3 Physical and digital resources

Having identified your stakeholders and their needs, it is important that the resources you provide – whether to support research, reading for pleasure, or teaching and learning – are relevant, current and accessible. Modern libraries offer a mix of book and non-book media in both physical and digital formats, including CDs and DVDs. Watch the video below in which Nick discusses the print versus digital debate and why both play an important role.

Download this video clip.Video player: Video 3

Show transcript | Hide transcript

Transcript: Video 3

NICK:

These days, students expect resources to be in a variety of formats. But it really boils down to print or digital. It can be hard if you only have print because the library might be viewed as old fashioned. But students still need to be familiar with handling books because they're still going to have to use them in everyday life. Not everything is online yet.

For print, it's good to have a broad collection, although more non-fiction is moving online. So in my library, I have fiction, non-fiction, and a reference collection, and some that cross boundaries too. You might also have a local history collection or even a school archive in your library. Depending on your budget, there are a variety of newspapers and magazines, including ones aimed at younger readers.

You should think about the needs of your school community as well and how the library can support them. Graphic novels are popular and accessible. And there are publishers that support students with dyslexia. It's important that you have books to support student's personal development as well, things that they can find in the library and access without necessarily having to ask for them. So you might have a well-being collection that deals with things like anxiety or bullying or an LGBT collection.

Online resources are growing. And there are ways in which you can take the library outside the physical space and make it accessible 24/7. As well as online textbooks, there are resources to support the A-level curriculum and online databases that are invaluable for the International Baccalaureate and the EPQ. There are also eBook and audiobook packages, which are great in supporting students who struggle to read standard text.

This also means students can borrow books from home even during the holidays. All of these online resources can be cataloged on your library management system or on your website, so they're easily accessible to students. Unfortunately, online resources can be expensive. So you need to budget carefully and make sure they're cost effective.

You could join a consortium with other schools or go through your local schools library service. Otherwise, be creative and promote alternatives. For example, more and more academic journals are now open access. And your local public library will offer eBooks, audiobooks, and online resources, which your students can access if they have their own library card.

So while books remain the key and most young people still prefer to read an actual book, it's about offering more resources and more ways to access information, so that you can support the whole school community.

End transcript: Video 3

Download

Video 3

It is essential that all resources offered through the library are accessible and, if possible, available in alternative formats. This is one of the major benefits of digital and online resources, which allow the use of a screen reader if needed. Making sure you have screen reader technology, as well as other assistive technologies, such as voice recognition software, available for students to use is an important consideration when looking at how to make your resources both accessible and inclusive. Some online and digital resources will be more accessible and user-friendly than others, so it is important to check before investing in them.

Digital resources are also beneficial because they provide 24/7 access and the ability to search for key words or phrases. Both of these elements make digital resources very convenient. However, many of them may not be affordable to all; as with all resources, the extent of your investment will be determined by your budget. Since you may not be able to purchase every resource on your wish list, it is important to think strategically about which resources offer the best value and provide the greatest benefit to the greatest number of people. You may also wish to use open-source resources to supplement your offering. These can be found freely available online and, when combined with podcasts and audio-visual materials, can help you create a wealth of digital resources, whatever your budget. For example, free e-books and audiobooks can be obtained from public libraries or websites such as Librivox and Project Gutenberg. Links to these resources can be embedded into your LMS or the school’s VLE. If you require help you should seek assistance from your school’s network manager.

It is usual for your library’s digital resources, whether for remote learning or reading for pleasure, to be accessed through your Library Management System (LMS) or your school’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will explore the subject of LMSs in greater detail in Session 3.