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Multiple formats for the most used reference materials are important (Farmer, 2014, p. 66) in a primary school setting. In my short experience in a school library, quick use dictionaries and atlases need to be in physical and online formats. Logging onto a device and searching an online dictionary will take much longer than using a book version unless the device is already open in front of the student. I have also found picture dictionaries useful for younger and second language students. Recent purchases of English-Korean, English-Mandarin and English-Hindi children’s picture dictionaries from Abbey’s bookshop in Sydney have also proved useful for our growing population of second language students in the school.
A factor for purchasing physical books for the multilingual dictionaries was our EALD staff are regularly in small teaching spaces without quick access to technology. They often work within classrooms, meeting rooms in the library and outside. Dictionaries meet the needs of the students and teachers in these circumstances.
An online encyclopedia has been our preferred option for many years now. World Book Online (WBO)has proved to be a wonderful resource across all grades and subject areas for a primary school. Farmer’s list of considerations for online formats of reference materials (2014, pp. 63-67) were all considered in the purchase of the subscription years ago and good support from the company in a variety of ways has meant WBO continues to be our preference for a school-based encyclopedia.
I am yet to find a suitable online magazine for young students that is better than the School Magazine. Our year four teachers subscribe to this very long-running publication and it is much loved by the students and contains a print magazine for the students and online content. I am unaware of additional Australian content available to build a reference library at this stage. I need to explore other options in this area.
Print and online formats are essential in a K-6 library. Updated information is necessary for an encyclopedia and an online format can provide currency. Carefully curated print reference materials, updated periodically according to a guide within the Collection Development Policy of the school, can also provide valuable sources for students and teachers.
Farmer, L. S. J. (2014). Introduction to reference and information services in today’s school library. Rowman & Littlefield.
New South Wales Government. (n.d.). The School Magazine. https://theschoolmagazine.com.au/
World Book Online. (2020). World Book. https://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Login?ed=wb
