The Restructured Library Media Center

The Future Longview Library - Ellen Allen
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The tools of education have been varied over the years.  Tools of different kinds are in every classroom for creativity, process learning, and as a support for instruction. Teachers will use everything and anything to make it possible to convey meaning, thought and action.

Educational technology is the major tool to innovate the current classroom situation.  How it is used by teachers, internalized by the students and understood by the public will determine the resulting effectiveness. 

Library Media Specialists are key players in the advancement of information literacy within the school.  By strategic planning, the administration of a library can promote curriculum development, literacy goals, staff development, team-teaching support and community involvement.

The Future LMC

Technology integration in our school includes classroom computers as well as a lab of 30 IBM-compatible networked computers  with Internet access. This lab is next to the Library Media Center.  The Library Media Center has four terminals that are also networked for the Internet, software, and our Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC).  

What might our center look like in three years?  The possibilities are interesting when you consider the following:   

  1. Intranet access to databases located in the Library Media Collection for classroom research access from multiple CD-changers.
  2.  Internet eBooks (electronic books) for group reading centers, textbooks, or research. 
  3.  Individual remote teacher and student computers in the form of PDA (personal data assistants).
  4. Intranet and Internet OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog)  for classroom and home use to reserve library materials and do research..
  5. Personal Data Assistants with remote Internet for  parents and students to keep track of assignments, and email contact with teachers all on a wireless network.

I see the above five points being used by students in the following ways.  The teacher makes an assignment for research on Arizona. They preview an AZ Highways movie on CD scheduled for viewing on the video delivery system from the library. On their PDA they record due dates and expectations for the assignment and email the experts that were found by the teacher on the Internet for additional information. In their classroom, they immediately access the library catalog to see what is available, reserving the items to be picked up. 

Later in the day obtain a pass to pick up their materials, discuss ideas with the librarian and return to their classroom. By this time the classroom topic is math. The class goes to the lab to begin a lesson using an Excel spreadsheet. They incorporate information about AZ temperatures, voting patterns, animal populations, transportation, air quality and other topics chosen by groups to be included in their AZ projects. They do not have time to complete the spreadsheet, so these are downloaded to their personal handheld computer to complete for homework. They return to their rooms, fill out their homework logs on their PDA. 

When they arrive home, they take out their PDA  to begin homework. They read about AZ history in their  PDA eBook textbook. Students gather in their online groups to discuss a problem with their spreadsheet information and parents ask to see their assigned schedule for the evening. 

The cost is reducing and the possibilities rising for every student to be technologically literate and  meet district, state and national standards. $200 per student for all the above advances is available now if the vision is present to reach this scenario. A less then the original $2000 anticipated for each computer system. Information literacy is moving our nation in a very fast pace and the schools need to keep up by preparing to reach predetermined technology goals.

Some of these possibilities are already beginning to appear and are being planned for by technology committees  in the schools of our nation.   In N.C. a K-12 school will open this Fall requiring the use of Palm handheld computers. They decided to reach past the laptop phase and just go to the next step now.  See eSchool News in the online archives,  June 28, 2001, for more information.  Software is available now to download for free at HiCE's page for educational PDA software, if you can't afford the commercial type. 

This is my vision for the next three years.  I will attempt to be an influence in restructuring my library media center. These changes will effect uses of  technology in the classroom and in the homes of the students in this district. Below are Project Ideas for activities planned to achieve this goal.

  Goal/Project Technology Curriculum Instruction
Personal Grant Writing Technology
Collaboration		 Training/Staff 
Development
Student Introduce
New Tools		 Technology
Integration		 Tech Skills

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This web site created by Ellen Allen, Longview Librarian. ©2001 You may link to this page, but all other use is by permission only. Most recent updates
 July 14, 2001.