The Jane Goodall of the Library

Review of Frances Jacobson Harris’s book I Found It on the Internet: Coming of Age Online. ALA, 2005.

Our professional literature is replete with how-to manuals for teaching with technology and running technology-based libraries. But we still must come to terms with the way kids perceive the world, a result of growing up with digital technology. They experience a ubiquitous connectedness that was impossible to imagine even ten years ago. By listening to teens and learning from their native perspectives, we stand a much better chance of harnessing the power of technology in ways that enhance core library services and systems. - Frances Harris

With the powers of observation of Diane Fossey and jane Goodall’s ability to inspire trust in the observed, Frances Harris describes in compelling detail, the habits, activity and culture of teenagers in their digital environment. Ostensibly written for librarians, the real audience for this book is any adult who works with teens or who makes policies related to their use of technology. It’s one of but a handful of books that will make my “must read” list this year.

Harris uses both numerous research studies and her own personal experience as a high school librarian to examine how and why teens use libraries and how technology is changing information access. A short primer of communication technologies is given with examples of the unique student uses that meet academic, social and developmental needs. (After reading this, I am convinced teens and adults blog pretty much for the same reasons, as much as we old people hate to admit it.) Harris examines the dark side of the force: the misuses, problems, and threats technology use entails. A last short section called “Next Steps,” outlines practical means for creating libraries teens will find relevant.

And it is all written in a personal, readable and often humorous voice. (I brought it on the airplane to help me fall asleep. Didn’t work. Dammit.)

Folks, libraries are the bell-weather of schools. What’s happening in libraries today will happen in your classroom tomorrow. If you want to stay relevant in kids’ lives, not just as a librarian, but as a teachers, parents, and policy makers, find and read I Found It on the Internet. You know who ask if you need help.

Quotable quotes from the book (stuff I wish I had said):

“Libraries become places to look for information other people want you to find, not for information that your yourself find intrinsically compelling or valuable.”

‘We are not facing an either-the-library-or-the-Internet dichotomy, a future in which the choices either belong to the Luddites or the technonerds. The Internet is now in the library and the library is in the Internet.”

‘In the act of contributing their own content, [teen’s] comprehension of the nature of other online content deepens.”

“I tire of two-camp dichotomy – the split between those who condemn ICTs outright and those who regard them as the great modern panacea. Such positions are neither helpful nor illuminating. Technology makes communications and other aspects of modern life different. Yes, some things are better and, yes, some things are worse, but mostly things are different.”

“From the teenage perspective, the Internet is a gateway to independence. From the parental perspective, the Internet is a morass of unknowns over which they have no control.”

“The Internet is a great public square. The values that inspired its creation do not discriminate among belief systems.”

“… it is relatively easy to find information on policies and acceptable use documents, on computer security and effective system administration, on filtering software issues, and on school discipline. My main interest lies in integrating the pedagogical approach, in learning how to give students the tools they need to make more thoughtful choices and to achieve a deeper understanding of the issues. Because teens use ICTs away from school, in unsupervised, unregulated environments, they need to learn to be their own filters, their own barometers of acceptable and intelligent use of the tools.”

“High standards of staff behavior are easy to mandate, but tricky to realize.”

“Today, librarians have the power to make the merger of information and communication technologies work for people in ways that are humane and enriching. Teenagers are our partners in this endeavor. They are the innovators whose imaginations we must value.”

Disclaimers:

1. Francie is a friend and colleague. But the book is still that good.
2. My own work is cited. But the book is still that good.
3. Any errors in the quotes are my typos. They are not in the book.

Comments

[John Pederson]

I want to be a librarian.

[Sara Kelly Johns]

It's the best job in the school...Good career move, John ;-)

(and GREAT book. Francey! Congrats, Sara)

[Christopher Harris]

Come join the fun. I am still working on finishing up my library degree to add to my instructional technology degree, but it is a blast already.

And Doug, many thanks for the book recomendation. It is now on order, and I can't wait to read it.

[Jacquie Henry]

I have just added the book to my next order. And.....along the lines of reaching kids by understanding the world they live it (not to mention the coffee bar discussions)....here is an article of interest:

Libraries lure students with lattés
From coffee to computers to slick database searches, the U is on the cutting edge of getting students back to the library.
<http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/5711623.html>

I sure would like to know more about the "the first Google-like search engine to help undergraduates search a large research library." Where can I sign up?

[Jacquie Henry]

Some more interesting reading..... For ideas on making our library catalogs as interesting as a blog - or at least as interesting as Amazon's reader reviews:

Internet Librarian Mentioned on Yahoo Blog
<http://www.librarystuff.net/2005/11/internet-librarian-mentioned-on-yahoo.html>

"Elsewhere, librarians discussed creating online library catalogs that allow patrons to tag, comment, review, share, recommend, and otherwise create a virtual community around records in the catalog. Imagine browsing through a library catalog and seeing other people's reviews or recommendations for similar items."

[Frances Jacobson Harris]

Ah, shucks, Doug, you slay me. Here I am, on my last night in Hawaii (not as exotic as Singapore, but about as good as it gets for a Midwesterner in November!), taking advantage of the wireless Internet access in my quaint motel lobby. After slogging through my e-mail, I allowed myself one blog to catch up on. Guess I picked the right one.

Your comments make me ready to jump on that plane tomorrow night. Thanks, Sara and co. as well!