Activity #5 and future of Teacher-Librarianship
I really enjoyed this activity. I came into it with some of my own perceptions about the future of the teacher-librarian but having had little experience with cataloguing in my libraries I had only a cursory understanding of the current debates raging in the field regarding what might be in store for cataloguing as we now know it. It was obvious to me, from my own readings and from those of my colleagues, that the rise of new technologies is having a major impact in the field. The advent of free online books, a net-saavy generation that conducts independent searches with great skill, and the idea that all of this will lead to a more user-driven system really supports the educational decisions that I have made.
At this time I am currently a graduate student working on my Masters of Educational Technology. I firmly believe that the role of teacher-librarian is increasingly becoming a technology position. My decision to do my Masters in this field and not in Librarianship was a conscious one. The teacher-librarian courses that I have looked into are all scratching the surface of the impact of technology on the position. For me, taking the step into the technology side is a step beyond that. Teacher-librarians will always be necessary. They are one a school’s greatest resources. However, I believe, and my readings for this assignment seem to support this, that becoming a specialist in dealing with technology in an educational setting will be key to successfully supporting the position of teacher-librarian.