Apps on laps: digital storytimes in public libraries in Aotearoa New Zealand
| Published date | 18 June 2018 |
| Date | 18 June 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-02-2017-0040 |
| Pages | 252-269 |
| Author | Anne Goulding,Mary Jane Shuker,John Dickie |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library technology,Information behaviour & retrieval,Information user studies,Metadata,Information & knowledge management,Information & communications technology,Internet |
Apps on laps: digital storytimes
in public libraries in Aotearoa
New Zealand
Anne Goulding
School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington,
Wellington, New Zealand, and
Mary Jane Shuker and John Dickie
Faculty of Education, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to report on a small, exploratory research project focusing on
librarian and parent/caregiver opinions of, and reactions to, the use of digital media and technology in public
library storytimes for preschool children in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Design/methodology/approach –Telephone interviews with librarians and an online survey of
parent/caregivers were undertaken.
Findings –The research found a mixed response to digital storytimes. Those who had not attended or
presented digital storytime sessions were largely opposed to the practice, while those who had participated in
a storytime using digital media generally held more positive views. Key concerns were focused on the
amount of screentime young children should have and a lack of human interaction. Supporters appreciated
the introduction of some basic digital literacy skills and the variety that technology could bring to
storytime sessions.
Research limitations/implications –Both samples were small and self-selecting. The use of an online
survey meant a bias in the sample toward those with access to appropriate information communication
technology as well as a self-selection bias.
Practical implications –The paper suggests some developments in practice and approach if librarians are
going to play the role of media mentors in their communities.
Originality/value –This is the first study focusing on the development of digital storytimes in Aotearoa
New Zealand and adds to knowledge and understanding of key stakeholder views of the inclusion of digital
media and technology in public library programming for young children.
Keywords Public libraries, New Zealand, Digital literacy, Children’s services, Digital storytimes,
Storytime programmes
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Storytimes in public libraries in Aotearoa New Zealand[1], as elsewhere around the world, rely
predominantly on print resources to engage and delight the children attending. The aims of
children’s storytime programs in public libraries are many and diverse. A keystated aim o fNorth
American programs, such as Every Child Ready to Read®[2] or Mother Goose on the Loose[3] for
example, is to introduce children to important pre-literacy and “school readiness”skills (Peterson
et al., 2012). In Aotearoa New Zealand, one study found that the librarians leading storytimes
were less concerned with practices that supported some of the more formal early reading skills,
focusing instead on techniques to increase children’s print motivation and engagement with
books (Goulding et al., 2017). New Zealand librarians were also keen to position the library as the
key institution in the community for families, and storytimes programs were considered a useful
wayofconnectingwithcaregiversandwha
̄
nau[4] in an accessible manner. Whatever the wider
goals of storytime programs, the sessions are overwhelmingly centered around books as their
overarching purpose is to introduce children to the world of books and reading.
Increasingly, though, public libraries are also considered key sites for the development
of digital literacy within their communities (Bertot et al., 2016). Indeed, the Strategic
Library Hi Tech
Vol. 36 No. 2, 2018
pp. 252-269
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0737-8831
DOI 10.1108/LHT-02-2017-0040
Received 13 February 2017
Revised 8 October 2017
Accepted 17 October 2017
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htm
252
LHT
36,2
Framework for public libraries in Aotearoa New Zealand (Public Libraries of New Zealand,
2012) acknowledges the impact that technology has had on public libraries and establishes
one of their reframed roles as “[f]ostering the joy of reading and supporting the development
of literacy in all its forms”(p. 22), explaining, “[t]here is a role for libraries in supporting
people to be confident in their technology use”(p. 23). This role could encompass young
children’s appropriate and safe use of information communication technology (ICT).
While no statistics on preschoolers’access to technology in Aotearoa New Zealand could be
found, a surveycovering 6-14-year olds found that 98per cent have access to TVs, 88 per cent
have a computer or laptopfor personal use, nearly three-quarters live in a home with at least
one tablet, and one in two use a smartphone (NZ on Air and BSA, 2015). These statistics
indicate widespread access to ICT in the home but there is also abundant evidence that
parents and caregivers are concerned about their children’s use of technology.
A survey from the USA found that parents were more concerned about what their
children may see on the internet than on TV or in movies and they also had concerns about
online bullying, contact with potential predators, and the viewing of sexually explicit
pictures (Bleakley et al., 2014). In New Zealand, Gerritsen et al. (2016) surveyed the time
spent in active playtime and screentime of three-to-four-year olds amongst four types of
early childhood education (ECE) services. They noted that there were perceptions that
TV/DVD and computer/touchscreen tablet use could affect children’s health due to
increased sedentary behaviors. Of interest, none of the 31 playcentres (parent-led early
childhood care and education) participating in the study used computers/touchscreen
tablets but there was no explanation as to why this was the case.
Bleakley et al. (2014) found that parental anxiety about the danger aspects of internet use
increased with the age of the children but while concerns about internet safety are mostly
focused on older children, the debate about the amount of screentime for very young
children continues. The American Academy of Pediatrics’(2016) policy statement advises:
“Avoid digital media use (except video-chatting) in children younger than 18 to 24 months”
(p. 3), although there are signs that this stance is softening as technology and media develop
(Reddy, 2015). In fact, the inclusion of digital media and devices in public library storytimes
can be viewed as acceptance that the formats through which we access material for reading
for pleasure are changing. Nevertheless, the advice remains that parents and caregivers
should be involved in children’s choice of content and mediate their use of technology.
Not all parents/caregivers may have the awareness or skills to do so, however, and may
appreciate guidance and support in how to interact with their children when using digital
devices and media.
The potential for librarians to play the role of “media mentors”for both young children
and their parents/caregivers is of growing interest in the librarianship literature
(Koester, 2015; Mills et al., 2015) but despite evidence that digital storytimes are on the
increase in Aotearoa New Zealand’s public libraries (Carter, 2015), there has been no
published work analyzing how widespread they are and the practices involved, nor has
there been research exploring the views of librarians and parents/caregivers on this
development in children’s programming. The study reported here aimed to fill this research
gap by identifying the extent to which public libraries in Aotearoa New Zealand have
introduced digital media into their preschool storytimes. The research also sought to explore
librarians’and parents/caregivers’opinions on the practice and this paper focuses on that
data: views of digital storytime programming.
Background and context
Young children and digital media
Marsh (2016) commented that as technology develops and extends into all areas of life in
developed countries, children inevitably develop a range of digital and new media literacy skills.
253
Digital
storytimes in
public libraries
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