US:PA-1: Week 1
Week 1
mgdesi@telerama.lm.com
Sun, 21 Sep 1997 20:42:05 -0700
My two cents:
1)The two most pressing needs for schools and libraries and most
organizations are for on-going training in the use of computer networks
once they are installed and some provision for the maintenance of those
computer networks. Very often those jobs are tacked onto someone else's
job description and things deteriorate very quickly after that. A
well-thought out plan for training teachers/librarians to use computers
in the classroom/library is vital and everyone in the schools and
libraries should be required to take that training (could be part of new
certification requirements?).
2)How do the needs of schools and libraries differ? I'd say that
classrooms need more pcs perhaps than libraries, but that they play the
same role in both venues. Librarians (I am one) evaluate resources that
are used in the library by students and teachers in the schools.
Librarians try to introduce students, patrons to balanced views on
current issues and historical events. Sometimes we even interpret
information (heaven forbid!) and offer our own opinions about those
issues, but we certainly encourage our students and patrons to explore
topics in order to make their own decisions about things.
3)Rural schools are in trouble until someone decides to give them a few
more telephone poles and lines (the TVA analogy sounds interesting, but
probably not practical in these conservative political times). Unless
some competing technologies such as satellite transmission or wireless or
cable tv delivery (still need those poles?) of telecommunications
services/internet access are developed and become cost-effective, rural
areas are going to continue to suffer.