The “Merits” of Encyclopedias: Hard Copy or Digital?

 LIBE 467 Assignment 1: Evaluation of a Reference Work

Abstract

When evaluating a reference resource for a grades 7 - 9 middle school, one must look closely at many different aspects of the resource, keeping in mind that the main goal of any resource is to answer questions (Riedling, 2013, p.21). There are very few resources in the reference section at KLO Middle School, and looking at the main source, Merit Students Encyclopedia, one would notice right away that it is almost 40 years old, making it a relic on the shelves. Upon a deeper dive, it is clear that there are many cultural biases, incorrect language, and much of the information does not connect to student interests or content areas of the curriculum. In short, it does not serve to answer questions. In order to update this reference source, two options are available: the physical copy of a new set of encyclopedias, or the digital option of an online encyclopedia. The online version seems to be the obvious choice as this version delivers accurate, timely content that matches BC curriculum, is available in 3 different reading levels, and in French. It is good for both educators and students, as it serves to answer their questions with both high recall and high precision (Riedling, 2013, p.110). The cost of this resource is the only sticking point, however the value of having high quality reference resources, as well as having reference sources available outside the library walls make the subscription costs worthwhile. 

Introduction

The reference section in the library learning commons at KLO is in need of attention. The entire collection consists of one set of encyclopedias from 1985, 5 dictionaries, one atlas, and 3 thesauri. The obvious starting point to improve the collection is to evaluate the encyclopedias to determine their current value, and then decide how best to replace the resource. The breadth of materials provided by encyclopedias is important in today’s landscape of learner agency, however the fact that print materials go out of date so quickly makes them a poor choice for our library. The goals of the reference collection are to improve information literacy (Asselin et al, 2006) and provide resources for students to use when answering inquiry questions (Riedling, 2013). The reference section of the library at KLO Middle does not adequately meet these goals.


Merit Students Encyclopedia

Evaluating this resource requires a deep look at its currency, relevancy, and connections to the curriculum, as well as its usefulness in regards to the clientele, including age, gender, ethnicity, reading abilities, and information needs (Riedling, 2013, p.17).  By using a rubric to evaluate this resource (see Appendix A), it can be seen that the resource is no longer needed in the library learning commons. It has irrelevant, outdated, and sometimes racist information. The resource is in great shape, however it does not add value to the collection in that it does not provide new perspectives and it does not account for different abilities or cultures without our classrooms. Since the reference section in the library is essential, as it is a place for students to land when they are first starting their inquiries, finding something to replace this resource must be done thoughtfully and methodically. 

Possible Replacement: Britannica School

Ann Riedling indicates that “encyclopedias remain essential reference sources for school libraries” (2013, p.71) as they can answer ready-reference questions. They are synoptic, helping the researcher find answers to specific questions and generate summaries based on the information found (Beaudry, 2022). However, the information found in print materials is often out of date even before it hits the school shelves, so looking at purchasing a digital encyclopedia is a better way to go for our library budget. Further, having an online reference source such as a digital encyclopedia will help improve the library’s digital resources, currency, and accessibility (the clientele can access the resources outside of library hours) to better meet the standards laid out in Achieving Information Literacy: Standards for School Library Programs in Canada (2006, pp 30, 32-33). Currently, the library at KLO is far below standards according to the measures in this document. BritannicaSCHOOL seems to meet all of the goals set out. It is current, relevant, and culturally sensitive. It has a variety of reading levels as well as a French language option, making it relevant to the clientele for our library. In fact, it checks all of the boxes that were missed with the current print copy, as seen in the rubric in Appendix B. BritannicaSCHOOL has high recall and high precision, is easy to navigate, and has video and picture options for differentiation. Finally, it is unique to our collection in that it is directly linked to the BC curriculum and is constantly updated to stay current and relevant. BritannicaSCHOOL is an essential replacement resource for our reference section in the library.


Conclusion

The reference section at Ecole KLO Middle School is far from meeting standards laid out in this country. It has very few materials, is only accessible within the library walls, and it is drastically outdated. The only form of encyclopedia we have is from 1985 and is no longer culturally acceptable or content relevant for 2023.  Replacing this resource with another physical copy does not make sense financially or ethically, as the materials printed within would be already irrelevant and the problem of access would still remain. Replacing our Merit Students Encyclopedia with an online resource such as BritannicaSCHOOL makes the most sense as it is relevant, consistently updated, and accessible from outside the library walls. Further, it meets the needs of diverse learners, including struggling readers, gifted students, and students from various cultural backgrounds. The cost is high, but the resource adds so much value to the collection, it is worth the subscription fee. Students, educators, and community members will benefit from this reference resource.



References


Asselin, M., Branch, J. L., & Oberg, D. (Eds.). (2006). Achieving Information Literacy: Standards for School Library Programs in Canada [Online]. CASL. http://accessola2.com/SLIC-Site/slic/ail110217.pdf

Beaudry, R. (2022) LIBE 467 Information Services: Lesson 1. UBC Canvas. https://canvas.ubc.ca/courses/108885/pages/lesson-1-introduction-to-theme-one?module_item_id=5310082

Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. (2023). Britannica School. Britannica Digital Learning. Retrieved February 4, 2023, from https://school.eb.com/?target=%2Flevels

Halsey, W. D., & Friedman, E. (Eds.). (1985). Merit Students Encyclopedia 1985. Cengage Gale.

Riedling, A. (2013). Reference Skills for School Library Media Specialists: Tools and Tips, 3rd Edition (3rd ed.). Linworth.


Please click on the images to see the document and links.

















Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Collaboration Centre: One Stop Shopping

Image
My Scenario: We all have a story.  My story so far is what has led me to make this website .  It’s a messy one with many ups and downs in leadership.  And it’s a long one, but I feel it all must be told in order to understand my vision. I have been working at my middle school for 7 years.  In the last 4 years I have been blessed with time built into my schedule to do what we call curricular support.  Basically, I work with teachers to co-plan, co-teach, and co-assess.  It’s a really sweet gig.  I work closely with my admin team of 3, and I support and help grow their vision, all of which is part of the role of a teacher librarian, according to From School Library to Library Learning Commons .  This year, in their strategic thinking (Eisenberg, 2002, p.48),  my school is focusing on student agency, so my focus will be on that.  However, last year’s focus was on assessment, so I also am honouring that as my colleagues are in all different ...
Read more

They Don't Know How to WHAT? The Case for Reference Materials

Image
I spend a lot of time in inquiry. My current school goal is around learner agency ; allowing students to choose what they want to learn is a big part of agency, and inquiry-based learning is a great way to organize this for students and teachers. As teacher-librarian, I help many colleagues build inquiry-based lessons so their students can achieve a sense of agency. Traditionally, almost all of this work has been around structure. Teachers are willing to jump if they know they have a landing place, and students still require structure as they build skills within the curricular and core competencies . The teachers and I co-teach critical literacy skills so they are thinking about what they are reading online, skills around analysis and synthesis, communication skills, and how to ask questions. These classes run well, the students are highly engaged, they learn new skills and progress in others, and they drive deeper into content as well. My favourite inquiry-based pedagogy comes from Ka...
Read more