{"id":11443,"date":"2017-01-18T13:31:41","date_gmt":"2017-01-18T17:31:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/?p=11443"},"modified":"2017-01-18T16:47:14","modified_gmt":"2017-01-18T20:47:14","slug":"digital-access-to-library-resources","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/digital-access-to-library-resources\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital access to library resources"},"content":{"rendered":"

A case study in a 1:1 school<\/h1>\n

\"Screencast-o-maticOur small school is blessed to have an unusually large library space: nearly 3000 square feet. \u00a0Over the last eight years, there has been much refurbishment in our library, such as repainting and installing new carpet, new furnishings, ceiling, lights and window shades. Our library has become an attractive, much-used space by all ages, with an average of 600-700 materials circulating monthly.<\/p>\n

In a perfect world, this physical library space would be in the center of our school, not on a lower level two floors away from the middle school classrooms. \u00a0But with the integration of 1:1 tablet devices for all our middle school students, the distance between the physical library and these students has shortened considerably.<\/p>\n

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Overhauling a whole system with one app<\/h2>\n

\"digital<\/a>Now the middle school students can access the library on their own tablet \u00a0thanks to Follett\u2019s Destiny Quest App<\/a>, introduced about a year ago in my\u00a0Digital Learning class. \u00a0Not only does the Quest app give students \u00a0quick digital access to the library\u2019s catalog holdings, including newly cataloged additions and popular check-outs, \u00a0it also enables students to take responsibility for \u00a0their own library accounts. Overdue slips are no longer sent upstairs to middle school students. The app allows them to renew their books and put holds on books digitally, make lists of books they want to read, and rate and review books they have read.<\/p>\n

Integrating device use into\u00a0class time<\/h3>\n

Key to the success of helping students take charge of their own virtual library browsing and housekeeping is\u00a0the collaboration of Catherine Richards, our middle school Language Arts teacher. At least monthly, and sometimes more often, Mrs. Richards gives her students class time to check on their accounts and renew any overdues that they are still reading.<\/p>\n

\"digital<\/p>\n

This opportunity also jogs students\u2019 memories as to what materials are hiding in their lockers and need to be returned. Learning how to look after one\u2019s own middle school library account builds a highly transferrable skill set for navigating future high school, college and public library catalogs and \u00a0accounts.<\/p>\n

But what do students think?<\/h3>\n

Here\u2019s what some 8th grade students had to say early this school year about the utility of the Destiny Quest app:<\/p>\n