I used the Laurel Public Library for my e-reader checkout. Wow, first time I've done this and it was very easy. The Laurel website has a link for ease of use and that it was. It also has a steps to follow procedure sheet that I printed out and followed for my Kindle. I know this is fairly new for the Laurel Library and the librarian that helped get it set up is the librarian that I replaced at the elementary school where I now work! She works there part time to help with technology after retiring from the school position. Since I had an Amazon account already it went straight there when ready for that step since I have it on the computer I was using. I was able to check it out for two weeks and directions for returning were on the print out from the Laurel Library.
I can see a huge advantage for using this in my elementary library as these readers become more prevalent. Many of the 3rd/4th graders already have one in their family that they use or bring a phone to school to read a book they've downloaded. There were many children's books available and not only can they be downloaded to an e-reader but most were available to just download as an audio book. This would have the advantage of having kids listen to a story from a computer. What a great thing for special needs students or students that struggle with reading but want more advanced age appropriate books. There were even many nonfiction titles that would be useful in many areas of the curriculum.
It will be interesting to see how e-readers and devices like these will change the library and circulation over the coming years. Some teachers and I were talking and with kids having books on these and phones many schools will have to also look at their phone/technology policies. Most schools do not allow phones in class, but kids may need them for the book they have. Many e-readers and phones also access the internet so how do we monitor all kids on what they are reading/doing during times they're supposed to be reading. One teacher has a hard time monitoring 30 students in a room on such small devices. I have a feeling this is an issue that will be highly debated in the coming years.
I had heard about this being added to the Laurel Public Library and just hadn't had the time to try it. I'm glad this assignment was given so I had no excuse to not do it. Now, I look forward to continuing to borrow books this way. My daughters are also excited. Now, the book I checked out, Moon Over Manifest, I can read on the plane to and from New York City as I leave early in the morning for senior trip with my daughter. Have a great week all!
Isn't it amazing, we work in the same district and neither one of us have had the time to access this valuable tool. I am also glad we are doing this assignment. I agree that the supervision is going to be a major issue within the district, but with a few policies in place, I believe it can be done.
ReplyDeleteE-Readers are a valuable tool in many ways. I agree with you and Val that there will be issues with phone use and the internet. To begin with, I think that they will have to restrict ebook reading to e-reader devices. I don't see how you can monitor 30 kids in a classroom reading a book on an iPhone. IPhones have their own internet access, so they can access the internet without going through the school's wifi. I don't see how having policies in place would really stop them. They already do it, so are you going to give them class reading time to be on the internet? With an iPad, you have to link into an internet source. Without the school password, they couldn't access the internet. Is that how a Kindle with internet works? Or do they have their own internet source, like an iPhone?
ReplyDeleteYou are in such a good position having a public librarian who you know and who is just a phone call away. We all need one these days! Public librarians help people with audio devices and e-readers all the time so they simply had to be the first line of learning how to do it and they are a great resource. Also, they see so many more and different devices than you'll usually see in a school and they become adept at troubleshooting. You did exactly what I hoped for people to do with this assignment. Just apply yourself and figure it out -- even if it's just one book and one device. Now you know that there are hurdles, but you can do it!
ReplyDeleteGreat point about kids using their phones to download. I tend not to think of these things because I'm in an elementary school, but the issue is important for me to think about. I think Judy said it well, that phones simply can't be allowed to be used for ebooks in school - there is no way one teacher in a classroom of 30 could monitor this effectively.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that all of us, I think, have mentioned the special ed niche for ebooks and audio books. It's helping me to realized that I need to collaborate with my sped teachers. For all I know they are already using a lot of these devices but they are in their corner of the building and I'm in mine, so we don't know what we're all up to. I'm going to make a point sit down with both of our sped teachers and talk about what they're doing, what they'd like to be doing and could be with my help, and where they see the library and its tools in the lives of their students.