ETL 503 - Module one thoughts

Here I am at the beginning of another semester of uni work, starting a new subject.  I have decided (with the encouragement of my friend Nel), to just buckle down and do Resourcing the Curriculum.  It hasn't gone away, and it isn't going to, so I just have to do it and get it done.  So here I am. 

Module one has been less scary than I anticipated, and it is entirely possible that I over reacted by pulling out of this subject last year.  Twice. 

Here are my thoughts on module one:

MODULE ONE

Questions are being asked about whether we will still be resourcing with print media in the future.  If it is possible that technology will replace picture books.  Personally, I don’t think so, and at this stage I hope not.  There is something wonderful about sharing picture books with children, and while I have used storyline online for crunch and sip break, it is to complement my other methods rather than replace them.

I think the hope is that ebooks will be cheaper and take less space.  That seems to be the big draw for leadership, more bang for your buck.  Less impact on the environment too as we don’t need the paper.  Available all the time.  Books are automatically returned - so no fines, but also no lost stock.  Portable and light weight.

The Shatzkin Files

What to watch for in 2013.

Overall migration of sales from print to digital will continue to slow down.

Heavy readers were early adopters of devices, the people who didn’t switch are those who are resistant to the idea and unlikely to swap anyway.

 “Other than immersive” books will continue to lag in digital transition

This means books like reference books, or books with content that isn’t just text.  It costs more to create ebooks in these kinds of formats, and the possibility is that unlike plain text, the content will be diminished.

 Mergers and consolidation among publishers are likely to become more common after a long period when they haven’t been.

Penguin and Random house will merge.  There will probably be others

 Platforms for children’s books will become increasingly powerful gatekeepers.

Because Amazon sells the kindle, they own the customers and can set the prices.

 Marketing for publishers will be a constant exercise in learning and reinvention, and increasingly difficult to separate from editorial.



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The focus of the subject is the library’s role in resourcing the curriculum.

The library is key to equipping students to find the information they need and know how to use it.



Johnson - Libraries for a post literate society


Post literate society - those who can read but choose to meet their primary info  and recreational needs through audio, video, graphics and gaming.  Print is limited to bried personal messages, and highly pragmatic bytes of info.  Often supplemented by graphics.

mangas of presidential campaign informed the electorate in the US.
Introduction to Google Chrome was in the form of a comic.

Considerations for PL library:

 need to look at non print materials
graphic novels, audio books
gaming for instruction and recreation
high value online resources
resources for creation of audio and visual materials including space
personal communication  devices and wifi
teach critical evaluation of non print materials
teach skills necessary to produce effective communication in all formats
accept and promote non print resources as sources for research

Plato - “The fact is that this invention will produce forgetfulness in the souls of those who have learned it.  They will not need to exercise their memories, being able to rely on what is written, calling things to mind no longer from within themselves by their own unaided powers, but under the stimulus of external marks that are alien to themselves”  He was talking about writing.

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The collection cannot afford to be an eclectic gathering of interesting resources that may be useful.  It had to be developed specifically for the school curriculum.

Pru Mitchell - Resourcing 21st century online Australian Curriculum:  the role of school libraries

The Australian curriculum has been published online rather than printed and distributed.  Some have taken this to mean it should be solely resourced with online/digital content, which is not the intention.

The Australian curriculum requires curriculum resources that are fit for purpose, the purpose is to support all young Australians to become successful learners, confident, creative individuals and active and informed citizens.

Know your learning community.  Need a locally available and relevant collection.

Facilitate access to all curriculum resources.

Make the most of existing resources
Provoke engagement and conversation.

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Collection Management and Collection Development

Used interchangeably to mean activities relating to:

identification (potential and available resources)
selection (what will we pick)
acquisition
evaluation (of existing collection)
deselection (weeding)

It is a continuing and systematic process, involving collaboration between the teacher librarian and the school community.  The starting point is analysis of needs.

Collection policy must be devised to clearly identify the needs of the school community and ho the collection management process will create and maintain a collection which will meet those needs.

Collaboration with school community is essential.

Johnson - Print and Electronic Library resources

Bottom line in this article is that it is a combination of print and digital media that creates meaningful learning experiences, it doesn’t have to be a choice between one or the other.

It isn’t necessary to replace print with “e” anything, they can coexist, just as radio and television and motion pictures do.  Still photographs exist alongside video.  Each have something different to offer.

Again, the push is probably about saving money again.

Loertscher - Digital and Elastic Collections in School Libraries:  A Challenge for school library media centres

This is the article that talks about how to stock for example the latest Harry Potter in digital format, starting with 500 copies in the first month, dropping to 30, then eventually just keeping one in the collection.  What a fantastic idea.  No-one would need to wait for a book again.