Although Laura Cole spoke six years ago regarding digital libraries, there are several key points that remain highly pertinent to our school library spaces here at Seoul Foreign School (SFS). Although stated at the end of her talk, the key takeaway is that technology is here to stay, and we need to harness and exploit it to our patron’s benefit, otherwise we are actively denying them resources (TedxTalks, 2016). She acknowledged that change is challenging, but we need to get on board (TedxTalks, 2016).
Laura spoke passionately about those who do not have access to physical library spaces, whether it be through reasons such as illness or disability. It did make me reflect on how our libraries supported our students and community through the Covid pandemic when we were all virtually teaching and learning online. I know the teacher-librarians beefed up the e-book availability on the databases we subscribe to, but I don’t think it was advertised well. We don’t have a separate library page within our school website, nor a Facebook account. We do have access to the SFS Instagram account and very occasionally library news is posted there, but there was nothing to do with services available during Covid. I think we are fairly new to this method of promotion and advocacy. This ties well in with a third point made by Laura, that librarians are no longer the custodians or protectors of the physical spaces and books (TedxTalks, 2016). She encourages us to move with changing paradigms and embrace new roles that Library 2.0 provides; to be “navigators and cultivators” of information (TedxTalks, 2016). Our librarians may need to upskill and to exploit the digital resources that we have at our disposal. (I’m thinking particularly about myself as I join the library team in August 2022.)
A fourth takeaway point for me was Laura’s point that the library is often referred to as the “third space” (TedxTalks, 2016). Our community ‘vibe’ has been much dampened by Covid, and parents/guardians have not been allowed on the school campus. However, traditionally our library spaces haven’t catered well for the wider school community, whether it be in digital or physical aspects and I would like to be a part of this change. Although not necessarily linked to technology, a welcoming space with programs run for the community fits in with the collaborative and participatory nature of the Library 2.0 ethos (American Library Association, n.d).
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References
American Library Association. (n.d.). Library 2.0. ALA American Library Association. https://www.ala.org/tools/atoz/library-20
TedxTalks. (2016, April 16). The reimagined library: Where will it find you? [Speech video]. Youtube.