Editorial
School Library Monthly/Volume XXVI, Number 10/June 2010
Gather a Few "Aha!" Moments
By Deborah D. Levitov
Riding on a shuttle recently in downtown Denver, I overheard a college-age student saying to his friend that it was too bad the concept of a mall wasn't meant to be a cultural mall with libraries, museums, and art galleries. Then he thought a minute and said that perhaps the 16th Street Mall in Denver was a cultural mall after all… just a different kind.
It is often difficult to switch perspectives, as this young man did as he considered the mall concept. The same difficulty exists in changing people's perceptions of school libraries. It is easy to retain outdated images that no longer meet today’s educational needs. It may be true that some school librarians have not yet considered the changes needed to make school libraries current, vibrant learning centers. But, often the problem lies in the fact that school infrastructures and the attitudes of decision-makers have not changed to support the shifts necessary to keep school libraries updated and moving forward.
The simple solution is to ignore what is necessary for school libraries to meet today's learning and information needs. It is easy to think technology has replaced libraries instead of investing the time, effort, and money to envision and create newly conceptualized school libraries. Instead, they are being sacrificed by decision-makers through budgets cuts and staffing reductions. As a result, school libraries serve as storage spaces for outdated resources, poor access, and are managed by non-professionals.
School libraries are in need of some dramatic "aha!" moments to keep them alive and evolving to meet present and future information and learning needs of students and instructional needs of teachers. Summer is a perfect time for school librarians to reenergize. In the ten issues of SLM (September 2009-June 2010), school librarians from across the country have contributed many great ideas that help conceptualize the changing school library. Perhaps by revisiting this volume, you can find at least one article in each issue that could provide an "aha!" moment to be used in the fall; an idea that will move the school library forward and change the perspective of a stakeholder.
Have a great summer and return in the fall with a stockpile of great ideas and renewed energy!