Digital Libraries Introduction What is a digital library? Maybe it's a library of digital materials The Cushing Academy in MassachusettsMaybe it's a digital-rich collection in a physical space YouMedia at the Chicago Public Library The Digital Library as Internet Space "The Internet has dissolved the physical boundaries of the library.... The website connects learners." -- AASL's Empowering Learners (2009), 34. "Students seek and use information, communicate, and produce creative content in online spaces [so] school libraries must... engage and meet these millennial users in their own information landscapes." -- Joyce Valenza, "Discovering a Descriptive Taxonomy" (2007), 128. Why School Libraries Need Robust Websites Websites are digital partners of the physical space, so students, parents, teachers, and staff have access to library resources when they need them. From IMPACT, page 56: "The vision of technology resources for North Carolina's K-12 educational community is access to these resources at the point of need, whether it is the media center, the computer lab, the classroom, the principal's office, or the home." Millennial Learners in Digital Space Students use Five Metaphors to Describe Internet Use for School Internet as Virtual Textbook and Library Internet as Virtual Tutor and Study Shortcut Internet as Virtual Study Group Internet as Virtual Guidance Counselor Internet as Virtual Locker, Backpack, and Notebook Pew Internet & American Life Surveys, at Benefits of the School Library Website Digital Access for stakeholders 24/7 Use library websites for community outreach / promote parental involvement Space to market / publicize librarian contributions to student learning Increase circulation, library usage through add-ons such as NoveList, book recommendations Use Web 2.0 tools to let students "leave their mark" on library websites, increase role of library as Learning Commons, increase student digital literacy Display of digital competence and reliability The Drawbacks of School Library Websites Diminished librarian oversight/involvement when students operating in digital spaces Collaboration/'Learning Commons' shifts when students can access the digital library from classroom computers / separate computer labs Access issues related to district budgets, state regulations Internet safety/content filter problems In a wholly digital library, you lose the "feel" of a library E-readers can be tedious to use Translating Standards for the 21st- Century Learner 1.Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge. 2.Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge. 3.Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society. 4.Pursue personal and aesthetic growth. Planning a robust library website What are the essential elements? AASL's Empowering Learners Recommended content (page 34): Scaffolding tools Graphic Organizers Downloadable interventions Links to Citation Cites Reading Lists to Support Projects Writing Guidelines for Research Papers & Reports Pathfinders Interactive tools: wikis and document-creation sites Online resources: reference, newspapers, etc. Search tools Ask-a-Librarian Student-Focused Essentials OPAC Library hours and events Databases and Information Literacy Resources Images/views of the physical library Book reviews and recommendations Student work AASL Best Websites for Teaching and Learning at The Importance of Interactivity Web 2.0 and the School Library Website Facebook Blogs Social Bookmarking:LibraryThing and GoodReads Wikis Google Apps for Education:u/ School Websites to demonstrate best practices This one needs a little help...Glenwood Elementary This one is on the right track...Apex Elementary Duke School Middle School Library Milpitas High School Library School Website Databases Through state funding and community consortium agreements, digital libraries provide access to a wealth of subscription databases. Benefits o Curated search engines provide authority, relevancy o Encyclopedias and knowledge banks geared toward children's cognitive levels Costs o Search results are limited by definition o Can curated cites match real-time results on Google? o Financial cost Common NC Databases NC Wise Owl:NoveList:Destiny Quest:PebbleGo: Obstacles to Implementation Access to and continuity of funding Digital Rights Management Design obstacles from district regulations Librarian education Reliance on parent volunteers for school website management Group Activity Time! Using Sketch paper and markers, design your own digital library portal Remember: Your Stakeholders (students, teachers, parents, staff) Your Content Your Design Two Awesome Resources A comprehensive glog featuring library website creation tools. links to widgets, wiki creators, video editors, cartoon generators, blogs, feeds, calendars, storytelling instigators and more. This site has it all:A best practices site with many school examples: