Book Review: Technology and the School Library by Odin L. Jurkowski

This book is a great resource for any librarian new to the field or any veteran looking for a good reference book. It is written so it can easily be read from start to finish or provide guidance as needed. The book is split up into 5 parts or sections, each dealing with a different aspect of the job.

The first section focuses on Information Tools. The chapters in this section layout the basic principles of what you need as far as hardware and software when buying computers. The third section gives a great overview of Networks and how they work. While many of us do not do the purchasing of computers, or the running of the network, it is important to understand each component so that you can make suggestions for your library.

The second section in the book focuses on Information Resources. This was my favorite section. The chapter on the Internet is unbeatable. It discusses using the internet as an informational tool, and gives great resources for website evaluation to use with students.

The third section deals with going from the library to the classroom, focusing on equipment being loaned to classrooms, and support that may need to be given when using that equipment.

The fourth section deals with the Administration aspect of the librarian. Automation systems, student computers, security systems, and technology plans are outlined in this section. The chapter on technology plans provides a great outline for writing and maintaining your school library's technology plan.

The last section deals with using technology when teaching. The chapter on PD is a great resource when planning a presentation for staff. The next chapter discusses handouts for students and staff to promote the libraru and its uses. The last chapter is on Web 2.0, while it is touched on throughout the book, I wish this section of the book was longer. There are so many ways to use Web 2.0, I wish this chapter took a more in depth look at that.

Overall this book is a great resource for any librarian to have. Store it on your shelf for future reference, or read the entire book cover to cover. It provides great information that all librarians, new or not, need to know.

Cell Phones in Schools

For me this quote from the article "I don't need your network (or your comuter, or your tech plan, or your...) posted on the weblogg-ed blog, pretty much sums it up for me, "So I am asking. When do we stop trying to fight the inevitable and start thinking about trying to embrace it."

As a Teacher Librarian my number one complaint is that our building does not have enough computer/internet access for the number of students we have. This could easily be remedied by allowing students to use their phones as a tool in the classroom. Most of them do this anyway, when the teacher has their back turned. Don't you think if we stopped forcing them to hide their phones away and use them out in the open we would gain more control over how they are used at school?

No question there are challenges to this way of thinking, like what about the students who don't have cell phones, or all the kids will do is play games on their phones. While these ideas have merit they also have solutions. Solutions that we as educators should be working on, instead of focusing on how we can continue to keep cell phones out of the classroom. We need to embrace the fact that cell phones are here to stay, and use this to the advantage of our student's education.

So instead of fighting this notion of cell phones in the classroom we need to embrace it. If we would work half as hard on developing ways the cell phone could be used in the classroom, as we do banishing it from our rooms, we could have a pretty mighty tool at our fingertips.