Thoughts on Digital Media and Advocating for Libraries

I realize we live in the digital age and with the ebook readers being the hot new item and digital media being so much cheaper to produce, we can expect this trend to continue.  My experience looking at ebooks though, make me glad I lived in an age with libraries filled with books, not just computers.  Recently, I had to look at the Interntational Wildlife Encyclopedia for an evaluation of reference sources.  These books made me want to keep looking at the pictures of other animals and scanning some of the information.  Yes, you can do that on the computer too, but what is more satisfying?  I know I would not have kept looking at more and more entries on the computer, but found myself flipping more and more pages.  I bet if you asked a military member if they would rather speak with their family in person or skyping, you would get a pretty good consensus of which is more preferable.

Advocating for Libraries—Professor Jesseman shared an article--

http://falseeconomy.org.uk/blog/save-oxfordshire-libraries-speech-philip-pullman.  The author espoused his belief that libraries do not need to prove their worth.  I came away from the article with an impression that he had a holier-than-thou attitude that libraries should not have to worry about their budgets, it was the job of the politicians to find enough money to support them fully.  He bemoaned the idea that some libraries would close.  I actually thought, it would be best if they closed all the libraries.  By selectively closing just a few, the others would simply become more heavily used and some of those people who could not access the other libraries would simply be forgotten.  By closing them all, people who realize sooner how valuable the asset really is to their communities.  After all, that is how public schools and libraries first came into existence.  People realized that was the difference for them, keeping them from being able to advance themselves.  They wanted better for their children and were willing to pay for it.  As the song goes, "You don't know what you got 'til it's gone!"

Initial Reflection

My initial reaction to the self-assessment was, “Wow, I really don’t have a clue about all these standards they are talking about.”  I was familiar with the AASL standards, but only because I read them for a different Media Science class last fall.  I was afraid that all the other students knew all about this stuff and I would be so far behind, I could not even contribute to the discussions.

            As far as my own personal literacy rating, I’m very capable and could probably help others if asked.  When I first filled out this questionaire, I marked the second to best selection, but looking at it now, I already feel comfortable replying that I can help other people find their answers and realize I do it quite often.  I can even say, yes, I am information literate according to the standards:  I can usually identify the question I am seeking the answer to, go about finding the answer, and apply the information I have discovered. 

            Looking at the instructional applications, I have some room for improvement.  I incorporate information literacy skills and processes in instruction.  Maybe I am proactively seeking ways to incorporate literacy skills into my lesson plans.  In the back of my mind, I am always trying to get the students to go a step further in the process.  I cannot say I am always successful.  Time seems to be a big factor.  Too often, my students simply take the first answer they find without evaluating it.  They just want any answer, whether it is correct or not.  They just want to finish the assignment. 

            At this point, I am somewhat “turned off” by all these standards.  I feel as if everyone is so focused on the standards, they can’t see the forest for the trees.  The talk is all about, “How does this meet the standards?”  Most of the standards seem pretty straightforward and are simply common sense.  We all talk about not having enough time, but it seems like we waste precious time focusing too much on the language of the various standards.  I find I simply take the lesson we are on and help each student accomplish the task on an individual basis.  Some students rarely have a question and others I practically have to hold their hand through the entire assignment.  Maybe I am just too new to this whole thing.