Technology and the School Library: A Comprehensive Guide for Media Specialists and Other Educators by Odin L. Jurkoski provides an excellent overview of the necessary technologies that our schools and libraries need to be using on a daily basis. Libraries are facing a multitude of challenges brought on by budget issues and this book addresses not only what technology is needed to support learning in our schools, but also how to effectively use the technology to enhance learning both in the library and in the classrooms.
Part 1: Information Tools
This section addressed the physical components of technology that need to be in place. I found this section to be an excellent overview everybody, from those with zero experience to people who use technology on a daily basis. I found that even though I consider myself technologically adept, I did learn quite a bit about the basic of the hardware, software, and networking systems. While I was familiar with many of the terms, I was not sure how all of the different components impacted a computer and how it works. (I now know that I need to increase the RAM on my computer at school to increase its less than adequate performance.)
Part 2: Information Resources
The first thing that really caught my attention was the fact that I have been evaluating software for the staff in my school for many years. “Librarians, because of their skill in evaluating materials, knowledge of the curriculum throughout the entire school, and technical expertise, are naturals at providing resources for finding and evaluating software, passing on reviews, and determining if the purchase would be a good fit for students” (37). This is something that I unknowingly have been doing all along with my school, passing on excellent resources and websites. I did appreciate having sample evaluation tools that I will be able to use and adapt to meet my needs as a LMS. Another important point that caught my attention throughout the book was the importance of collaboration with the classroom teachers, whether it is by teaching how to use a specific program with a class or by locating appropriate materials and resources. This section also made me think about what information and resources that I will need to include on my library website.
Part 3: From the Library to the Classroom
This part of the book focused on the different materials housed in the library that will and should be used in the classrooms, from film projectors of the past to digital tools of today. Using today’s technologies can be an excellent motivation tool for students. They are so familiar with digital tools and are inundated with media that allowing them to utilize these tools to demonstrate their learning will help motivate students who otherwise may not participate. Our building has one fixed SmartBoard in the computer lab that the students love to use, but often is not because of the comfort level of the teachers. Not only does the librarian need to know about the technologies available, but they also need to be able to assist teachers in using them effectively in the classroom setting.
Part 4: Technology Administration in the School Library
This section was very informative to me as far as budgeting and how to determine need and necessity. Luckily, I have a technology coordinator to work with who handles most of the technology purchases. We are looking at updating our circulation software, so learning about the different components and their capabilities was very beneficial to me. I also liked the suggestion of weeding prior to going through a major upgrade to eliminate some of the work involved. The other section that truly amazed me was the chapter dealing with technology plans. I had no idea who all was involved in creating a plan like this for a school.
Part 5: Technology and the Teaching Component
I have presented at a variety of professional development opportunities, and wish I would have had some of the information presented here while preparing for them. I generally present using a hands-on approach, but haven’t given much thought to the information that I am sending home with attendees. While I prepare for my next presentation this fall, I will definitely keep these suggestions in mind. For example on page 165, Jurkowski states “Teach them not only how to use the technologies, but also how to use them in the classroom with specific lessons in mind.” I think this is something that I will really try to incorporate, because teachers will be more apt to use applications if they have an idea of how it should work and look in a classroom. I hope to encourage the use of Web 2.0 tools in classrooms too. I know that personally, I used them in my classroom, and tried to get the word out on great ones to use in others’ classrooms, but I don’t think I effectively got the benefits and importance across of using these technologies with students.
Overall, this was a very informative book. Even though I felt that I knew a lot about technology, I still learned a lot. This is an excellent resource book that I plan on keeping to refer back to. I would highly suggest it to others, especially new librarians to keep as a resource. Some of the information presented would also be very good for classroom teachers who are not very familiar with technology; I could see some teachers at my building especially benefitting from the first two parts.
