Jumping into new waters with floaties

We are in the process of ordering six Kindles. Not because we are going to throw out our books. Not because I believe Kindle is necessarily the way to go. Nobody can make that call at this point in time.

We are purchasing Kindles for two specific reasons:

1. To play in the digital device waters. To learn how to swim. How do we manage the titles? What is the impact on staff? How will we integrate this into our catalog and circulation system? How will our students respond? What does purchasing look like?
2. We have started a YA Galley Reading Group. Students can access digital YA galleys from NetGalley and respond on our newly minted YA Galley Group blog. Students are reviewing galleys and will be recommending titles for purchase. (The details of this incredibly exciting program will be coming.) There is a lot of discussion about galleys going paperless. Early reviewers will get digital copies, and by laying the groundwork now and getting Kindles into their hands our students will be well poised to jump into the digital water.

 There is no doubt in my mind we are on the right track. Take a look at this robust best seller reading list:
Most Downloaded Audiobooks and eBooks from the Library

Reading digitally requires us to re-think our definition of reading. There are new skills involved in this new world of reading, and school librarians need to be there to lead and teach our faculty and students. The accessibility features for people with reading disabilities are so exciting that we are morally obligated to do everything in our power to advocate for funding to provide digital reading devices for our students.

 It makes me think of one of my all time favorite school library quotes:

"In the nonstop tsunami of global information, librarians provide us with floaties and teach us to swim."
— Linton Weeks

Which brings us to the best Kindle "floatie" of them all! Thanks to Buffy Hamilton for sharing her process. Talk about a how-to manual! Buffy's blog The Unquiet Librarian must be considered required reading. Her recent post On the Eve of our Kindle Pilot made me clap my hands and dance a jig!

I am so excited about this new era for our school library, and will be sharing our process, our mistakes, and our successes.

Day 2 NaNoWriMo
(Not writing a novel. Using this as a prompt to blog daily for a month.)

Photo Credit:
Flickr Creative Commons 
The official start of swimming season has begun!

By rachel.plowman 

May 31, 2010