I'm on my fifth year of college (not all of it has been full time, I've transferred schools, taken semesters off, etc) yet I've never checked out a book from any of the three libraries I've had access to. This isn't a result of lack of availability; my school has a 7 story library. It's not a result of laziness, either. I have a good GPA, and work hard.
The fact is, library books just aren't needed. Loving books for the nostalgia factor, tactile feel, and all that kind of stuff is fine for personal use, but that shouldn't factor into the decision making process of a school. A library is supposed to be about learning and education, and every one I've been in has been used as little more than a place to sit and type on a laptop. Or take a nap. Or get a coffee. As I mentioned earlier, my school has a seven story library. It's enormous, and yet I always have a hard time finding a place to sit. Why? Because it's jam packed full of books no one ever needs.
Given the above, I definitely think it's a good idea to re-task the space used by all those books to something better suited to educate. The problem is. . .I'm not really sure what IS better suited. The solutions this school proposed in that article don't sound particularly helpful. 3 tvs for "projection of internet content" and 18 e-readers? Uh, whoo. Books aren't great, but they're more useful than that.
I definitely think school libraries could do better than to fill themselves with expensive books, but I'm not really sure what they should do with themselves.
The fact is, library books just aren't needed. Loving books for the nostalgia factor, tactile feel, and all that kind of stuff is fine for personal use, but that shouldn't factor into the decision making process of a school. A library is supposed to be about learning and education, and every one I've been in has been used as little more than a place to sit and type on a laptop. Or take a nap. Or get a coffee. As I mentioned earlier, my school has a seven story library. It's enormous, and yet I always have a hard time finding a place to sit. Why? Because it's jam packed full of books no one ever needs.
Given the above, I definitely think it's a good idea to re-task the space used by all those books to something better suited to educate. The problem is. . .I'm not really sure what IS better suited. The solutions this school proposed in that article don't sound particularly helpful. 3 tvs for "projection of internet content" and 18 e-readers? Uh, whoo. Books aren't great, but they're more useful than that.
I definitely think school libraries could do better than to fill themselves with expensive books, but I'm not really sure what they should do with themselves.
Prep School deems books an "outdated technology"
11/09/2009 04:00:08 PM
- 1367 Views
I find this awesome.
11/09/2009 04:27:54 PM
- 776 Views
I think this may mark the first time you and I have completely agreed on a subject. *NM*
11/09/2009 05:54:49 PM
- 390 Views
I think they should have done both.
11/09/2009 04:36:53 PM
- 1115 Views
I thought about making a post, but it would be a poor version of this one. I agree completely. *NM*
11/09/2009 07:21:29 PM
- 391 Views
I'd be shocked, except that I'm not sure why a HS needs a library in the first place.
11/09/2009 06:01:44 PM
- 813 Views
Most high schools have libraries.
11/09/2009 07:13:37 PM
- 945 Views
I'm not surprised, I've seen enough American movies and TV shows to realize that.
11/09/2009 07:23:15 PM
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Re: I'm not surprised, I've seen enough American movies and TV shows to realize that.
12/09/2009 02:36:33 AM
- 890 Views
I think this is probably a good decision.
11/09/2009 06:14:28 PM
- 984 Views
For colleges it's a very different story, imho.
11/09/2009 06:24:47 PM
- 1012 Views
Re: For colleges it's a very different story, imho.
11/09/2009 06:41:20 PM
- 881 Views
You're betraying your lack of humanities (ha!) here.
11/09/2009 07:25:12 PM
- 923 Views
Yes. No one writing directly from wikipedia should BE in college.
11/09/2009 07:30:47 PM
- 835 Views
Re: You're betraying your lack of humanities (ha!) here.
12/09/2009 02:48:34 AM
- 757 Views
*gives you a scanner and a keyboard* Have fun.
12/09/2009 04:57:58 AM
- 828 Views
Re: cool, thanks for the free scanner, but...
12/09/2009 11:01:22 PM
- 959 Views
They still have physical classrooms, and they're whining about "outdated technology"? Pfft. *NM*
11/09/2009 06:32:25 PM
- 426 Views
Appalling.
11/09/2009 07:16:13 PM
- 916 Views
Yeah, you can actually. Have you tried curling up with an eBook reader?
11/09/2009 09:05:16 PM
- 858 Views
Just because you're unnaturally attuned to "new" things doesn't mean everyone is.
13/09/2009 12:59:19 AM
- 768 Views
Re: Prep School deems books an "outdated technology"
12/09/2009 01:00:48 PM
- 960 Views
I agree, but students going to a prep school probably don't have financial problems. *NM*
12/09/2009 11:31:53 PM
- 397 Views
Some Prep School, and some students, hence "Some Prep School. "
12/09/2009 02:04:38 PM
- 878 Views
bah, who needs to learn how to write a bibliography
12/09/2009 03:47:32 PM
- 679 Views
You're telling the wrong person; he has a form he wants them to observe.
12/09/2009 05:20:34 PM
- 855 Views