Cushing Academy has decided that the books in their library of 20,000 titles are too old fashioned and too bulky, so they are getting rid of them all! Instead they are replacing the library with only 18 Kindles (and Kindle type) readers!I did not see what their student population is, but my question for them is, what are you going to do for the 19th student to come in for a book?
And, is the man in the photo wondering the same thing?
The school web page prominently features links that ask for donations and has a book store, so the image projected is similar to a college: however, I am sure that there must be students who can not afford the $300 for a Kindle or the approximately $10 per title that continued commitment to using this type of device demands. Personally, I would reconsider donating money to a school with administrators who spend $12,000 on a cappuccino machine and think 18 Kindles can replace a library of books.
My son, who is finishing up a college degree, has recently purchased a Kindle because his school has made certain texts available as a download. The Kindle is a good option for him because the cost of the Kindle was essentially the same as buying the entire print version of the books; however, expecting k-12 student to provide their own texts will force the chasm between have and have-nots even wider.
One reason that I find this article so upsetting is that I have had students who don't have enough to eat on a regular basis. I see students whose parents have a hard time providing basic school supplies for their them, and if the lending library of books disappears, then classroom teachers and media specialists will have an even greater challenge of reaching these students. But more importantly, these students will have an even greater challenge of developing into readers and discerning users of information!
Don't get me wrong, I love technology, I love the idea of Kindles and would love to see every student have access to one of their own. On the other hand, I agree with Keith Michael Fiels (ALA), who said that the books ... won’t be digital until the e-reader can tolerate sand, coffee spills, and have unlimited power.
I will add to that by saying that when a Kindle can withstand the use and abuse of a child for at least a year, and the price is low enough that the parents (or more likely, the school) could replace the reader every time it fails, then and only can we consider limiting access to books!
Thanks for stopping by. I love to hear what you think, please leave a response!
Posts
