LIBE467 Reflections on Theme #1, Info Lit and Reference Services

As Theme #1 wraps up, there are some thoughts from the material that still resonate with me. These are the ideas or tenets that I feel are important, thus far in the course, to my practice or evolution as a Teacher-Librarian....

Physical/Text Reference Materials versus Digital Reference Materials?
This seems to be a common thread through the readings and discussions. In this digital age, how many actual hardcopy reference books should we have on our shelves? None at all? One of each? After all our explorations, plus my day-to-day experience in the Library, I tend to go with a stance that I'll continue to replace most physical reference texts with digital sources (assuming that I'll always first evaluate the digital source and choose it if I find it equal or better).

Why? Main reason = cost savings. Especially if the replacements are district database bundle subscriptions not paid directly out of my Library budget. Issues of keeping the resource current are usually solved with digital references because they are regularly updated, without the bother of having to buy a new physical text. Mainly very reliable digital reference materials are even free. Secondary reason = freeing up shelf space! Without multiple outdated reference texts and series, I have more room for other amazing non-fiction that will still support research (and pleasure reading).

I enjoyed reading about all of the considerations that can/should/do go into evaluating resources for inclusion in the Library, whether on real shelves or on virtual "shelves" of the Learning Commons. I do think that the reality is, naturally, that all of the weighing of authority, currency, and so on rarely happens as formally as filling in charts and checklists, but rather happens in the Teacher-Librarian's mind via rapid publication checking, page skimming, and a personal knowledge of the curriculum. However, it is valuable to slow down and think more slowly about our considerations at least once, as we are doing for Assignment #1. It is especially, potentially valuable to have done this as preparation for the event where a book in the Library gets challenged for supposed unsuitability; even if applied retroactively, taking this kind of formal evaluative process and applying it makes the justification clear. When there was a possibility of Richard Dawkins' excellent book, The Magic of Reality, becoming controversial a year or two back in Chilliwack, I read it, put it through the evaluation wringer and was delighted to find that met all criteria and then some. That allowed me to confidently put in on the shelf and promote it for science-minded kids.

http://centreforinquiry.ca/chilliwack-rejects-dawkins-magic-of-reality/

http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/news/298389201.html

Research Models and Info Skills Frameworks
In the section on the research process for students, I was glad to revisit the BCTLA Research Quest and Points of Inquiry models. I've tended to roughly have those in mind when embarking on research, but now am committed to using them more formally. I especially thought it was important to use and promote these locally developed models especially after such a bleak era of T-L cuts; as our recent court win comes into effect, I feel it's a good idea to highlight exemplary work from our field.

Instead of doing more impromptu database and Internet searching skills lessons, I'm trying this year to formalize them. To that end, I quickly created a Google doc that I can regularly add to and update for teaching those skills to students; I was using it the last two weeks. Now, in follow up blocks this week, I'll get to see how effective it was (or wasn't--yikes!). I know, though, that it is a regular part of the research process for students to hit a frustration barrier, so I'll need to re-teach the tips a little, I'm sure. It was a good to see reminders about frustration reflected in some of the research models.

Database and Internet Basic Searching Tips (work in progress)

Further goals for the end of this year, and into the coming year, are to formalize a set of research skills lesson, Internetiquette/digital citizen lessons, and Internet safety lessons appropriate to each grade. It's year three in my new Library; that's the time I set for starting these goals. The first two years, I had focussed on rejuvenating the collection, weeding, tons of new orders, connecting with the community, building bridges for team-teaching, and finding ways to support the new curriculum. Of course, all of these are ongoing concerns, but this vital core of Library--the info lit and reference services--needs to come to the forefront now.

Evaluation and Selection of a Reference Resource: A Case Study

Here is a link to the original material, done as a Google doc, formatted a little differently:
http://bit.ly/2k6Lvds

Part 1

Exploring and Evaluating a Resource 

in the Current Reference Section 

at Sardis Elementary School

The Current Resource(s) Being Assessed: 

The Macmillan School Atlas, Third Edition (42 copies)

The Reader’s Digest Children's Atlas of the World (35 copies)

(both resources copyright 2000)

Personal Assessment Rubric to be used 

(an amalgam and simplification of many other rubrics)

Rating of 1 = Sub-par Resource =  This resource suffers from one or more of these problems: it is worn out, out of date, inaccurate, not engaging, not age or reading level appropriate,.........

It only remains because nobody has weeded it or because there is nothing to replace it. It really never gets used.

2 = Acceptable Resource =  This resource is adequate. It provides quick answers to ready reference questions. It contains material and/or back matter that assists with deeper research. However, it is a source that could be replaced by a more current digital version that would free up physical shelf space. It gets used occasionally but not on a regular, ongoing basis.

3 = Excellent Resource =  This is a popular resource regularly consulted for ready reference answers and/or research projects. It has engaging design and layout. It is at an appropriate reading level for the students. It is still well-bound and holds up well to frequent use. Although there are similar digital materials available, they don't surpass the usefulness of this print resource.

Standards To Be Assessed:

Purpose:

• When these atlases get used, it is usually to quickly locate a particular country’s place in the world when a curious patron is in the Library. 
• However, I have a number of globes in the room which are usually the more engaging “go-to” for this basic ready reference purpose. 
• Sometimes they are borrowed and used by a class as a visual aid for students applying country labels or Canadian province labels to a blackline/outline map. 
• However, that is rare; instead, teachers usually project an online map onto the screen in their class for this purpose.

(Score = 1)

Relevancy:    

• One standard lesson with atlases used to be to teach about latitude and longitude. 
• The rise of GPS technology in the last 20 years reduces the relevancy of spending large amounts of time on such lessons. 
• The underpinning knowledge of latitude and longitude can be more effectively taught with digital tools; for example, explaining how and why their family car’s navigation system works would be more beneficial for students. 
• The static flatness of the maps surely isn't as rich as 3D representations that must be available via tech tools. 
• Also, in order to be comprehensive enough and legible enough, the atlases are in a large, thick, awkward size that is not easily portable (say for taking home in a backpack).

(Score = 1)

     

Currency:

• The copyright date of these atlases is          
• There have been many, many boundary and name changes in the last number of years; thus many pages of maps within are inaccurate. 
• There are various front matter charts and maps on various topics which might be useful for ready reference questions and compare/contrast examinations between parts of the world—except for the fact that they are out of date by the end of the year of publication. 
• Before the Internet explosion, we would have been happy to make do with old but comparatively recent information...but now? This level of outdatedness is unacceptable when we can get actual current information within five minutes of online searching.

(Score = 1)

Curricular Connections:      

• If one ignores the lack of current content, or imagines this to be a 2017 publication, it would undoubtedly be a reliable source useful for meeting all kinds of geography curriculum needs. T

(Score = 2)

Efficient Use of Library Space:

• The collection of 42 and 35 atlases takes up four entire shelf sections. They do not get used. I have been reorganizing shelves lately to gain more space; every shelf section counts!
• Three years ago, when I started in this Library, I let a few more class sets go into classrooms (where they don't see much use).
• We also have several other single volume atlases in the small Reference section.

(Score = 1)

Additional Evaluation Standards:

If I apply the Evaluation of Geographic Sources from Reference Skills For The School Library, the Macmillan atlas would certainly measure up to the standards of Publisher (Authority), and Scale, and Indexing (the Reader’s Digest perhaps a little less so). It would fail on Currency, as Reidling states, “A five-year-old atlas is considered historical” (Reidling 80). In terms of Format, this text atlas would technically provide good information quickly (if it was current), but a digital resource with a search window would be a far faster method of finding a map than flipping through an index, then flipping back through map pages.

Conclusion from Part 1: The Realization:

• Using my rubric above, a true “keeper” resource really should score in the 12 to 15 point range; this one earns only 6 points. It earns sub-par status.
• Perhaps for the occasional ready reference question occurring in the Library itself, it would be useful to keep one truly current atlas (not 77 outdated copies).
• More often, the teachers in our school, and myself in the Library, are signing out the iPad carts for students to initiate database and online research. 
• These devices are easily portable and allow students to find a cozy solo workspace to really engage and self-regulate (I have cushions and lap desks, too, to allow them to spread out in the Library). 
• Thus, it would be beneficial to find an atlas app as a replacement reference resource.

Part 2

Selection of a Replacement Resource

Analysis of the National Geographic World Atlas App 

as a Replacement Resource

Standards To Be Assessed:

Purpose:  

• This app meets all of the purposes described in Part 1, plus it is infinitely superior to projecting a 2D map image on screen.

Relevancy:

• National Geographic is a thoroughly reliable, trusted source.
• The rotating 3D globe image conveys a more realistic sense of location on the planet; plus, it helps convey some of the beauty of the planet.
• It allows staff and students to zoom down to the level of an old-school paper street map with all rivers and main roads shown.
• Having this app on an iPad makes for a very portable atlas.

Currency:  

• This app was last updated in June 2015, yet the country files data comes from the CIA World Factbook, which often receives even weekly updates. 
• The maps themselves are updated quarterly, which makes them extremely current.

Curricular Connections:   

• This app is infinitely useful for meeting all curricular needs relating to the geography of our planet.
• It even contains downloadable offline maps, plus a legend/key, and various statistical country comparison maps like a traditional text atlas (except these are clickable/zoomable).
• When combined with some of the databases in district bundle, this would be an especially effective tool.
• It contains fact files on every country in the world.
• It allows switching between imperial and metric units.

Efficient Use of Library Space:

• Purchasing this app would free up space taken by atlases on Library shelves.

Additional Evaluation Standards:   

If I apply the Evaluation of Geographic Sources from Reference Skills For The School Library, this atlas app would certainly measure up to the standards of Publisher (Authority); and National Geographic far more so than Reader’s Digest. The Scale standards being able to switch between imperial and metric is potentially useful. And in terms of Indexing, the ease of searching and clicking links within the app is intuitive and nearly instantaneous. The Currency varies from only a week old, to only a few months old: that is hard to beat. In terms of Format, this atlas app is very interactive, engaging, eye-catching, and portable.

Any Foreseeable Problems?: 

• Many reviews as of the 2015 update talk about how it no longer allows one to zoom all the way down to actual street views as it once did (I have a vague memory of trying it out a few years ago and finding that level of zoom remarkable). 
• The country information and statistics in the app come from the CIA World Factbook; I would prefer a less politically fraught source.
• If our Internet access is down, we have no atlases.
• What is the COST of this app? It is currently listed at $2.79; however, with our Volume Purchasing Plan, we can cut that cost down considerably (I still need to look into that). Even at the full rate times 30 iPads, that would only be $83.70 in total. Compared to the past purchase of 35 of the print Children's Atlas at $35.00, for a total of $1225.00, that is quite a savings (and the Macmillan cost $5.00 more per copy).

Conclusions from Part 2: The Decision:

The street view zoom-in is not our purpose (and as reviewers point out, Google, etc can do that better); our school need is to have a better version of a traditional atlas—which this is. 

Losing access to the Internet rarely happens in our school district since recent technology upgrades, so this app should remain consistently accessible. It would be wise, though, to keep one current text atlas in the Library collection.

If I apply my scoring rubric from Part 1, this app earns 3s across all standards.

I, myself, have had the app on my teacher iPad for three years. I use it multiple times each week with classes of various grades, especially when teaching history lessons. It is supremely useful for all of the reasons listed here above in Part 2.

The cost is not prohibitive. Especially when compared with replacement text atlases.

Buy the app! Install it on all school iPads, ASAP.

References:

Asselin, Marlene, Jennifer L Branch, and Dianne Oberg. Achieving Information Literacy: Standards For School Library Programs In Canada. 1st ed. Ottawa: Canadian School Library Association, 2003. http://www.accessola2.com/SLIC-Site/slic/ail110217.pdf

BCERAC. "Evaluating, Selecting, And Acquiring Learning Resources: A Guide". British Columbia Educational Resource Acquisition Consortium. N.p., 2017. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.

Central Intelligence Agency,. "The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency". Cia.gov. Web. 29 Jan. 2017. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/

Daly, Ronald C and John R Waller. The Macmillan School Atlas. 3rd ed. Toronto: Gage Educational Pub., 2000. Print.

National Geographic World Atlas App. National Geographic, 2015. iPad app.

Readers’ Digest. Children's Atlas Of The World. 1st ed. Pleasantville, NY: Reader’s Digest Children's Publications, 2000. Print.

Reidling, Ann, Loretta Shake, and Cynthia Houston. Reference Skills For The School Librarian: Tools And Tips. 3rd ed. Linworth, 2013. Kindle e-book: http://www.amazon.ca/kindlebooks 

HUZZAH! Final Vision Project on Place-Based Education FINISHED!

After much toil, I have completed my Final Vision Project for LIBE 477.

This course, and this project, have really helped me to focus my goals—my growth plan—for one major phase of my Teacher-Librarian position. I want to continue with, and build upon, Place-Based Education initiatives in my teaching and team-teaching.

(Building a stronger digital literacy and digital citizenship program around research projects is the second phase to begin focusing on now.)

My project can be accessed here:

http://www.haikudeck.com/p/a1da32b3c1

Format Considerations for the Final Vision Project

WHAT FORMAT?

Now that I've considered the scope of, and the rationale for, my final vision project on Place-Based Education (that incorporates art and design, field trips, and tech tools), it is time to think about the format I will use to present that project.

My favourite tech device is my school iPad because of its compact, lightweight portability. I do nearly all of my work on this device, and it is my major teaching tool in the Library, so I will definitely be creating my final project on it. Also, I use the iPads with many different classes for many projects at school, so the more I play around with it the better I am able to use it with students.

I have some favorite apps that I like to use personally for my own work, and for projects with students. Those apps are Shadow Puppet, PicCollage, Book Creator (iBooks), and HaikuDeck.

As I recently realized/discovered, making an iBook is not such a good idea because it is not properly shareable for non-Apple devices. On the other hand, Puppet, PicCollage, and HaikuDeck are all very easily shared because they are web-based, so you can copy a link to the project and share it so that anyone with Internet access can see it.

MY PLATFORM:

I will be using HaikuDeck for my project. However, I will be sure to include examples of those other within my project, so that others can see their possibilities for use in Place-Based Education lessons and units. 

I'll try to show PBE samples/ideas for various elementary grades and subjects. 

HaikuDeck is a good app because it allows for creating a bit of an interactive feel, because you can create a dynamic slideshow with links out of the deck to other apps with more audio and video elements.

Haiku deck also has built-in sidebars to it slides which are great, unobtrusive spot to include References citations/links as you go, rather than placing them all at the end—or more conspicuously on top of your main slide.

CHALLENGES:

One challenge will be keeping the presentation short enough to keep people's interest, while being long enough to make the points well. 

Another challenge will be making sure the technology cooperates and creates live links, which will require quite a bit of double-checking. 

The presentation will need to include a variety of visual, audio, and video stimuli (not like this blog post or my last one). 

Another challenge will be including some sort of examples of Place-Based lessons that I have not yet done with a class, but have plans to do soon (nature art in situ with grade fives in a December field trip). 

If I want to use any student work samples, I'll need to seek both student and parent permission to include those samples; informing them that the project could potentially have a wide internet audience may be a deterrent. 

One particularly tricky challenge will lie in trying to include an example of how the Aurasma app works in the project I designed at the Stó:lö Nation site...

The nature of the final vision project I have in my head will need a sort of storyboard layout so that I can see where and how the various pieces fit together. 

Once I complete that, I'll be ready to go...

...several hours later...I think I've got things roughly mapped out...

A Rational Vs. Irrational Rationale Ramble

Caveat: 

I have been having a bit more difficulty planning this week's post. In thinking about the projected content for this Rationale focus, I have plenty of ideas about the Why of my final vision project on Place-Based Education—after all, those are the issues I've been concerned with for several months throughout this LIBE 477 course. But, I've already written extensively about the Why, so to do so again here seems redundant—especially since the Why will be the "main course" in whatever format I choose to present the project in very soon.

But, I think the real issue causing more writing/thinking blocks this week is the consideration of the Rationale around the Who question. Who is this final vision project for, or who could it potentially be useful for? Beyond the because-I-have-to-as-a-requirement-of-this-course reason, why am I going to make this final vision project? And since that is the area of discomfort, that is the area I'm going to force myself to focus on for this blog post.

So, without further ado and caveats, I show now finally truly begin.

The Rationale questions to I have asked myself this week are as follows:

1) WHY do I think it is necessary or desirable to deliberately incorporate Placed-Based Education (PBE) into teaching?

2) WHY do I feel the scope for increasing PBE must include my three priorities of A) art and design instruction, B) field (literally) trips out into local nature, or to local community resources, and C) the use of technology tools to record, present, and share student learning?

And,

3) WHO is this final vision project really for? Who is the audience? What is the intended reach?

As alluded to in the caveats at the top of the post, I will focus an awful lot on the answers to the why questions, numbers 1 and 2, when I construct the final project. WHO? is the question that matters right now.

I suppose I am doing this project, naturally, for myself first and foremost. When teaching, or being a Teacher-Librarian, it is best if you have thought about, and researched, and practised, and evaluated what you believe to be the main goals of education. I have really come to believe that Place-Based Ed is vital to making learning more relevant to students. I have come to believe that connecting them more to the place in which they live is a way to make them truly notice what we have around us locally so that they are willing to protect what is worth it, and fight to change what is wrong. I have a strong belief that incorporating art into all subjects, into every lesson possible, is a way to keep students self-regulated, while increasing creative thinking. I believe that teaching them about page layout and design allows students to think more flexibly and gets them to present learning in more striking ways by encouraging self-expression. I believe that using various technology tools to research and record learning, and then to present it and share it out, taps into vital 21st century literacy skills. And, I believe that using technology tools, such as iPad apps, to make presentations about what has been learned, is a way to extend the pencil/paint/etc-and-paper art and design skills into the technology realm—blending "analog" and digital art.

So, the project is for me: a way of solidifying my tenets and future directions.

And, of course, it is for my course requirements, and for my instructor. But, really, the value of the course is lies in the belief statements made above.

Another WHO that this project will be for is the small Personal Learning Network of my classmates in this online course. Hopefully, it will be of some interest or use to some of you out there (I know that I look forward to seeing what so many of you come up with).

However, it is thinking about WHO beyond the reach of this course could my final vision project be for that is the problem.... We are encouraged by the very design and the stated goals of the course to share widely, to put ourselves and our ideas out there into the ether for all to see and hear/read...(or to ignore—ha!). It still feels weird. But, I suppose I will tweet out links to the final project and see what happens. It could be interesting to receive feedback from other educators (if anyone sees it at all). 

Posting things far and wide still seems like an act of ego to me, even though I respect that it really is more about an act of sharing and generosity and connection for most ICT users. I do like, though, the idea that it could be the ultimate act of humble pie to post far and wide and hear nothing back—that has a dark humour that I like!

Closer to home, I suppose that I could create a final vision project that could be used as a presentation to my staff at a staff meeting. That makes me uncomfortable. I don't really lack confidence in front of an audience...but, I do feel discomfort about being/acting like some sort of education proselytizer. Maybe I just need to get over myself. I prefer having one-on-one discussions about my education beliefs over lunch in the staff room, or when sitting down to plan team-teaching units. Maybe I should push my self further. I will, at least, make my final project available to my colleagues via a link or attachment in a staff email so that they can access it if they choose.

Another possible way to share my final vision project would be with my local Chilliwack Teacher Librarians' Association. I would somehow feel a little less like a proselytizer in one of those meetings, I think. 

Could it ever be something that would be developed into a Pro-D workshop? My first instinct is to say, "No, definitely not interested in that." Probably due to a magnification of the who-am-I-to-be-proselytizing-to-all-of-you worries already mentioned. Within a course like this, it seems fine to work through your thought process "aloud" to an audience, because that's part of its purpose; it seems a different matter to formally present those thoughts as a pro-d workshop. But, I have talked to other people who have presented for the first time on a topic they are passionate about, and they felt the same way initially, but pushed through it and gave great workshops. So, perhaps, if I can manage to create something I'm happy with, I should not discount taking it that route (even though I am discounting that possibility even as I type that self-advice—ha!)

So ends my ramblings this week.

Up PeriSCOPE!

Scanning the Possibilities for a Final Vision (21st Century Learning) Project.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Module #10 begins...now is the time to consider the Scope for my final project for the LIBE 477 course...was going to intro the ideas by talking about submarine trolling through topics, blah, narrowing the focus through the persiscope, blah, launching torpedos, blah—but, I'm really not a big fan of educational journey metaphors, so I'll just jump right in after letting these pictures stand in for a fleshed out theme:

 1  2

3

3 Creative Commons licensed images courtesy of  1) Tim Moreillon, 2) Marion Doss, and 3) Naval Surface Warriors

In choosing a final vision project, I decided to focus on an exploration of Place-Based Education. The place being British Columbia in the most general sense, and specifically Chilliwack, where I live, and even more specifically on the community of Sardis, where I teach at Sardis Elementary School. 

In most cases, I'll be focusing on Social Studies curriculum. I'll need to seek staff input on how to make other subjects include lessons on the Chilliwack/Sardis area.

In creating Place-Based Education lessons, I want to always be sure to add in these three key components:

A)  Art and design lessonsB)  Field trips out into nature, or to local community resourcesC)  Technology tools for researching, recording, and presenting        learning

The art and design component will include things like guided drawing, painting, drama, photography, page layout discussions, digital collaging, and so on. For field trips, we will ideally choose walking distance destinations (Sardis Park, Stó:lō Nation site) in order to cut down on bussing costs and environmental impact; for trips a little farther out, the goal should be to combine two or three locations into one all-day excursion (Rotary Vedder River Trail, Blue Heron Reserve, Cheam Wetlands). Before, during, and after the field trips, art should be created as a part of the learning process. The technology tools our students could use for learning and presenting include iPads and laptops to access internet research (plus text resources), and various apps such as HaikuDeck, Puppet, Piccollage, iBooks, ThingLink, etc.

   

                       

Things to consider as I move ahead...

Most of my personal teaching and ideas around Place-Based Education are specifically fitting in with the Social Studies curricula for various grades: I should eventually add Science, Math, etc; also look at integration of several subjects within one project.

Build on place-based successes already in my teaching repertoire, learn from and team up with other colleagues already doing PBE (purposefully, or not), and connect with and team up with anyone else interested on staff.

This final project should probably be presented as an iBook or HaikuDeck that links out to examples of Puppets, PicCollages, and ThingLinks showing the use of art/design lessons for place-based units in various subjects. Thus, my presentation becomes a showcase of the types of tools and ideas I'm advocating.

The final project almagamation will need to include references to materials I discovered throughout this course on the topics mentioned throughout this post.

Another think to think about is who I will present this vision for 21st Century learning to (beyond classmates) and how and when I'll do that. As part of my PLN online, with staff, with T-Ls...?

The circular and interconnected thinking process...

Now, in phase three of the course, I'm returning to the roots of my main interests explored at length in phase one of the course....

As usual, I like the big-picture approach, so I had a hard time separating out the different elements of Modules 10, 11, and 12 as I looked ahead--so, I planned them in tandem on paper...a bit of a linear mindmap (I always still rough my ideas out on paper in word doodles no matter how much I incorporate tech tools into my life). This is what it looks like:

Take-Aways: The Freebies of Exploratory Learning

So..Phase 2 of LIBE 477 is coming to an end. This means it's time to reflect on what I've learned over the past several weeks, and what I'll take away, what will stick with me....

I thoroughly enjoyed all the discussions from classmates on promoting reading culture within their school sites (or in the DL world). I now have some new ideas to add to my own repertoire.

I was amazed to find out just how much there is in terms of completely free online pro-d: from MOOCs, to self-paced courses, to webinars. As aside note, when attending the BCTLA Chapter Councillor meeting after the conference, I learned about a fabulous program of our association's: BCTLA Webinars in a series of four per year, for a $20 fee, plus free access to anybody to the archived sessions. Information about this year's series will be sent out via Chapter Councillors soon. The archives can be found here and/or here on the Youtube channel.

Furthermore, the number of amazing TL blogs with how-tos, and YouTube how-tos are an incredible resource in my own as-needed pro-d around Teacher-Librarianship.

Being "forced" to look into all of this stuff has been very beneficial.

Those online pro-d sources will become a sort of  Personal Learning Network--a PLN that goes beyond just attending Chilliwack Teacher-Librarian Association meetings every couple of months. Also, getting back into using Twitter and having a small group through this class to follow, having a small number of blogs to follow, and making connections to other Chapter Councillors will be the start of an ever-increasing PLN.

I was really impressed when researching and reading blog posts about world libraries, with how many different innovative groups and ways there were of bringing both text and digital libraries to people and remote communities throughout the developing world.

However, I think my biggest "take away" from this section of the course has been engaging my curiosity about just what is being done closer to home, here in Canada, about increasing library access to remote communities, and especially to our chronically under-served Aboriginal communities. I think that looking into this is going to become a bit of a mid-to-long-term goal. As I've said in comments on other blog posts from this course this week, we've all heard about deplorable infrastructure conditions on reserves, about water that is completely polluted, and so on, but I know from talking to at least one teacher who worked in northern Saskatchewan for 11 years that library resources there were almost nonexistent.

The study referenced by Jen Maclean in her blog post, Libraries in Developing Nations, will be a great starting point for me to branch out from: Aboriginal Peoples and Access to Reading Materials. I have a feeling we could direct much more attention and fundraising toward supporting access to Library resources (print and digital) within areas of our own country instead of only trying to fix problems outside our borders.

References

Bctf.ca,. 'BCTLA: Professional Development For Teacher-Librarians'. N.p., 2015. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.

Maclean, Jennifer. 'LIBE 477B Inquiry Blog #4: Libraries In Developing Nations'. Adventures of a Teacher-Librarian 2015. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.

National Reading Campaign,. Aboriginal Peoples And Access To Reading Materials. Osweken, ON: Stonepath Research Group, 2015. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.

YouTube,. 'BC Teacher-Librarians' Association'. N.p., 2015. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.