Listen to This: Podcasting

After searching a little bit for a school library related podcast, I decided to listen to this podcast from NPR, entitled Digital School Library Leaves Book Stacks Behind, about a school in Massachusetts that decided to get rid of all printed books. They have turned everything over to digital references. The school library now houses a cafe, easy chairs, and a few flat-screen TVs. Although the library has become a hub of activity for many students, there are some who feel that without books, this new library doesn't really feel like a library anymore.

I thought this podcast was very intriguing, and it brings up a potentially controversial subject for librarians, parents, students, and administrators. For instance, this school seems to have a large bucket of resources to draw from since each one of the 450 students that attends the school is provided with a school laptop. Also mentioned in this podcast is the fact that most schools don't have the budget or funds to afford such a drastic move to all digital. At any rate, the administration is tossing out its 20,000-volume collection of print materials for a database containing millions of online resources.

Another point of controversy is the concept of an either/or library. The headmaster of the school feels that it doesn't matter what type of resource (book or digital) is used by a student, as long as they are learning. However, students at this school no longer have the choice of using print materials and/or digital sources for research. They are now only provided with one option to choose from, and there are some who are not happy about the changes. Some students who were quoted in the podcast said that the library feels more like a study hall than a library. It's not the same quiet place where one could indulge in a good book.

I find it very interesting that the reporters for this podcast contacted the president of the American Library Association, Camille Alire, to ask her opinion on this course of action. She stated that libraries need to keep up with all the technological changes and advancements. And yet, I couldn't help but sense that she thought that this library had gone too far with their decision. Whatever her response, I think her opinion is one of great importance in a situation like this.