Digital Texts in Schools and Challenges

Wilson, Shibrie

Harris, C. (2012). Ebooks and School Libraries. American Libraries. Retrieved from http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2012/01/13/ebooks-and-school-libraries/

There is a constant struggle amongst school libraries to remain relevant with other libraries, such as academic and public. Many libraries adopt ebooks in an effort to replace print materials due to cost. For different materials certain materials such as reference materials are becoming accessible online. Many ebooks for reference materials are being changed in order to meet Common Cores State Standards. Different things being implemented such as maps, timelines, and primary-source documents. Schools have access to different publishers and vendors and these corporations are working diligently to provide "consortia-access pricing."The issue that schools are dealing with is finding programs in which provide bulk discounts on e-readers for school libraries, being that many things are sold individually. Students with special needs are also a dominant factor in consideration of ebooks in school libraries. Different things in which will accommodate students with special needs is that of "text-to-speech enhancement with read-along highlighting to students with a qualifying print or vessel disability." Some publishers are also providing materials for those who are have different reading levels. 

Opinion:

Ebooks is something continues to resurface in many blog topics. Can and will ebooks cause books to be obsolete to 21st century library? I do like the idea of ebooks benefiting students with special needs, and is something that I had not taken into consideration before. Purchasing ebooks in bulk is an issue and a reason in which the library in which I work at has an issue with purchasing such. 

Library services for youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Farmer, L. S. (2013). The Perspectives of a Public Library. Library services for youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders (pp. 191-205). Chicago: ALA.

In this chapter, the author describes how public libraries can alter their collection to support individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The author advises having materials on social skills within the collection and easily available to individuals with ASD. This chapter describes the experience of Lancaster Public library as it opens an Autism Resource Center in its library. The author explains that the librarians found themselves without the resources or knowledge to provide accurate information for the high volume of ASD-related questions. They Lancaster Public library created the center to assist families and individuals with ASD find information. They expanded their collection to include many journals and books on ASD. They also added materials to collections to assist individuals with ASD cope such as noise canceling headphones, weighted toys, and manipulatives. A professor at California State University Long Beach wrote this book. She is an experienced librarian, professor, teacher, and have worked in schools, public libraries, and academic libraries. This book is a well-researched detailed overview of the methods and approaches libraries can implement to assist individuals with ASD in their libraries. As the rate of ASD increases across the countries, across racial, and socioeconomic divides the importance of meeting the needs of this community has never more apparent.