Do School Libraries Still Need Books?
In an era of Internet research and downloadable books, some educators question the need for printed collections
An online library cannot replace the unique collection of resources that I — like many school librarians — have built over a period of years (17) ______ of my students, faculty, and the school's curriculum.
One of my primary responsibilities as a librarian is to teach information-literacy skills — including defining research questions, avoiding plagiarism, and documenting sources. In my experience, this works best face-to-face with students. That personal interaction is supported by the electronic availability of materials but (18) ______ .
Librarians also encourage reading, which (19) ______ . Focused reading is more likely to occur with printed books than with online material.
Today's students shouldn't miss out on the unique pleasure of getting lost in a physical book. Research shows that the brain functions differently when (20) ______ , and different formats complement different learning styles.
Unlike an e-reader or a laptop, which may provide access to many books but (21) ______ , a printed book is a relatively inexpensive information-delivery system that is not dependent on equipment, power, or bandwidth for its use.
One of the beauties of libraries is that we keep up with new technologies, but (22) ______ . We don't have to choose between technology and printed books, and we shouldn't.
An online library cannot replace the unique collection of resources that I — like many school librarians — have built over a period of years (17) ______ of my students, faculty, and the school's curriculum.
it's a simple matter for a savvy to find them
we also hold on to the old things that work well
is crucial to student success
to serve the specific needs
is limited to a single user
reading online versus reading a book
provide several chapters to read free
is not replaced by it