Networking CD‐ROMs: a mixed bag!
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb040583 |
| Published date | 01 April 1995 |
| Pages | 18-21 |
| Date | 01 April 1995 |
| Author | Anne‐Marie Tarter |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
Networking
CD-ROMs: a mixed
bag!
by Anne-Marie Tarter, Librarian, Ripon
Grammar School
The changes
in the
National Curriculum
have
meant that school libraries
do not
only have
to provide access
to
information
but
they
must
also consider the educational benefits
of
the way
in
which that information
is
presented.
This article demonstrates
how
one
school has
faced
this challenge
and
assesses
the
advantages
and
disadvantages
of
providing network access
to
CD-ROMs
for
developing independent learning
and IT
skills.
Background to Ripon Grammar
School Library
Ripon Grammar School is one of the few remain-
ing traditional grammar schools left in Britain
whose intake is based on academic selection. The
650 pupils, aged 11 to
18,
represent the top 30% of
the ability range as defined by examinations
administered to all local pupils at the age of
eleven. Traditionally the library was run by a
chartered librarian who administered a collection
of primarily book-based resources. In the past, the
majority of this book stock was aimed at the post
sixteen year old pupils.
In recent years, changes in the National Curricu-
lum have meant that pupils throughout the age
range are now being required to develop greater
independent learning skills. This change reflects
the fact that, as the growing range of information
technologies present pupils with ever greater
amounts of information, the ability to evaluate,
select and use information appropriately becomes
an essential skill. Unfortunately, the resources of
the library were insufficient to help all our pupils
to develop those skills.
Over the past three years, the task of improving the
library service has been set as a development
priority within the school. There have been dra-
matic changes in the library space
itself,
in the
provision of resources and, most importantly, in its
use by the entire school population. These changes
were facilitated by the appointment of a new
librarian and a new headmaster, both of whom had
a different vision of the kind of function that a
library should serve within the school. New library
policies were written which emphasised the impor-
tance of providing opportunities for pupils to
develop independent learning
skills.
The primary
aims were to provide an information resource centre
which would serve the entire school population and
to provide the pupils with the skills and opportuni-
ties to use the resources efficiently.
As the use of the library by pupils for independent
research increased, the demands for information
could not be met by the existing book stock. In
order to enable pupils to access up-to-date informa-
tion in a variety of formats, it was apparent that
some form of IT provision in the library was
needed.
Phase One: The need for CD-
ROMs in the library
Three years ago there were very few computers
outside the science department and the pupils' IT
skills were very poor. To tackle this problem, not
only did the IT curriculum need to be developed,
but pupils also needed experience of practical
applications for IT skills within their wider school
experience. By providing information in an auto-
mated format in the library, we hoped to give our
pupils greater experience in database searching.
Automating the existing library catalogue was
considered but, although it would ensure more
efficient use of the existing stock, it did not alter or
expand the restricted range of materials available
at the time. Given the limited budget of the library
the acquisition of information via online sources
was out of the question. The CD-ROM option
seemed to be more beneficial and cost effective as
it offered both significant stock development and
also an enhancement of
pupils'
IT provision.
In 1991 the school had purchased one workstation
with a CD-ROM drive for the library. Initially the
library provided three CD-ROMs: The Times 1990,
The Guardian 1991 and The Grolier Encyclopedia.
As the pupils had previously relied on a somewhat
haphazard clippings file for current material, the
18— VINE 101 (December 1995)
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