Confessions of a would be blogger......

My first confession is that I would like to be a better blogger, but I am not.

My second confession is that I am a little bit passé when it comes to some things in the library....the operative word being SOME things.
Shhhhh!! Don't tell anyone.

There are so many different forms of resources to be considered in a library.  Librarians are challenged by material costs as well as the vast number of publications.  Material costs have increased substantially.
Keeping up to date with the ever expanding media environment is integral to keeping the library alive and in circulation.  Failing to house resources from a wide variety of formats, ignores a wealth of information.
There should be current technology available in the library, not for everybody to use all at once, but enough for students to learn how to work it, learn how to use it to effect and then use those skills to participate, produce and contribute to the learning curriculum.

I love using the Kindle.  I love that it fits in my handbag without my arm breaking.  I love that the screen is backlit so that I can lie in bed with the light off and not disturb anyone.

Here is the part where I am a little bit old fashioned.....

I am a primary school teacher by trade and I think kids need books.  To have a favourite book, to recognise it by its cover, to dog ear the corner to bookmark where they are up to, to lend a book to a friend because they loved it.
I love that you can choose a book from the shelf, look through it, check out the text, the format, the size of the print.  I love that you can go past the books on the shelf and recognise what they are; there's Harry Potter, there's Geronimo Stilton, there's Trixie Belden....what!!!
You can tell if its popular by the condition it is in.  Kids need these skills just as much as they need information literacy skills.  These are precursory skills.  How do you choose a good book?  How do you know it will be any good to read?  How do you know if you will like the story?
Librarygirl.net has blogged that we are not hoarders, we are librarians.  I wish we could be hoarders.  I would hoard all of my favourite stories from when I was a little girl right up to now as an adult.

It is important that any library collection is balanced with a variety of formats to meet the learning needs of users.  If these needs aren't being met, kids won't come to the library and classroom teachers won't collaborate with you because you haven't got the right resources.
A clear statement of goals and objectives of the school library will assist in developing a balanced collection of resources that will appeal to users and meet their learning needs.