[R]Evolution in reading cultures: 2020 vision for school libraries.

Marsh, Mindie

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O'Connell, J., Bales, J. & Mitchell, P. (2015). [R]Evolution in reading cultures: 2020 vision for school libraries. The Australian Library Journal 64(3), 194-208. doi: 10.1080/00049670.2015.1048043

Talks about Australian Library and Information association goal/prediction that school libraries will be 50% digital content by 2020. Survey 50:50 by 2020 shows that this goal is not likely! Their schools show much more progress than American schools did in another survey, but there are still schools who have no eBooks and no plans to integrate them. Problems include lack of technology – devices, problems with programs – choosing a platform, and issues with infrastructure – website and wifi. Some school are resolving by allowing students to bring their own devices, but still few libraries are even going to make it to 20% of resources by 2020. 

Very interesting article about goals for integrating eBooks into schools at all levels. It discusses the pitfalls that are faced and that many of the librarians who are actually succeeding are receive no guidance. The Australian Library and Information Association seems to have written this goal and yet is providing no support to the librarians on the ground making it happen. Every single one of them has to write the policy from scratch for their school, choose all of the platforms and design ways for the students to access the content without any standards to go by. No wonder the goal is out of reach. At the same time I applaud them for setting goals, not just throwing up their hands and crying that it is hopeless. My daughter's STEM middle school has rights to state purchased eBooks, but no way for students to access them, and the library is run by volunteers under the guidance of the school's secretary.