Preference for a Reference: Theme #1

This journey in learning that I am on had me very anxious and overwhelmed at the start.  It has been 17 years since I was last a student so it was a little nerve-wracking wondering how a course would fit into my life.  However, I was also super excited and clamouring to get started, as I want and need to gain these valuable skills to fully utilize my role as a TL.  My expectations were simple with hopes of learning more about the extent of my role.

            Reflecting back to where my thinking was on references, I know I have been challenged on my personal bias of preferring print over digital during this course.  I am a print person.  Give me a print book over a kobo any day!  Thus my preference for a reference for me is a print book, too.  However, with it being a digital era the convenience, currency, cost, student preference, and ability of many users accessing information (whatever, wherever, whenever) at one time I admit my preference for reference materials for my students is becoming electronic.  There is a reason Encyclopedia Britannica closed its chapter on making print books back in 2012.  Even they have a preference for e-learning stating their product in that e-form has better quality:

 

Of course there will always be the person who prefers a map in hand than on a screen so there is no losing battle in the fight over the preference of print and electronic references.  A proper balance, which is not 50/50 necessarily, is required to ensure learners have access to a variety of media formats to meet their learning needs.

Many take-aways....

On p.6 of Achieving Information Literacy I found what has been my goal as a teacher (lifelong learning) always but now will be my guide as a TL, “school libraries are places where students learn information literacy and develop lifelong learning skills and habits.”  To target the needs of my students and staff, I need to support learners and staff with information seeking skills.  Riedling presents an overview of three research models.  It is important to consult with my staff to pick a model that all like.  Thus they are more likely to use it, we will have common language and overall a research process that will be more effective.  This will need to match with the new curriculum!  What a great opportunity to have teachers join me in inquiry based learning where collaboratively we can create information literacy goals! 

Riedling on p.26 states that a reference collection that is unplanned, disorganized, or not weeded appropriately may prove ineffective and unresponsive to the information needs of students.  Thus, 2004 encyclopedias sitting on my shelf are not relevant or useful and in no way are they supporting users of my library reference area.  Students and teachers will learn with what is around them so make it quality and WEED. 

I am very excited to change my library into a learning commons!

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Sources:

Asselin, M., Branch, J., & Oberg, D. (2003). Achieving information literacy. Ottawa: Canadian School Library Association.

Riedling, A., Shake, L., & Houston, C. (2013). Reference skills for the school librarian. Santa Barbara, California: Linworth, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC.

YouTube,. (2016). The Encyclopedia Britannica Stops Printing In Book Form, Goes Completely Digital. Retrieved 31 January 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul2wMJgZSkk

(2016). Retrieved 31 January 2016, from http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/documents/2014/SL2LLC_ReviewingCopy.pdf

Image by http://www.teacherlibrarian.com/