What Should a Library Be?

What do you think of when you think of a library? If you grew up at a certain time, you might envision something like this scene from The Music Man.

Most of you students have probably never seen that strange filing cabinet in the background. That's where the card catalog is stored (yes, for holding index cards). Ask your older teachers sometime how long it used to take to do research.

Actually, a lot of the things in the scene probably seem anachronistic. Even the books. Hot take: most of the information that we use is not stored in books. On a daily basis, if I am looking for information, I use Google. I don't go find an encyclopedia (even if I knew were to find one. I must admit, I do sometimes miss my family's old World Book and Childcraft sets). In fact, even the books that I do read are mostly on the Kindle. An ebook is:

Searchable
Portable
Readable in the dark
Able to change font size and style

According to Amazon, I own 490 ebooks. Plus, I can access thousands more from my library. What do we need all the physical books for? (We'll always need some books. I'll make a later post about that).

Like it or not, libraries in their traditional form are not the necessary part of a community that they once were. They must be (and increasingly are) more than just a repository for books. Librarians must be (and increasingly are) more than just someone who will check a book out to you.

As an example, I saw a great library this last weekend during one of our Adventure Time drives around Texas (it's a cool hobby; I'll explain it in a later post too). We ended up in Boerne, hoping to join in the Dickens Christmas festivities. Not only was it raining, but the crowds were huge (I don't like crowds). We stopped in at the Patrick Heath Public Library to let the storm pass and saw all kinds of great things.

Lots of green space

So much natural light

Inside and outside reading spaces

Another really cool feature is their Library of Things. You can check out board games, cooking supplies, or a metal detector!

Library of Things

They also have a packed calendar of events. Clubs, fitness classes, community parties, etc.

If you're in the area (and why wouldn't you be at some point. The Hill Country is awesome), you should stop by.

Of course, your own local library has a lot of these things as well. I'll always have a soft spot for the Round Rock Library. It has changed locations twice since I was a kid, but some of the employees are still there.

My mom used to take us on weekly fieldtrips there (she had a home daycare).

Comments

My Issues with Harry Potter: Part 4 - The Education System

Okay, maybe it's because I'm not British, but the education system in the Wizarding world makes very little sense to me (a teacher). Granted, the American system doesn't make sense to much of the rest of the world. Here in the US, we don't have college entrance exams, so I won't criticize things like OWLs or NEWTs. However, I am going to have to criticize the entire theory of education. Primary Schooling A Hogwarts letter arrives on a student's 11th birthday (sort of). What are the options for students before they are 11? Rowling says that they may either go to public schools or they are home schooled. It sure seems like most magical parents choose the latter option (most wizards know nothing of the Muggle world, which should not be the case if they attended public school for 6 years). Here we run into our first problem. What exactly are these children being taught? In the US (and from what I can tell, the UK), parents are not required to fol...

Analyzing Goertz Memes

I often find myself on the Savio meme pages. Let's take a look at a few: 1. Handbooks I do read it quite a bit. We do some massive updating each summer. 2. Airpods I'm an Android user myself. I do think of the Airpod memes everything students walk past me wearing their earbuds (against the handbook, by the way). 3. Caaaw! Dr. Garcia started the noise. I don't do it as well. 4. Let it Go Well, yes. I was the one with the microphone and tiara. 5. Blue Shirt/Gold Tie Thank you. I think I look pretty good as well. 6. Saturated Because one time I said that the grass was saturated with rainwater. 7. Lunch There's a lot of lunch memes about me. Yes, I walk up and join conversations. I'm a socially awkward person, but it's allowed when you are an administrator. 8. Doors If you go through the wrong doors, I will find you and I will stop you. 9. History I don't know. Also, apparently my name no longer has a Z. Alright! First post in years.

Mirabel's Gift

I'm sure you've seen Encanto . It was really big 3(ish) years ago. I remember because the current seniors were freshmen and wouldn't stop singing We Don't Talk about Bruno (watch this cool video about how the song works). I know this post seems a little late to the game, but I just finished watching Brooklyn 99 and how crazy is it that Stefanie Beatriz is the voice of Mirabel and Rosa ? Anyway, one of the things that feels most unfair about the movie is that Mirabel doesn't get a gift. Here's my take: Mirabel does have a gift. Extreme empathy. She can literally enter people's minds! Let's take a look at this. Really watch Mirabel in these songs: Talking with Luisa Talking with Pepa and Felix Talking with Abuela This is more than just normal song and dance fantasy numbers from musicals. She is entering into her family's thoughts and memories. She's an active participant in some of the scenes in their heads. This explains a whole lot: No one not...

Goertz Thoughts

Search This Blog