This morning, a student told me he really likes using databases for research. He mentioned the ease of use and convenience they afford at locating relevant, current, and reliable information. (Insert the angelic strains of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus) This is music to my ears. I have been working all year to change the climate of the library, the perception of the library, and the way students find information. If we want our students to succeed beyond the walls of this high school, these changes must happen.
I knew it would be a slow process. There are still many people who envision a quiet library and a librarian with reading glasses propped on the edge of her nose and her hair tightly wound into a bun on the back of her head. NOT IN THIS LIBRARY! We also have people who believe that librarians are a thing of the past. Again - NOT IN THIS LIBRARY!
Do you know how to find the most current information regarding important events of the day? Do you know how to search the Internet in the most effective and efficient manner? Do you know that most print materials are also available online in a variety of formats? Do you know how to differentiate between an authentic website and a hoax? Do you know what a widget is, a wiki, a QR code, Web 2.0...? I DO! I CAN TEACH YOU!
So, thank you to the students who realize the importance of information literacy. Thank you to the students who come to the library on a daily basis just because they like the inviting atmosphere. Thank you to the teachers who ask me to help them build lessons and activities that involve information literacy.
And THANK YOU to the student who made my day by sharing his appreciation for all that the library has to offer!
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