New media, new opportunities? The developing role of the school library in teaching and learning

Abstract

Delivered at the International Association of School Librarians Annual Conference in July, 1995, at Worcester, UK, this paper comprises the 1995 Weston Woods Lecture. School libraries are facing tremendous changes in their operating context, particularly with regard to the impact of networked information resources for teaching and learning. The totality of information technology, including the Internet, television, CD‐ROM have created great opportunities. Using IT has become an essential element in school curricula. Links to other information providers, especially public libraries, are now being developed, while methods of accessing information are changing. The role of children in introducing IT within the home is also significant and IT in schools is becoming pervasive, from information to support planning through to classroom and library developments. Experience in the US, the UK, Australia and Canada has highlighted similar opportunities and also problems. Less developed countries have, however, lagged behind in developing IT in schools. The balance between old and new media, between books and IT, now has to be addressed worldwide. Ensuring that children are able to discriminate between information on the networks and within other sources remains an important role for librarians.