How do libraries fit into a postliterate society?
The Blue Skunk Blog has an interesting discussion going on. It started with this post, in which Doug Johnson defines postliterates as “those who can read, but chose to meet their primary information and recreational needs through audio, video, graphics and gaming.” He then suggests that, even though the term “postliterate library” seems like an oxymoron,
our best libraries are already postliterate, increasingly serving sets of users who communicate, recreate and learn using media other than print. And the attitude we as professional librarians adopt toward the postliterate may well determine whether our libraries continue to exist.
In part 2 of the discussion, Johnson lists 10 hallmarks of a postliterate library and touts librarians as leaders on the campus that can encourage the use of new technologies and resources.
Some very thought-provoking ideas here. What do you think?
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:48 am
Teaching and learning through alternative methods can be exciting and make print seem boring. However, most educational testing, such as TAKS, GRE, SAT, etc., requires students to read lengthy passages, comprehend the text, and respond in various ways, usually via old-fashioned pencil and paper. This is an acquired skill that can only be learned through practice. Libraries definitely need to respond to culture changes, but the percentage of print to “other” must be determined by the population served and monies available. There will always, in my opinion, be a need or desire for books. They’re inexpensive, highly portable, and generally don’t cause repetitive stress injuries! But I’m all for gaming during staff development. Bring it on.
October 3rd, 2008 at 9:30 am
Thanks for commenting! I agree – books will always be with us, but I think the demise of paper and pencil testing is eminent. Test such as the TeXes and the GRE are already given on a computer and TEA has mandated that online testing be in place in the next few years. It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out and how we can be a part of it.