future – From dust jackets to digital horizons

This week I read an article by Anna Burkey in Synergy (the School Library Association of Victoria’s publication), titled ‘Reading for the Future‘. In it, Burkey presents some research that validates what I’m sure many of suspected already – that 87% of Australian children and young people enjoy reading when at home (Burkey, 2014). However, there are also significant literacy challenges for young readers all around the country. Burkey calls for more detailed research that reveals “what young people are reading, why it appeals and how they choose to access it” (Burkey, 2014).

Since this article was published, some major research has already begun by a team of Deakin University academics who are working on a project titled ‘Teen Reading in the Digital Era’ (Deakin University, 2022). The research team are collecting data on reading preferences and behaviours, in terms of both physical and digital literature. Their snapshot report, released in March 2017, provides an overview of progress with data about how many minutes Australian kids and teens are spending reading for pleasure, gender differences, preferences for tablets and eBooks… the list goes on. This year they are surveying Aussie students from VIC, WA, NSW and QLD about how they find good books in the digital age. I can’t wait to see what the researchers find out!

Burkey (2014) expresses optimism about how digital technologies are transforming reading experiences. She mentions the ‘Lizzie Bennet Diaries‘ (vlogs) and ‘Nowhere Boys‘ (a ABC adaptation for TV of the popular book with a linked video game). Burkey also recommends the platform Storybird for young people wanting to create digital literature.

References:

Burkey, A. (2014). Reading the Future. Synergy, 12(2). Retrieved from https://www.slav.vic.edu.au/index.php/Synergy/article/view/V122144

Deakin University. (2022). Teen Reading in the Digital Era. https://teenreading.net/

Rutherford, L. & Johanson, K. (2017). Teen Reading in the Digital Era [Snapshot Report]. Deakin University. https://wordpress-ms.deakin.edu.au/teenreading/wp-content/uploads/sites/175/2017/04/teen-reading-folio-report_email.pdf

Image Credit:Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

I’m excited to think about the future of school libraries, as they become more inclusive and relevant to user needs. This could include more accessible resources for students with specific learning needs, multilingual materials, and blended learning resources or information that students can access from home.

I sincerely hope that increasing digital integration and e-resource offerings will further cement the importance of school libraries as learning hubs and integral components for the school teaching and learning landscape. Like Wade’s (2005) phoenix analogy indicates, school libraries need to continuously evolve to keep pace with user needs and information trends. School libraries that become, like dodos, extinct, not utilised or not fit for purpose are such a wasted opportunity for positive impact. As the International Federation of Library Association and Institutions’ (2018) updated Trends Report suggests that: “Libraries can adapt and respond through sharing skills, tools and ideas that empower their users” (p. 5).

Despite expanding digital collections, I think that physical resources will continue to have a place in school libraries as they serve educational purposes. In the future, there will continue to be changes to what physical library environments look like and feature too. Some examples are more flexible furniture, collaborative working areas, shelving on wheels and different zones (Curtis, 2018).

There is a lot of fearmongering that digital shifts will threaten the place of libraries and, by extension, Teacher Librarians (TLs), but this is not the case. School libraries of the future may look different, but their purpose will not waver: to equip users with the skills they need to navigate information environments, read widely and access resources from a variety of different perspectives. Teacher librarians, like wayfarers guiding users through diverse terrain (digital and physical), will always be needed, if not more than ever as information needs keep proliferating.

References

Curtis, N. (2018). School library staff share: Our wish list for the future. Access, 32(3), 32-38.

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. (2018). IFLA Trend Report Update. https://trends.ifla.org/files/trends/assets/documents/ifla_trend_report_2018.pdf

Wade, C. (2005). The school library: phoenix or dodo bird? Educational Horizons, 8(5), 12-14.

Image Credit: Photo by Hadija Saidi on Unsplash

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