and become, as Ken Chad and Paul Miller wrote in an early exploration of Library 2.0, “a pervasive library”? Browser add-ons such as LibX, which automatically indicates whether a publication that shows up on a Web page is in your favorite library, keep patrons linked to the library whenever their browser is running. RSS can keep users up to date on topics of interest. Social networks likewise can keep the library always close at hand if the patron chooses, with catalog searches such as WorldCat available as Facebook apps.

Libraries must give users a way to participate. In an online world where comments and user feedback is expected, libraries need to give users a voice. The tools can be as basic as a blog (don’t turn off the comments) or a wiki, which allows patron contributions. Allow users to post reviews. Let them show a Virtual Bookshelf. Ask readers their opinions on what materials they would like, what they think of the programs, what online additions they would like to see. The model should not a suggestion box, where comments are slipped in the slot to be opened in private at a later time. What users expect is a conversation in which the library and other users can react and respond.

Social networking offers other opportunities for participation. Facebook and MySpace groups are an effective way to build communities of users. Twitter can reach out to patrons instantly. Bookmarking sites such as Delicious let users share favorite sites. Flickr and YouTube are popular forums for sharing photos and videos that libraries can use to get out information and that patrons can use to respond. In all of these technologies, the object is to give the patron a voice in the library – to make it their library.

Libraries must evaluate their programs and be open to change. The Web has always been dynamic, but thanks to the rise of the open-source movement, new ideas have never sprung up faster and customization has never been easier. Librarians must always be looking for new trends, new software, or unconventional uses of old software.

Yet while technology is the tool that makes Library 2.0 work, it is not an end in itself. The goal is not to have the longest list of Web applications or the hottest new social networking tool; the goal is to serve the users. A library with a more affluent and educated audience may need to stay on the cutting edge to hold patrons’ attention. Another library may find that its basic Web page/blog/wiki is thriving, while its effort to build a Second Life community is sputtering. Cool isn’t always the best way to go.

Finally, don’t make assumptions about what your audience wants. A researcher looking at the use of Library 2.0 tools in an academic library expected students to appreciate the library’s entry into social networking sites associated with their generation. But the students said they wanted Web 2.0 tools built into the library’s Web page or Blackboard, rather than have the library integrate itself into public social networking tools. In other words, the students said, “Stay out of our space.”

Maybe the library can be too pervasive.

Questions:
Can Library 2.0 software really create a connection between the user and the library?
What is the most important service a library can provide for the remote user?
Does Library 2.0 weaken the bond between users and the physical library? If so, is that an acceptable trade-off?



Best practices for social software in libraries.(Chapter 8) (2007). Library Technology Reports, 43(5), 67(68).
Breeding, M. (2008). Content, Community and Visibility: a winning combination. Computers in Libraries, 28 Number 4, 26-28.
Burhanna, K. J., Seeholzer, J., & Salem Jr, J. (2009). No Natives Here: A Focus Group Study of Student Perceptions of Web 2.0 and the Academic Library. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 35(6), 523-532.
Chad, K., and Miller, Paul (2005). Do libraries matter? The rise of Library 2.0.
. Kent District Library 2008 Fact Book (2009).
What is the mobile web?(Chapter 1) (2008). Library Technology Reports, 44(5), 5(5).

Technology and its Impact on Libraries: Resource Sharing

It goes without saying that one library cannot have everything its users might need or want. That is why resource sharing between libraries is absolutely necessary. Resource sharing has existed since the early days of libraries, but it wasn’t until the mid-2oth century when a standardized form made interlibrary loan an easier process. (Hilyer, 2006)

As computer technology became more commonplace in libraries, resource sharing began to expand. Many state consortiums, such as the Ohio Library and Information Network (OhioLink) and TexShare found their beginnings in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Consortiums give libraries access to more information for less money. Using a shared catalog and pooling money together to buy journal subscriptions for multiple libraries enables those libraries to have access to more than they would be able to afford on their own. For example, the patrons at more than 90 OhioLink member libraries have access to more than 48 million different library materials.

These consortiums generally have different methods of shipping than traditional interlibrary loan systems. Courier services, such as TExpress for TexShare, are frequently used, allowing faster delivery times than with traditional interlibrary loan services. Many interlibrary loan departments tend to ship via the United States Postal Service using Library Rate, which can be significantly slower depending on location. The University of Alaska-Fairbanks specifically requests that any items be sent via first class at a minimum, to ensure that materials will arrive in time for patrons to actually use them before they are due back.

In addition to allowing these consortiums to form in the first place, technology has made significant improvements in interlibrary loan systems. Articles used to be mailed from lending to borrowing library. Now they are transmitted through electronic delivery systems such as Ariel, Odyssey or DOCLINE, which allows a much faster turnaround time.

The Online Computer Library Center’s (OCLC) catalog WorldCat, allows member libraries to determine which libraries have specifically needed materials in their holdings. Borrowing libraries can place requests for articles and frequently have them in their patrons’ hands later the same day. Books and other materials are still subjected to the library rate shipping, but it is a vast improvement over older systems, where forms were filled out in triplicate and mailed off to the potential lender.

Software applications specifically for interlibrary loan simplify the process even further. In the past, patrons placed a request and then waited patiently for it to show up. Now, applications such as ILLiad allow users the ability to track requests from the time they are placed until they are received. Systems such as ILLiad assist in reducing costs in shipping and photocopying, and help reduce staff workoad.(Atlas, 2008)

Even with all of these improvements, there are concerns where technology is concerned. For example, earlier this year, OhioLink experienced a hardware failure that knocked most of its major resources offline. While they moved as quickly as possible to fix things, it was still more than a month before everything was completely back to normal.

Not all libraries have the technology needed to simplify these functions, nor the money to invest in getting it. Some institutions, such as prisons and small public libraries, still rely on the old form in triplicate (although several have ditched the carbon sheets in favor of photocopying the original).

Copyright, always a confusing issue, becomes even more of a question mark now that other sources of electronic information are becoming prevalent. Details of the Google Books Settlement, for example, are still being worked out. Libraries should be aware of potential issues, such as the man from Nova Scotia who found work that he’d created in digitized form on Google Books.

Lastly, as libraries move toward more digital collections, concern about continued access grows. OhioLink lost access to a few databases this year that were funded by a grant. Access is still available through other networks in Ohio, such as OPLIN, but as money becomes a bigger issue for all libraries, there are no guarantees that it will continue.

Things to consider:

According to Association of Research Libraries statistics, interlibrary loan lending has been decreasing for the last several years, yet borrowing continues to increase. Why do you think this is happening? Should libraries be concerned?

Think about the library you frequent most often. In my own experience in interlibrary loan, I have encountered several reference librarians who do not know how to set up their own ILLiad account, let alone assist patrons in doing so. As technology plays a larger part in the services libraries offer, do you think the librarians you deal with are adequately prepared to assist patrons? If not, what do they need to improve? How comfortable will you be in assisting patrons with technology issues?


References:


Atlas Systems, I. (2008). What is OCLC ILLiad? Retrieved November 2, 2009, from http://www.atlas-sys.com/products/illiad

Hilyer, L. A. (2006). Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery: Best Practices for Operating and Managing Interlibrary Loan Services in All Libraries.

Ohio Library and Information Network (2009, June 15, 2009). What is OhioLink? Retrieved November 2, 2009, from http://www.ohiolink.edu/about/what-is-ol.html

Texas State Library and Archives Commission (2009, June 9, 2009). About TexShare Retrieved November 3, 2009, from http://www.texshare.edu/generalinfo/about/

Technology and its Impact on Libraries: Youth Services

When you get right down to it, technology in the library is nothing new. Technology has always been influencing the way people use the library, from advances in book-binding, to the first public-use phonograph, to the more current computer terminals. With each update to technology, however, the experience of the patron changes. In today’s world, where teenagers have grown up with a cell phone in one hand and a laptop in the other, and where the number of teens utilizing libraries is on the decline, increasing attention needs to be paid to their access to technology within the library.

Libraries need to develop their programs around the tools that young adults already use. Both luckily and unluckily, this includes… everything. Teens are increasingly tech-savvy. “Today’s teens are digital natives,” says author RoseMary Honnold. “They listen to music while updating their MySpace profiles, instant messaging, watching videos on YouTube, and searching for more” (2007). If the library doesn’t meet their needs, they’re going to lose teenagers as patrons. It’s up to today’s youth librarians to develop technology-based programs and collections that will entice young adults to frequent their local libraries.

Technology has also given libraries a whole new way to build a generation of patrons. Librarians are constantly challenged to find ways to increase teens’ familiarity with the library and with other library users. They attempt to give the library relevancy to individuals who otherwise might never set foot in the building.

The first technological step a library must be sure to embrace is their webpage. Library websites for teens can employ methods where the teens can submit art and writing for their peers to view, obtain suggestions to find books that meet their interests, and keep up to date on upcoming library events (Baum, 2002). Teen involvement in development of the web resources both encourages participation within, and helps them develop a feeling of ownership towards, the library. To keep track of their patrons’ opinions about the site, libraries can occasionally put up surveys on their main page.

Many libraries have also instituted an online “Ask the Librarian” chat feature within their website. It enables patrons to connect with the library in real time, even when they are not actually within the building. For teens, who may have reference questions related to homework, this is a great way to get them involved from home. The trick, of course, becomes convincing them to return to the library, rather than just using the website from afar. A suggestion from Thinking Outside the Book, a collection of technology-related essays, included creating banners and “ads” on the website to entice teens to physical library events (Nichols, 2004).

An addition to the library website can be a connected blog, with posts made either by the librarians themselves, or by young patrons. The posts could include peer reviews of recent books, descriptions of recent events, and links to other sites. Blogs give the reader the ability to make comments and communicate with other readers, helping to build a sense of community. By setting up an RSS feed, teens will be able to follow updates to the blog without needing to go to the trouble of checking the page themselves. Teen-produced podcasts are another good way to allow teens to express themselves, as are photo-driven pages such as Flickr (which can double as advertising for teen library activities). Young adult events within the library can also be structured around new technology. LAN parties, DDR dance nights, and MarioKart competitions are all ways to draw teenagers into the building.

Communication is obviously one of the great advantages of modern online technology. Teens who have grown up with their computers expect to be able to instantaneously connect with many different people, utilizing many different forms of technology. From instant messaging to email to online discussion boards, a library should be sure to implement tools that teens will be familiar with. Librarians should take advantage of young adult’s natural ability to multi-task, and create library-related sites on a variety of Web 2.0 tools. By creating a MySpace page, posting to Facebook, and utilizing Twitter, they stand a much better chance of becoming a part of the average teenager’s social network – and, by proxy, becoming a place that teens will hopefully utilize and enjoy.

Of course, after doing all of the above web-enhancements and technological updates, there’s still the problem of getting teenagers into the library in the first place. Libraries may have to do some initial outreach to draw in students from local high- and middle schools, letting them know about the resources available for them. The earlier students are encouraged to use the library, the more likely it is they will become lifelong patrons.

“People who don’t know much about libraries,” says Eli Neiburger, “often predict that public libraries will be dead and gone within twenty years, the rotting husks of their musty buildings still filled with copies of The Cat Who Shat Sequels and mint-condition phone books while the vibrant physiques of iTunes, Netflix, Amazon.com, and Google stand nearby, whistling and innocently scrutinizing their gleaming cuticles, only occasionally shooting each other dirty looks” (2007). It is true that ever-changing technology has forced libraries to compete with other online resource vendors. Technology has, in many ways, changed what patrons are able to check out.

Increasingly computer and video games are included along with other media items such as videos, DVDs, and CDs. The addition of video games has met with some hostility by librarians and parents alike. As Neiburger jokingly put it, “Why? For the love of dear old Melvil Dewey, why would we take our hallowed houses of learning and sully them with these vile, prurient, mind-rotting entertainments?” (2007) The important thing to remember, however, is the concept of “a resource for every user.” Books are not necessarily the pinnacle of circulating items. After all, even fifteen-year-olds who hate reading might love to be able to rent Twilight.

Although most libraries include books on tape and CD in their collection, Playaway audiobooks are becoming increasingly popular among young adults, as noted in Thinking Outside the Book. “While audiobooks can be ‘read’ by those with limited vision or who lack proficiency in decoding print, they are also of great benefit to busy teens who are multitaskers…” (Nichols, 2004). These Playaways are simple and easy to use. There’s nothing that can get scratched or broken, and they’re small enough that a teenager can look like he or she is listening to their iPod, if they don’t want their friends to know they checked out Pride and Prejudice.

The library’s music and video collection can be updated as well, to appeal to teenagers. If a wide selection of music is available to them, teens are likely to check out CDs rather than downloading the songs for a fee from a site such as iTunes. Some libraries today are offering MP3 downloads, which allows teens to “check out” music from their homes, without needing to visit the library. Renting movies can become expensive, especially for students on a limited budget, and the free movies and television shows available at their library will be particularly enticing.

One problem involved in filling a teen’s constant desire for more technology is that it means the library must constantly keep on top of technology advancements if they want to keep their teen patrons. This means computers must be reasonably fast, and feature new software. Media materials like CDs and DVDs must be updated to include recent items. Social networking sites must be maintained, or teens may forget they exist. Teens are going to be more than happy to develop their own audio, visual, and literary collections online if not encouraged to use the library (Nichols, 2004). In addition, teens are just as likely to do research at home on the internet as they are in the library. They need to want the technology the library provides, in order to entice them into the building.

Things to consider:
Should videogames be a part of the teen collection?
What complications might arise from teen-run library blogs and podcasts?
What other tech-based ways can you think of to encourage young adults to utilize the library?

References:

Baum, Linda W. (2002). Teens.library. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

Brehm-Heeger, Paula. (2008). Serving Urban Teens. Westport CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Champelli, Lisa. (2002). The Youth Cybrarian’s Guide. New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.

Honnold, RoseMary. (2007). Get Connected: Tech Programs for Teens. New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.

Neiburger, Eli. (2007). Gamers… in the library?! Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

Nichols, C. Allen (Ed). (2004). Thinking Outside the Book: Alternatives for Today’s Teen Library Collections. Westport CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Technology and its Impact on Libraries: Academic Libraries

Students and scholars have gone from reading hand written scrolls in the centuries dating before Christ to present day habits of searching on-line catalogues and reading e-journals from their computer screens. The methods of searching, retrieving and sharing information have certainly changed. The speed at which recent changes in information seeking has changed and continues to evolve is impressive to say the least; add to that the array of information sharing tools that scholars and students now use to collaborate and combine information, and the result is dizzying. Patrons expect librarians to keep up with these changes; libraries and librarians ignore this imperative at their own peril. Fortunately, most academic librarians are making changes, responding to the major shifts in information gathering and sharing that is fueled, primarily, by students entering academia for which technology and all of its encompassing features are part of their daily lives.

Thus, students and scholars in the academic community still need—will always need—access to information, but now they have choices. The librarian is no longer necessarily the “keeper of the keys,” the necessary intermediary between the information gap and the knowledge acquired through scholarly research. This phenomenon began as a trend around the 1980; s when electronic journals became available in academic libraries. Thereafter, use of the Internet became more pronounced in the 1990’s’, and since the year 2000, there has been a veritable explosion of Internet use among information seekers. Furthermore, patrons are increasingly simply bypassing the library and finding what they need through Google.

What do you think?

Can the information on Google always be considered reliable? Do students understand the importance of understanding what types of sources they are retrieving through Google? Will a librarian’s typical duties shift from teaching patrons how to access information to helping them understand the type of source retrieved?

Since the new millennium, the latest trends involving the use of collaborative information continue to challenge librarians to respond to what patrons want , need and expect. Campus libraries are responding in various ways and to varying degrees. Students now desire to be part of a collective consciousness, not only rapidly acquiring new information, but taking that a step further by sharing it and creating something new with peers via an array of available technological tools. These tools, commonly referred to as Web 2.0 technology, include but are not limited to:

Face book, Wikis, Blogs, Google Apps, Twitter, Social Bookmarking, Virtual Worlds, Podcasting, Mind Mapping Software, and Skype

In his on-line PowerPoint presentation, Ray Uzwyshyn of the University of West Florida Libraries, lists a couple of statistics gathered which support the general observation that today’s youth have incorporated social networking tools in their daily lives.

--81% of 15-35 year olds regularly comment on web blogs

--35% also post daily on blogs and social networking sites

Please follow the link below to view additional relevant and interesting facts in Uzwyshyn's PowerPoint presentation:

www.uwf.edu/ruzwyshyn/NextGenAcademicLibraries.ppt

Steven J. Bell, of Temple University highlights examples of ways in which some academic libraries are incorporating various Web 2.0 technology tools. The citation for his article is as follows:

--At Temple University, librarians typically use Blogs for commentaries, thoughts and ideas involving higher education and information industries.

--Georgia State and McMaster University try to encourage participation by offering news feeds to which faculty and students might subscribe.

--Ohio State encourages users to add their own content through Wikis; users may add and/or alter existing content.

--Brooklyn College is trying to connect with library patrons in a virtual atmosphere; the library has a site within the MySpace social network.

Lastly, I have not yet mentioned the actual physical space of academic libraries. In light of all these changes taking place, what is to become of the actual physical space of the academic library? Changes are occurring there as well, and one need only to walk into some academic libraries to notice lots of empty space where novels, reference books, magazines and journals once filled every nook and cranny of the building. Many universities are still mulling over the transformations that can, should, or will eventually take place where space is concerned. Others have boldly confronted these modern times and made complete transformations of the physical space that they call the campus library. One such example that comes to mind is the library at the University of Texas. In his article, Richard Albanese writes of the writes of the radical transformation that has taken place at this academic library:

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/

Such a thorough transformation is neither feasible nor desirable on every college or university campus. Even so, academic libraries cannot just ignore all the changes around them, much less fail to react to these changes, be that reaction the transformation of the physical library itself, or incorporation of technology tools into the mission of the library.

What do you think?

Are academic libraries acting quickly enough, and in such a way as to preserve the vital role that academic libraries serve on university campuses, or are they in danger of extinction?

I recently saw the film, Julie and Julia. Since the idea of meal preparation is still fresh on my mind, I can’t help making a connection between the evolution of Americans’ eating habits and the evolution of our information seeking habits. Once upon a time, meal preparation took time, as well as the meal and digestion itself. There was a sort of “canon” of food preparation to which we could refer, reliable and stable. If we were familiar with, for example, and carefully applied cooking techniques studied in classics like Julia child’s The Fine Aft of French Cooking, we could be sure of the source, and that the knowledge acquired from that source would lead us to some sort of “truth” where food preparation and the experience of eating were concerned. But then came the advent of fast food, complete with an ever-increasing array of packaged foods and gadgets that promised to facilitate our lives. We gained something--time--that is, but lost something along the way. It was up to nutritionists and health experts to guide us back to certain truths, an awareness of what it takes to produce quality results.

Correspondingly, it has been that since the advent of new electronic technologies, the way in which we seek out information has also changed rapidly over the past two decades. We now have in the information world what seems to be an endless supply of information, gadgets, and collaboration tools. What’s more, just as in the world of food, we have become quite fond of many of these time saving devices: Who wouldn’t, for example, prefer to chop vegetables in a fraction of the time that it would take to do so with a knife? Or, who would not prefer retrieving electronic articles at the click of a mouse as opposed to trudging through the motions of setting up a microfilm in a clumsy machine?

Be that as it may, I will conclude with my reason for making this comparison in the first place: Just as nutritionists and health experts have had to re-educate the public about our diets, librarians will have to do the same for information-seekers. Nutrionists have not advocated throwing out all of the gizmos, ready-made meals or even fast food restaurants; neither should librarians deny technology its rightful place in libraries. What librarians should do is educate, (in some cases re-educate), patrons about different types of information. Patrons, and for the purpose of this discussion, students using academic libraries, need to learn about the quality of the sources they are retrieving, when and how it is appropriate to use these different types of sources, and that --sometimes-- getting to the heart of a matter by acquiring knowledge through research takes time, patience, perseverance, and can’t be accomplished in a flash. In my blog, I have listed ways in which academic libraries continue to endeavor to help students understand and accept this notion, all while embracing the modern technology that makes many research-related tasks more expedient.

References

Uzwyshyn, Ray. (2009). Technology and the Next Generation Academic Library: Present and Emergent Digital Possibilities. Retrieved from http:// www.uwf.edu/ruzwyshyn/NextGenAcademicLibraries.ppt

Bell, Steven J. (2007). Building Better Academic Libraries with Web 2.0 Technology Tools. Library Issues. 28(2).

Albanese, Andrew Richard. (2006). The Heart of Texas: With the University of Texas Libraries, Wherever You Go, There They Are. Library Journal. 131(19),p.36.

Pongracz Sennyey, Lyman Ross and Caroline Mills. (2009). Exploring the future of academic libraries:A definitional approach. doi:10.1016/j.acalib.2009.03.003

Wilder, Stanley. (2007). The New Library Professional. Chronical of Higher Education. 53(25).

National Library of Thailand

National Library of Thailand
“The National Library of Thailand was created in 1905 as part of a merge of three pre-existing libraries. Materials were spread all over the country and the King of Thailand felt that a National Library was an important and dignified institution”(National Library of Thailand, 2009).
A variety of materials were collected and relocated in the new National Library of Thailand. The National Library is currently operated by the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts. The National library has six departments: reference services, audio-visual material, Library resource development, ancient languages, library information centre, library specialist group, and administration.

Thailand is a country embedded with tradition, but recently has become a newly industrialized country. This is very apparent as The National Library of Thailand has an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional features. It is common to see computer terminals next to a card index system. Thailand has relied on a rote system of education instead of a student-based methodology. Also education is compulsory until grade 9, but is available until grade12. Over the years, the National Library has played a large role in the development of education. “The education reform is a slow process and as a result an eclectic system is present within the Library”(Silakorn, 2004).

Services
The national language is Thai, but with the increase in tourism over the last 30 years Basic English is spoken among most Thai people. “The majority of books and periodicals are in Thai, but other languages available are English, Chinese, and Korean. The national Library is equipped with OPAC terminals throughout that can be viewed in both English and Thai”(Limskul, 2008). Data search rooms are available with computer terminals and internet access. Games, online chat, and USB devices are not allowed. Although you are able to search for books, thesis, and journals online, the collection is rather limited. Their library catalog page shows 80,000 people have visited the site since January 2008 and their currently monthly viewers are 4,000. The library materials include periodicals, magazines, maps, photographs, ancient history, religion, social science, and science texts. The Library currently does not have any electronic materials available. The majority of materials are in print and related to Thai culture.

Censorship
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with a constitution that was written in 1997. The King is still praised, but no longer runs the government. Although the constitution grants free speech, the country still has a lese majeste law. This law states that if you insult the Royal Family, you can receive a sentence of up to 15 years in prison. This can be enforced on print or electronic material. Over 2,000 websites have been shut down by the government. “Recently an Australian author was released from jail after his book, Verismlitude, insulted the King”(2009). The interesting thing is that the book is currently available in the National Library, under the English Fiction section.





Questions to Consider
The National Library of Thailand’s vision statement is “A landmark for students, researchers, and general users to consult when they need additional knowledge and information.”
Is the National Library of Thailand able following their Vision statement?
Also are they servicing the needs of their patrons and how?

Even though the country has a strong tradition of censorship, do you feel that the National Library of Thailand would welcome the ALA Library Bill of rights and honor them on a daily basis?.


Refernces
AP (2009). Writer Jailed for Alleged Thai Monarchy Insult Retrieved 10/14/2009, 2009, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28729720/
Limskul, O. (2008). Country Report. Paper presented at the 35th Conference of Directors of National Libraries.
National Library of Thailand (2009). Retrieved 10/14/2009, 2009, from http://www.nlt.go.th/en_about.htm
Silakorn, P. (2004, 2005). News from the National Library of Thailand. CDNLAO Newsletter Retrieved 10/14/2009, 2009, from http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/cdnlao/newsletter/050/505.html

National Libraries: The German Library System

Germany has never officially possessed a cohesive National Library until 2006, when the German Government enacted the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Gesetz (the German National Library Law). This executive order formally provided a guide for how a unified library system was to be established and maintained for all things written, spoken, or produced that was uniquely German.

The reason for such late organization of a nationalized German Library system has a lot to do with its own unique history. Germany has long been an association of a common language, but not ideology. At least 300 separate territories and principalities made up the German speaking portions of Europe from the time of the Roman Empire until 1871, when following the victory of the Franco-Prussian War, Wilhelm I was named Kaiser and Otto Von Bismarck his “Iron” Chancellor. This fragmentation of states made it increasingly difficult to over time, establish a stable system for a national library to form. Even after the creation of this so-called 2^nd Reich (the first being the ill-conceived Holy Roman Empire in 798; the 3^rd being the 12 year reign of the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, or Nazi’s from 1933-1945), the formation of a true National Library was rebuked by librarians themselves, fearing that a centralized National Library would diminish the significance of the already established and esteemed University libraries already holding the vast majority of material.

In 1991, after the reunification of East and West Germany, talk began again of the formation of a German National Library. Keeping in mind the problems of the past, a model was needed that would not only collect, archive and preserve the vast printed works that had been produced in Germany over the past thousand years, but also retain a connection with the universities by not depleting them of their treasures. The result came in the form of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sammlung Deutscher Drucke (AG SDD), or translated as the “Working Collection of German Press”, based on Professor Bernhard Fabian of Münster’s book entitled Buch, Bibliothek und geisteswissenschaftliche Forschung (Göttingen 1983). In this preeminent book, Professor Fabian parcels out the responsibility of the cultural holdings of the German language to a consortium of libraries housed in the already established German University system.

The duties were split chronologically between five universities and a sixth newly formed national library which would house a collection of the modern era. According to the AGG SD website, the libraries are divided as such:

1450-1600 Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München: Founded in 1558 by Duke Albrecht Vth as the court library of the Wittelsbach family, the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek was assigned responsibility for the earliest phase of the program, the period of 1450-1600 as well as printed music until 1800. The library collects literature produced in a particularly pivotal phase; the onset of modern times in Europe.

1601-1700 Herzog August Bibliothek: The Herzog August Bibliothek is one of the oldest libraries in the world to have survived to the present day without sustaining any losses to its collections. Founded in 1572, it was the systematic collecting activity of Duke August the Younger (1579 - 1666) which led to the creation of one of the largest European libraries of its time comprising 135,000 valuable printed works and manuscripts. The seventeenth century saw the emergence of German as a European literary language and the vernacular started being used for areas of literature and science hitherto restricted to Latin. In the first half of the seventeenth century Germany began to successfully adapt the models provided by the European Renaissance, in the second half of the century a recognizably German Baroque culture developed.

1701–1800 Niedersächsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen: After its founding in 1734, the State and University Library in Göttingen quickly developed into an important research library of the Enlightenment era. Through targeted funding, well-established international relationships and considerable expertise, it succeeded from the beginning in becoming a model instrument of research. In some respects, the 18th century, the Age of Enlightenment, was the period in which the roots for the development of our modern world were laid. In the period between 1700 and 1800 the belief gained acceptance that the world functions according to rationally perceptible laws and that man as a rational being can be educated to recognize and to shape his own world.

1801-1870 Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg Frankfurt am Main: In the 19th century there was an immense increase in the production of books. Mass production influenced the procedure for paper-making; since then the problem of deterioration of books through acidity has developed.

1871-1912 Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin- Preußischer Kulturbesitz: The Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin is in charge of the years 1871 to 1912 (for maps: 1801-1912; for musical scores: 1801-1945). Owing to the enormous book production of that time, the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin has to shoulder an enormous task - despite an apparently short period of coverage of less than half a century.

1913-present Die Deutsche Bibliothek: Fused from the libraries in Leibnitz, Frankfurt am main, and the Muzikarchiv Berlin, its task is to collect, permanently archive, comprehensively document and record bibliography without gap, all German and German language publications from 1913 on, including printed music after 1800, Germanica and translations of works in the German language published abroad as well as works by German emigrants that were edited between 1933 and 1945 and to make them available to the public.

Consider. According to the AG SDD website, the German National Library system “has shown that the idea of a decentralized, chronologically subdivided collection has worked very well. The coordinated acquisitions policies combine with modern information and communications technology to further the growth of a virtual national library.”

How would the German system work in the United States? Although we have the Library of Congress, it is not actually a National Library of “American” culture. Is there enough cultural hegemony in our country for a collection of all things American, or is this a form of cultural jingoism? The German system includes a music library. Should we incorporate music into a National Library of America and what kind of music? What other cultural media could be included?

References.

Association of College and Resource Libraries (2009). Book Review, College and Research Libraries
March 1997, Vol. 58, No. 2. by Winfried Goedert, Fachhochschule Koeln, Koeln, Germany. Retrieved on October 24^th, 2009 from
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/publications/crljournal/1997/mar/olsonbookreview.cfm

J BÖTTE GERD-. Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin, Germany

A virtual National Library for Germany –the SAMMLUNG DEUTSCHER DRUCKE [Collection of German Printed Works]. Retrieved on October 23^rd, 2009 from

http://ifla.queenslibrary.org/IV/ifla69/papers/140e_trans-Boette.pdf

Bun­des­mi­nis­te­ri­um der Jus­tiz (2009). Gesetz über die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek. Retrieved on October 25^th, 2009 from
http://bundesrecht.juris.de/dnbg/index.html

Deutsche Nationalbibliothek(2009). The German National Library in brief. Retrieved on October 23^rd, 2009 from
http://www.d-nb.de/eng/wir/ueber_dnb/dnb_im_ueberblick.htm

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sammlung Deutscher Drucke (AG SDD) (2009). Retrieved on October 22^nd, 2009 from
http://www.ag-sdd.de/eng/

Digital Archiving in National Libraries

According to Margaret Phillips, “A primary role of national libraries is to document the published output of their respective countries” (2005). This includes collecting books, pamphlets, maps, music, and newspapers. This is a large feat, especially for a large country such as Australia. The move to digital collections affects libraries all over the country, but it poses an important question to national libraries. What should national libraries collect and preserve? Should national libraries attempt to catalog all online content that is published by people of the country? According to Phillips, there are two approaches to collecting and preserving online content in national libraries (2005). The first is the whole domain or comprehensive approach, and the second is the selective approach. Many libraries are taking different approaches within the selective approach for building their archives. For example, the National Libraries of Denmark and Canada selectively archive static Web resources as well as print resources. Phillips defines static Web resources as those "that are like print publications and that do not change or contain interactive or dynamic elements" (2005). Australia's National Library selectively archives static Web resources as well as dynamic resources. Whole domain harvesting is an approach used by National Libraries of Sweden, Finland, and Norway (Phillips, 2005). Whole domain harvesting involves "using harvesting robots and a minimum of human intervention for identifying resources" (Phillips, 2005). The Bibliothèque nationale de France is involved with a project that combines selective archiving and whole domain harvesting (Phillips, 2005). Additionally, a thematic approach to archiving takes an in-depth look at a certain subject, such as September 11, 2001 (Phillips, 2005). National Libraries may also choose to archive material based on collaborative agreements with commercial publishers (Phillips, 2005).

According to Phillips, there are six main advantages to these selective approaches to archiving (2005):

* Each item in the archive is quality assessed and functional
* A gathering schedule can be individually tailored for each selected title, taking into account its publication schedule or the frequency with which the Web site changes
* Each item in the archive can be fully catalogued and therefore can become part of the national bibliography.
* Each item in the archive can be made accessible via the Web to readers immediately because permission to do so can be negotiated with publishers.
* The "significant properties" of individual resources and classes of resources within the archive can be analyzed and determined.
* Sites that are inaccessible to harvesting robots can be identified and archived using other methods

Disadvantages of the selective approach to archiving include the subjectivity of selection, high cost, and loss of contextual meaning (Phillips, 2005).

Whole domain harvesting is a good idea in theory but in reality, it is still far from ideal. Whole domain harvests are run periodically because they demand so much computer space and time, so any material that comes into being in the interim will be missed (Phillips, 2005). Quality control is almost impossible with such a huge wealth of information being gathered. Many commercial Web sites which contain important digital heritage may employ passwords, which will prevent a robot from gathering information from that site (Phillips, 2005).

The National Library of Australia has implemented PANDORA, Australia's Web archive. The need for archiving online publications became apparent, so in 1996, steps were made to begin archiving this information (Phillips, 2005). The criteria for selection was agreed upon, and collection began. After seven years of collection, the selection guidelines were reviewed to see if they were flexible enough or if they needed to be changed (Phillips, 2005). The assessment indicated that there were resources not being collected that contained important information. The assessment also identified gaps in the collection (Phillips, 2005). Once this information was gathered, the selection guidelines changed to focus more on six specific categories, including government publications, publications of educational institutions, e-journals, and conference proceedings (Phillips, 2005). Several resources that had not been included in the past were still excluded from archiving, including datasets, online daily newspapers, news sites, bulletin boards, and blogs (Phillips, 2005).

PANDORA is a good example of selective archiving. The National Library of Australia has realized that it would be impossible to archive every piece of information pertaining to Australia, so they implemented clear guidelines for selection and then evaluated them after several years. This has allowed the National Library of Australia to create a comprehensive yet edited collection for the good of the country.

What do you think is the best approach to digital archiving?
Do you think that PANDORA should archive sources not currently archived (such as online daily newspapers, datasets, and blogs)? Why or why not?


References
Phillips, M E (Summer 2005). What should we preserve? The question for heritage libraries in a digital world. Library Trends. , 54, 1. p.57(15). Retrieved October 21, 2009, from Academic OneFile via Gale:
http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodId=AONE&docId=A140239960&source=gale&userGroupName=lom_waynesu&version=1.0

National Libraries: The National Library of Korea

A national library is defined as “a library designated by a government as such, which usually means that it is the copyright depository and the bibliographic control center of a country.” But to the countries that house them national libraries represent so much more.

The National Library of [South] Korea (NLK) was founded in Seoul in 1945 and is now affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In 1963 the Library Act was enacted and through it the Legal Deposit developed. A portion of the Act indicates "domestic publishers and publishing organizations of other publications shall submit two copies of their publications or periodicals within 30 days of their publishing date to NLK." Materials published before the implementation of the Legal Deposit System are acquired via a donation campaign named Haetsal-gadeukhan-dalakbang (literally meaning "an attic filled with sunshine"). (Lee, 2006) The current Legal Deposit rate is 95% according to the sales catalog of the largest bookstore. (Lee, 2006)

The role of the NLK is “to build a collection of cultural and intellectual heritage of Korea, and preserve the accumulated knowledge and wisdom of the nation for future generations.” (Yoon, Chang, & Kim, 2006) This can be readily seen through the accumulation of Korean publications through the Legal Deposit. The NLK also houses a collection of rare books, many deemed national treasures, published from 1355 A.D. through 1886 A.D.

Additionally the mission extends to collecting, organizing, preserving and disseminating library materials and information. But what does this mean and how is this reflected in National Library of Korea?

In a country that, according to Lee, in 2005 possessed an advancement rate to higher education of 82.1%, Korea is ahead of many advanced countries in educational achievements. (2006) The NLK is seeking to position itself as a knowledge and information center adapted to today’s knowledgeable Korean society.

The National library seeks to lead its country’s library community through bibliographic control thus allowing for better, easier and speedier service to patrons. The NLK activities which encompass bibliographic control include the previously mentioned Legal Deposit, developing and disseminating national standards for national bibliography, managing the union catalog KOLIS-NET (Korean Library Information System-Network) and establishing the national digital library. (Lee, 2006)

According to Forsberg, in 2005 Korea was the most wired country in the world with 76% of households possessing broadband internet (comparatively the United States only ranked 13th). (2005) The National Digital Library digitizes and posts nearly all the materials the NLK receives. Unfortunately to that end the NLK places little to no limits on what can be reproduced electronically, whether these follow a publisher’s guidelines or not. However access to the materials is then limited to onsite and affiliated libraries thus largely defeating the purpose of online access to materials. (Stork, 2008)

The National Korean library is evolving to meet the demands of its educated and highly connected user. Perhaps one item of note about the NLK is that although its collection is made up of 12% foreign materials it is evident that the NLK’s main interest is not in the collection of foreign materials and has a sharper focus on the collection of domestic materials.

The National Library of Korea’s goal to become a cultural and intellectual repository of Korea’s culture has been and continues to be met. The NLK faces the challenges of the information and digital age head on and attempts to, and often succeeds, at being a progressive force for Korea.

Several ways were mentioned in which the NLK is meeting its mission and also adapting to a new era of technical savvy users. How are other national library’s representing their countries needs and attempting to stay relevant?


References


Forsberg, B. (2005). The future in South Korea: Tech firms try out the latest in world's most wired society. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/03/13/BROADBAND.TMP

Lee, J. (April/June 2006). Bibliographic Control in Korea: focused on the National Library of Korea. International Cataloguing and Bibliographic Control, 35(2), 27-32.

Stork, J. W. (July 2008, October 28, 2009). Study Abroad in Seoul: an overview of South Korean libraries. http://www.librarystudentjournal.org/index.php/lsj/article/viewArticle/6/169

Yoon, H.-Y., Chang, D.-H., & Kim, Y.-s. (2006). Libraries in Korea: a general overview. IFLA Journal, 32(2), 93-103.

National Libraries

Iraq National Library and Archive

Imagine that you are the director of a national library, dream job, right? Or how about just working on the staff of that same national library? Now, shift your imagination half way across to the world to Iraq and picture the job of being a national library director or employee, where in light of recent occurrences and following years of intellectual oppression, you will face insurmountable challenges. Most libraries in the United States right now are facing budget shortfalls from Omaha to Pennsylvania, but all that dims in comparison to bombs falling near your library or a majority of your archives either being destroyed by fire or confiscated by a occupying power or even stolen and looted by your own countrymen. Those that are left are in disarray, damaged and dirty. Precious, ancient documents forever gone, reduced to ashes and soot. All of this is a reality for the Iraq National Library and Archives and its director, Saad Eskander.

Iraq’s National Library and Archives have faced challenges for nearly three decades now, even before the tenure of the current director, Saad Eskander who returned from exile in late 2003 to take over as director general of the library. (Gravois, 2008) Beginning in the early 1980s when the Baath regime came to power in the country; that Ba’ath regime was anti-modern, opposed to multiculturalism, multi-ethnicity and opposing political view points. (Eskander, 2004) Directors throughout the time that the Ba’ath party was ruling Iraq were party members. Recently, secret police agents were planted among the staff of the NLA to monitor the reading habits of library users. (Eskander, 2004) The minister of culture nicknamed the library “the cemetery of books.” (Gravois, 2008) This threatening presence led to a decrease in the number of library users. Also during this time period, the library was underfunded and lacked the resources to even meet the basic needs of a public library, let alone a national one; equipment, facilities and furniture were all of poor quality. (Eskander, 2004) In 1987, due to reduced spending in the areas of culture by the Ba’ath regime, the National Archive was merged with the National Library to form the National Library and Archives or NLA. (Eskander, 2004)

According to its director, Saad Eskander in speech recorded in Information Today but given at Internet Librarian International 2004 conference, the NLA is about 30 years behind other national libraries in terms of its collection development with much of its collection coming from its legal deposit department and donations by foreign libraries. The Ba’athist regime demanded and hoarded information but did not share it. (Eskander, 2004) Even still, these collections were of poor quality that did not meet the needs of the libraries readers; modern equipment was also scarce and was limited to some microfilm readers and a few computers. Much of this equipment was acquired through the oil for food program during the time period of international sanctions. (Eskander, 2004) Another challenge faced by the NLA was when the Ministry of Culture removed the air conditioning and ventilation system for much of the NLA building, including areas of book repositories and archival materials. (Eskander, 2004) Anyone who has seen a document stored in an attic of a building understands what damage unstable and extreme temperatures can do to a book or document; also think of the human consequences of having to work in an indoor environment where temperatures can reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer to 28 degrees F in the winter. Also during this time period, the NLA was cut off from the international library community and lost their membership in many international library organizations due to the refusal of the Ba’ath regime to pay membership dues. (Eskander, 2004) The average age of the librarians and archivists were high and pay was extremely low, about $3 a month; corruption was also rampant. (Eskander, 2004)

In 2003, during the U.S. led invasion of Iraq, U.S. military vehicles entered the library and tore down the statue of Saddam outside of the library. Soon after the soldiers departed, a fire broke out in parts of the building, while the fire raged; looters entered the building, grabbing anything of value. Two days later, the same scene occurred again. Following the two fires and the looting, about 60 percent of the archival collections were lost. (Eskander, 2004) Computers, furniture, microfilm readers and other office equipment was also lost in the looting and fires. The library did retain most of its book stacks but even those were in disarray, books, journals and cards from the card catalog were scattered on the floor, a thick layer of soot and dust covered shelves, books and journals. (Eskander, 2004) Finally, during the 2003 invasion, the U.S seized approximately 100 million pages of Iraqi state documents from the time of Saddam’s rule as part of the search for evidence of weapons of mass destruction. Following a digitization project in the U.S., those records remain on United States soil and will remain so for at least another 5 years. (Gravois, 2008)

Rebuilding: picking up the pieces of nearly three decades of an oppressive regime and six years of civil war and foreign occupation and the next phase for the Iraq National Library and Archives. In late 2006, the library was rebuilding but had to close temporarily due to ongoing violence. According to its director, the decision was reached after several staff members were killed and the building had been increasingly under fire. (American Libraries, 2007) The library is also located in the most dangerous area of the city. (Kniffel, 2007) Today, people are beginning to return to the library, on a good day up to 90 people will show up. The director and his staff of 400 are rebuilding the library with a vision to be better than they have been before the 2003 invasion. (Kniffel, 2007) The library has already become a center for intellectual activity and technology with a state of the art computer lab. (Kniffel, 2007) Staff members are young and in a quote to National Public Radio, Eskander stated why this is beneficial to the library, “because I do believe that technology needs young brains, new brains.” (Kniffel, 2007) Staff members are being trained in other countries in cataloging, archiving and transferring documents to microfilm. (Kniffel, 2007) Support is also being lent by other country’s national library’s, such as the British Library, which provided microfilm copies of rare books from the administration of Iraq from 1914 to 1921. (Kniffel, 2007)

Finally, the question remains, who owns the documents seized during the 2003 invasion? In the United States, political party’s documents are not considered public records, yet in other instances of a single party state’s fall, that party’s records are treated as public record. (Gravois, 2008) Are these 100 million pages of Ba’ath party documents from Saddam’s regime too dangerous to go back to Iraq? Is it too physically dangerous due to continuing violence and instability as well as mentally and emotionally due to otherwise concealed information they contain regarding the regime’s secrets and records of what may have happened to dissidents? Is the United States behaving the same way that the regime they came to overthrow did, keeping information from the people that it affects and needs it the most? Is the United States acting in a benevolent manner by keeping the painful secrets of Iraq’s past just that, a secret? Should the international community, especially the library community, intervene by demanding the return of the confiscated documents? What responsibility does the U.S. have to Iraq’s National Library to help it rebuild and become a cultural and technological hub of the nation?

References

Eskander, S. (2004). The Tale of iraq's 'cemetery of books'. Information Today, 21(11)

Gravois, J. (2008). A Tug of war for iraq's memory. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 54(22)

(2007). Iraq national library closes briefly. American Libraries, 38(1)

Kniffel, Leonard. (2007). National library copes as Iraq war presses on. American Libraries, 38(5), Retrieved from http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/hww/jumpstart.jhtml?recid=0bc05f7a67b1790e717d20b1b9029c22e19e42750a09649dd14ea6a0d9c8892fc032d5fba3f6a2ae&fmt=H Kniffel, L. National Library Copes As Iraq War Presses on. American Libraries v. 38 no. 5 (May 2007) p. 17

Types of Libraries: Media Centers

“Studies demonstrate consistently that well-equipped, quality school library media centers that have professional staff involved in instruction contribute to the academic success of their students.” (Rodney, Lance, & Hamilton-Pennell) “MEAP reading performance for Michigan schools with and without librarians indicates that the presence of a qualified school librarian can make a tremendous difference in the reading achievement of a school’s students.” (Rodney, Lance, & Hamilton-Pennell) This information was gathered by the State of Michigan to further educate the school boards and political figureheads on how important our media centers truly are. The statistics show that elementary grade school that have access to a media centers are 35% more proficient in the reading portion of the MEAP test and 8% more proficient on a high school level. (Rodney, Lance, & Hamilton-Pennell) It is apparent how important these services are in aiding children to get a better education and have a better understanding of what their options are in terms of research and literature.

Many media centers are being pushed to the wayside due to budget concerns and financial instabilities, which only takes away a very important part of their curriculum. Teachers sometimes rely on the library as a way to give a more hands on experience in getting information for projects and in most of these cases a media specialist is the one that takes over a part of the teaching role in these circumstances. Many media specialists are able to offer a more in depth tutorial on how to use equipment and other technologies because they pursue up to date training on many of these items, and are more qualified to teach students in these areas than some of the school faculty.

“Specially trained and knowledgeable in the use of information technology, library media specialists have become one of the most important instructional partners, working with teachers and administrators to change what is possible in the classroom.” (Weil) Media centers work hand in hand with their schools to offer items that are needed for advanced reader lists, computer access for reports, and equipment like video cameras and sound equipment so that students can add an audio-visual approach to their studies. Media centers are also vital in supplying reader’s advisory information for students and staff, and developing collections that will be important for the student’s literary growth.

The educational requirements for the media center library are the most different than any other type. Although there are an increasing number of graduate level students that are pursuing this area of librarianship, it has been primarily run by those with an undergraduate level of education or less. Many of the schools simply cannot afford to pay for the services of a librarian with an MLIS in the same terms as a public library or an academic library can. Also this position may find that it is a one-person job depending on the schools budget which can mean a great deal of responsibility in terms of teaching, collection development, processing items for circulation, etc. There are some communities that may have a larger media center staff, but these would have to be more affluent and/or well populated areas.

A great deal of new ideas are revolving around media center libraries as they can be exactly where the new technology and information is being processed at a faster speed due to the age level that they usually work with. Many have suggested having gaming seminars and using education computer software that may have historical references of social networking as ways of communicating with students better. “Most schools require that students leave cell phones, iPods, and video cameras at home because administrators and teachers find that type of electronic equipment disruptive. However, instead of fighting kids in regard to the use of digital devices, we should be encouraging their use in education. We need to find out how we can take advantage of these tools instead of discouraging their use.” (Weil)

As media centers are proving to be the forefront for technology and aiding kids to be better students, it is disappointing to see that many of these wonderful resources are being lost because they are not deemed important enough to keep around. The reason for this could be that media centers are not always held in the same esteem as other types of libraries, but it is important to remember that they are providing information just as efficiently as any other type and they are key influences on K-12 students, their choices and their futures.

Rodney, M. J., Lance, K. C., & Hamilton-Pennell, C. (n.d.). The Impact of Michigan School Librarians on Academic Achievement: Kids Who Have Libraries Succeed. Retrieved 10 12, 2009, from State of Michigan: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/hal_lm_schllibstudy03_76626_7.pdf

Weil, E. (n.d.). Meet Your New School Library Media Specialist. Retrieved 10 10, 2009, from Scholastic: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3748779