Wanderings…

Chris Potter and I are having a discussion about a list of library information tech skills I am working on. See the comments section on my post plus Chris’ latest post.

We are both web 2.0 fans, but we are disagreeing on the value of library websites in a web 2.0 world. It surprises me that someone who is a book reader himself, doesn’t see the same value in library web sites that I do. But then, I wonder how anyone can exist without a library – physical and virtual. Libraries are like air and water to me.

I understand the points Chris makes. But ultimately I disagree. If you are suffering from insomnia, keep reading. The sheer length of my response will send you off to dreamland in no time. Consider yourself warned.

I am not saying that libraries and library websites are the ONLY way to find information. I am not even saying that they are the best way to find information in all circumstances. Just for SOME things – mainly books and databases, and finding a real live person to help.

Yes – database information might (someday) be available from Google – but not anytime soon. For the most part information from books and periodicals is not available on the free web. Yes – many magazines will give you a few complete articles on their websites – but often you find only a few paragraphs – followed by a button to pay $ to get the rest of the article. Libraries pay for the databases, so the public can get the articles for free. Can you get good info just surfing the net? Of course you can. But the library is a good source of a whole category of information that is just not available there yet.

Visionary libraries are creating websites that will become destinations in the same way the physical library is a destination. For instance, for book lovers, I see a library as a physical place to go where you can join a book discussion group and then continue the discussion online with the library website. Can you discuss books online without a library website? Of course you can. But then, is MySpace the only social networking site? Is Google the only search engine? It’s all about choice. For those who like books – the library is one of the best choices.

Chris questions the need to teach kids online citation programs such as EasyBib…. EasyBib is just one of many tools. If you work for Kodak, or the University of Rochester etc. and need to attribute information (and you better believe that you need to), you have a couple of choices. You can use the citation 1.0 method – laboriously type the information into MLA or APA format, using a handbook to guide you. OR- you can remember that your friendly school librarian taught you EasyBib (or one of the many other bib makers on the web). From there you simply type in the info, and let the program put in all the punctuation, alphabetize your list, & save it as a word document, all in one easy step. Your choice. Our English dept. has always taught MLA – but has been careful to let kids know there are other formats out there. Now we teach them EasyBib and let them know there are other programs out there.

Chris mentioned our lovable content filter (BESS). BESS is just something that will block kids when they are in school. College websites and public library websites (for the most part) don’t have to deal with that. If it were up to me – BESS would not exist (at least in the high school). BESS certainly is not going to stop me from teaching kids the benefits of using a library website.

Library pages are centered around books and databases. They even point folks to Google and other search engines. If you don’t want books and databases, and Google is all you need or want – fine. You don’t need libraries. But if you do love/need books and/or need academic journals – library web sites are the best place to find them for free. I go to my public library website 3 or 4 times a month to put books on hold. I am not a fan of audio books – but if I were, I can go to the public library site and download free audio books. I don’t have to buy them from Borders or a garage sale, or even iTunes. If I want to read an ebook – I don’t have to go to Amazon and pay them for it. I can go right to the public library site and download an ebook for free. Libraries have been the source of free books for years. In spite of the popularity of the web – people still like to read – young and old. Books cost money. Libraries provide them for free. And they provide them via library web sites.

Without a doubt – virtually all non-fiction will be web-based one day, but not all of it will be free – at least not for quite some time. That’s where libraries come in. Right now, if you go to Google Book Search and you find a book you want – you are presented with choices. If the book you want is in the public domain, you can read it on Google (can’t print it though). If it is still under copyright, you get a choice too. For instance, I just looked up “The World Is Flat” on Google Book Search and here is what I saw:

So – I can either spend my hard-earned money on the book (new or used – it still costs money) . OR – I can click the “find this book in a library” button and World Cat (the mother of all library websites) will tell me which libraries own it in proximity to my zip code. I can then click on the nearest library’s website & place a hold on the book. Yes – I have to go to the library and pick it up. But guess what? There are still plenty of folks who enjoy going to a library. I know – crazy talk.

Chris mentions finding a lot of information on Wikipedia and the Massachusetts Historical Society. Those sites certainly MIGHT be just the right amount to satisfy my information need. But then again, they might not if I am obsessed with the role of women in the revolutionary war and want to write a book about it – or just can never get enough of the topic. I would really want to go to a library website to find out what books my local library has to offer, order some books from surrounding public and academic libraries, and print out some scholarly articles from the databases on the website. Not to mention go to the Library of Congress website to search their American Memory site for primary documents, etc. The MA Historical Society puts a lot of information on their site and provides access to other sites of interest. So do libraries. I suspect one goal of the MA Historical Society or Smithsonian etc. is to promote their websites as a portal to information. They are not saying they are the only way – they are just a very good way. Google is great. Libraries are STILL better for books.

When movies came out – it was going to be the death of books. When TV came out, it was going to be the death of books, when VCR’s and DVD’s came out, it was going to be the death of books. It has never happened. I’ve been following the chatter about the Kindle. The books lovers of the world like it OK – but only as a convenient hand-held way of making printed material portable, and mostly for non-fiction. The vast majority say that they prefer a print book for recreational reading.

Chris mentions finding books he wants at second hand books stores. Used book stores are great. $5 is a terrific price for a book. But – do book lovers have room for every book they want to read? Do the landfills have enough room for every book read once and then tossed out? Do book nuts have the money (even at bargain prices) for every book they want to read? Not a millionaire? The library is the place to go.

I would be doing a disservice to the kids if I did not promote library web pages. I would certainly do a disservice to them if I did not teach them how to use databases. Yes – I also need to teach them effective search strategies and evaluation skills for the free web. That’s on the list too – although the list is not done yet. The biggest complaint I read from college profs about the research skills they see are “They are satisfied with the first 3 results from Google”; “they believe everything they read on the web”; “they don’t know how to locate scholarly, peer-reviewed journals”; “they don’t know how to construct a good web search”. We need to concentrate on all those skills – for the college bound AND for the lifelong learners and lifelong readers.

Eventually, everyone (well – almost everyone) finishes with school and rarely, if ever, walks into a classroom again. They will no longer need school or college websites. Hopefully teachers, professors & librarians will have made SOME impact over the years. Hopefully our former students will have enough knowledge and curiosity to be able to come up with effective key word searches for Google AND databases. The skills are very similar.

Hopefully they will enter a library again during their lifetime, and maybe even use a library website. If they don’t – oh well. It won’t be because they were never taught.

And hopefully the next time they want to read the latest hot best seller – they will know that they don’t HAVE to pay for it from Amazon. They have a choice.

I am working on converting my library web site to a new host. Seems like the story of my life lately.

Anyway – the pathfinders definitely should be updated. Today I searched for a few reliable and OBJECTIVE sources about the two-party system for one of our Government projects.

If you have time – just take a look at what comes up on Google and other search engines. Lots of opinions, not much objective history of the system. I had to resort to putting an article about wikipedia on the page. Not that there is anything wrong with that….. But yes – there is. I am not an opponent of Wikipedia – but surely there must be other good sites out there that will give “just the facts, ma’am”. The popularity index however is pushing the controversial material to the top. I am sure if I keep digging, I will find something else. How many teenagers will dig any further than the first page? The first 3 results?

Naturally – before the wikipedia article I have included links to my databases. But the kids have to type in a password … and it doesn’t look like Google… and why do they need reliable and objective information anyway….?

How about books? BOOKS? Are you crazy? Search a catalog… get up and locate a book on a shelf… read something longer than the length of a screen? That’s just too hard. Sigh…..

Our district is writing a k-12 technology curriculum. I have been included on the curriculum writing team. Yea!

Alas! I did not have enough time to gather all the resources and get my head around the task before our 2 day summer meeting.

It seems like a very overwhelming task, but…you just have to start eating that elephant one bite at a time. So….Each technology coordinator for each building made a list of skills that students should have by the end of each grade level through 8th grade. For high school, the coordinator made a list of what tech skills should be mastered by the end of 12th grade.

As the high school librarian, I made a list of the INFORMATION technology skills that students should have by the end of 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th.

I am sure that I have forgotten a lot that should be on the list. I would be most appreciative if you would have a look and let me know what glaring things I left out.

Ninth Grade

Students will:

1. Recognize that the high school library website is a portal to quality information in all formats.
2. Recognize that public library websites are useful sources for lifelong information needs.
3. Search the High School Library Online Catalog (OPAC) to locate books using multiple keywords.
4. Search local library system OPAC to borrow books as needed,
5. Use Boolean operators to create more effective OPAC searches.
6. Use multiple search engines.
7. Use web evaluation skills to choose appropriate Internet sources.
8. Use basic search features of online research databases (Gale PowerSearch, EBSCO, etc.) to locate full-text, printable information in periodicals & reference books not available via search engines.
9. Use subject specific databases when appropriate (English Databases).
10. Use basic Boolean search operators (and, or, not, truncation) when using search engines and research databases.
11. Understand basic copyright issues.
12. Understand basic plagiarism issues; the consequences of deliberate plagiarism; and avoid inadvertant plagiarism by using anti-plagiarism software.
13. Practice ethical information management by citing sources accurately and contact content creators for permission to use media such as pictures and videos.
14. Use works cited software (EasyBib) to create accurate works cited lists.
15. Use technologies to organize research information (word processed or PowerPoint notes; using folders to organize project files, online book marking sites*, rss feeds*, blogs*, wikis*, etc.).
16. Use technologies to present research information (video, podcasts, PowerPoint, webpages etc.).
17. Recognize that libraries provide access to technology, and librarians are a lifelong source of assistance for using information technology resources.

Tenth Grade

Students will:

1. Demonstrate all skills learned in 9^th grade.
2. Use high school library web page regularly to access information in all formats.
3. Use advanced OPAC features such as “bookbags” and sort features to create lists of library resources.
4. Use advanced search features when searching for information with search engines.
5. Use advanced web evaluation skills to choose appropriate Internet sources.
6. Use advanced search features of online research databases (Gale PowerSearch, EBSCO, etc.) to locate full-text, printable information in periodicals & reference books not available via search engines.
7. Use subject specific databases when appropriate (for example: Health databases).
8. Use complex Boolean search skills when using search engines and databases.
9. Demonstrate adherence to copyright laws.
10. Avoid plagiarism in research assignments; use anti-plagiarism software regularly when possible; & consistently practice ethical information management by creating works cited lists using EasyBib or other citation makers.
11. Use the library regularly to access technology and seek assistance of the librarian as needed when using information technology resources.

Eleventh Grade

Students will:

1. Demonstrate all skills learned in 9^th and 10^th grade.
2. Recognize that college library websites are an essential portal to college level research. (AP/Gemini courses).
3. Use online WebQuests designed by teachers.
4. Use advanced web evaluation skills to choose Internet sources with more advanced, complex information.
5. Recognize and use highly respected sources of Internet information (such as PBS, National Geographic etc).
6. Use advanced search features of online research databases (Gale PowerSearch, EBSCO, etc.) to locate full-text, printable information in peer-reviewed, academic level periodicals & reference books not available via search engines.
7. Use subject specific databases when appropriate (Social Studies databases).
8. Use the library regularly to access technology and seek assistance of the librarian consistently when encountering difficulty locating the information for research reports or personal interest.

Twelfth Grade

Students will:

1. Demonstrate all skills learned in 9^th , 10^th and 11^th grade.
2. Recognize that college library websites are an essential portal to college level research. (All 12^th graders).
3. Demonstrate advanced web evaluation skills in order to locate Internet sources with more advanced, complex information. Be able to defend the quality of sources chosen.
4. Recognize and consistently use highly respected sources of Internet information. (For example, Johns Hopkins Medical Center; The Pew Institute etc.).
5. Use advanced search features of online research databases (Gale PowerSearch, EBSCO, etc.) to locate full-text, printable information in peer-reviewed, academic level periodicals. Be able to articulate the difference between the popular press and scholarly journals.
6. Use advanced search features of online research databases (Gale PowerSearch, EBSCO, etc.) to locate information in online reference books of a more advanced level. Include more of these types of resources into high level research projects.
7. Use subject specific databases when appropriate (Economics & Government databases).
8. Demonstrate understanding of complex copyright issues.
9. Demonstrate understanding of complex plagiarism issues and how to avoid problems in college and the work world.
10. Use the library regularly to access technology and consult the librarian consistently when starting research or encountering difficulty locating needed information for research reports or personal interest.

I feel like the teenager left out of the party right now. Everyone is at NECC – and I wish I were too. Oh well. Maybe someday I too will go to the ball

Meanwhile – I am out here thinking on my own. And as usual, I need help.

All good readers have developed reading techniques to help us through difficult text. Scanning for headings and subheadings, interpreting context when encountering unfamiliar words, etc. What about online? There are lots of articles about evaluating resources on the web. I am looking for a list of tools that will help students make quick but informed decisions while navigating websites. Are there techniques that can be used?

We ‘traditional” readers are used to reading in a linear fashion. How does this work in a hyperlinked environment?

I am not sure what I am looking for here. Certainly, I would like to find some good research articles/ studies on how people approach a website. From these studies, articles, blog posts etc., I would like to develop a list of techniques that I can emphasize when teaching our students.

Some techniques I am thinking about:

• Scan the whole page before clicking anything.
• Locate the navigation helps on the top and the sides of the page.
• Locate the “about me/about us” link. If it is not there – go on to the next site.
• Look at the address so when you click a link that takes you away from the site – you are aware that you are “not in Kansas anymore”.
• Know how to click those ruby slippers and get back home quickly.
• Other ideas?

Please help me out here folks. I need to make a vague idea concrete.

An interesting article appeared in the New York Times a few days ago. Lost in E-Mail, Tech Firms Face Self-Made Beast By MATT RICHTEL Published: June 14, 2008.

It is another article pointing to the fact that literacy in a 24/7 connected world is different than the linear literacy we learned in school. Would love to read articles on techniques to teach students how to better understand the information and keep focused on their topic as they jump from hyperlink to hyperlink.

Here is my own personal solution – though I am not very good at forcing myself to do it.

My office does not have a computer. So – when I am feeling overwhelmed, I hide in there. I bring in work that can be done without a computer, along with print-outs of online lesson plans or whatever I am currently focused on. I’ve hung a sign on my door that says: “Do not disturb unless you are on fire.”

Now – if I could just force myself to get away from email, et al long enough……