DIGITAL REFERENCE, DIGITAL PRESENCE

WHY DIGITAL?

Because our school library walls have dissolved with the invention of digitized information. No longer confined to so many feet of shelf space and so many volumes, this information is part of our reference collection, if we want it to be. We are the educators most professionally - trained in our school communities, to pick and choose what's meaningful. (more)

photo: bluescreen@morguefile

WHY PRESENCE?

Because our ability to communicate is multi-dimensional in an instant messaging world. We really need to do more than hand a student or teacher a list of sites and walk away. Lists of book titles have never been useful by themselves either, unless, introduced by a teacher-librarian in an enthusiastic one-on-one or class endorsement, or at least, enhanced with well-written annotations. Our job is not only to find materials for students and teachers, but also to teach them how to do it themselves next time.

DIGITAL PRESENCE IS OUR PRESENCE

OUR presence - at school, at home and on the web that circles the globe, exists well beyond our 8-4 cinder block library homerooms.

Effective teacher librarians teach well and communicate well (both multi-faceted skill sets) and have always surpassed list makers.

WE ARE PRESENT

When we are accessible. We weave online conversations into our day, free of time and space impediments.

When we find rich digital content, which we adapt (with online editing) to the exact needs of a child or adult; the right amount of information, depth and detail. And we e-mail or print out that definition, magazine article, rubric, lesson plan, diagram at a reading level they can comprehend.