The End of Libraries
September 8th, 2006 by Christopher HarrisThe end of school libraries came and went yesterday with little fanfare and hardly any notice. On September 7, 2006, the School District of Philadelphia and Microsoft opened the “School of the Future” with every possible space you could imagine…except a library. One of the stated goals from this pilot is to develop a ” replicable model that improves student achievement through holistic reform of secondary education [Microsoft].” Let me translate that administrative gibberish: We are going to create a school model that can be implemented across the country and we don’t need libraries to do it. Well, it translates to something like that. You can read the whole document if you can stand that much VisionSpeak.
But what’s that about the library? Oh yeah…the School of the Future doesn’t need a library. Libraries are a dead place, wasted space, just use Google (or MSN Search!). There are rather a lot of other “learning spaces” identified on the Learning Space Matrix: School District of Philadelphia/Microsoft School of the Future. The School of the Future recognizes the need for a distinct “Driver’s Education Lab” to “Develop skills that improve job-related prospects and advance employment opportunities” (within the field of Pizza Delivery?) [Microsoft]. But no library. There is something called an “Interactive Learning Center” but is this a library? Will there be a librarian?
Microsoft was pretty clear with the message that libraries are limiting factors in current schools and that their technology (and billions of dollars in funding) will free students from the oppression of libraries.
The Internet has expanded access to information, removing both teacher and student dependencies on a limited amount of information sources. Education is no longer bound by the limits of the teacher, textbook, or the books in the school library…Moreover, the Internet offers students in low-income and remote locations far more information than any single traditional library. [Microsoft]
Apparently librarians haven’t discovered this new thing called the Internet? Now please understand, most of this is just Microsoft’s marketing FUD as they back their investment in a new school model that they have built using Microsoft’s proprietary technology. “Mary Cullinane, group manager for Microsoft Partners in Learning Program, points out the active directory solution, whereby everyone has a role on the network either as student, teacher, parent or administrator” [District Administration - emphasis added].
It remains to see what happens at the School of the Future - I wish them the best of luck, as they have some wonderful ideas. I just wish they could have found a way to implement those ideas without all the library bashing. We get it, this is Microsoft’s baby and Microsoft is about technology. But guess what…so are libraries. It isn’t an either or thing. Libraries can, and do, use technology to be better libraries. Still, I can’t help but get the feeling that yesterday marked the end of school libraries as we knew them.
Who’s ready for some School Library 2.0?
September 10th, 2006 at 5:35 pm
Libraries are not really all about technology. We are about recreational reading and personal life long learning. Today that latter goal requires someone, an information retrieval specialist type teacher person known around here as a librarian, to teach students how to use the Internet fruitfully - a brand new concept called information literacy skills. My elementary school, under 300 students and not a very rich neighbourhood, has 32 Internet connected computers in my library alone. 16 of them for the last 6 or 8 years. Come on Microsoft. Catch up, for heavens sake. There’s more to learning,using and creating information than googling it.
September 13th, 2006 at 11:30 pm
Quality school library programs enhance the school setting, optimize instruction, and improve student achievement. However, urban school districts have learned that there are greater financial rewards in playing nice with big business and big government interests –thus the Microsoft School of the Future in the School District of Philadelphia.
September 14th, 2006 at 9:52 am
Debra, I don’t have much of a problem with a Microsoft school. I do, however, have a problem with Microsoft taking cheap shots at libraries to try and make a point. For some reason, Microsoft’s statements about this school seem very defensive. They went out of their way in their vision to be deliberately negative in their attacks on libraries. But then, this whole place is built on their platform (as seen in the name drop of active directory solutions) and so it is quite a test for a company that seems to be struggling recently. Still, I do feel a bit sorry for those studnets at the school that may never be exposed to alternatives beyond the Microsoft logo…in that case it is probably better not to have something as subversively open as a library!
September 26th, 2006 at 8:09 pm
I read the article in District Administration about a week ago and had to chuckle on two fronts. 1. They mentioned having access to resources such as The Library of Congress and the Louvre; wow…that is great…I have access to that as well. 2. The price tag! Would any community pay $63 million dollars for a new school? Not mine.
July 6th, 2007 at 9:36 am
[...] Christopher Harris vom School Library System in New York regt sich über ein neues Konzept des School District of Philadelphia auf. In diesem wird - mit einem Beitrag von Microsoft, der ihn besonders aufregt - ein Blueprint für zukünftige Schulen gezeichnet, allerdings ohne School Libraries. Let me translate that administrative gibberish: We are going to create a school model that can be implemented across the country and we don’t need libraries to do it. Well, it translates to something like that. [Quelle: gesamter Beitrag] [...]
September 19th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Here members,Iam making a research about if its true that Libraries are real.Please post me information which is related and why do you think we need Libraries.
December 12th, 2007 at 11:52 am
[...] The End of Libraries (Infomancy) [...]