http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/3356581.htm

http://www.globeandmail.ca/servlet/RTGAMArticleHTMLTemplate/C/20020529/wxlibr?hub=homeBN&tf=tgam%252Frealtime%252Ffullstory.html&cf=tgam/realtime/config-neutral&vg=BigAdVariableGenerator&slug=wxlibr&date=20020529&archive=RTGAM&site=Front&ad_page_name=breakingnews

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...Trot and Cap'n Bill were free from anxiety and care. Button-Bright never worried about anything. The Scarecrow, not being able to sleep, looked out of the window and tried to count the stars.

They might as well just eliminate the library from my old high school... back when I was a student there, I could count on one hand the number of times in a given year the students could visit the thing. You had a place where the teachers would very occasionally decide that the students needed a trip to the library, and if the students didn't need it, you'd spend the whole class period listening to a lecture, and doing classwork until the end of the period. There was no research time set aside in the school day at all, and if you were a bus rider, then forget after school visits too.

I agree with drexle. my High school library was the same way- it wasn't bad for a school library, but good luck finding time to go. Are you going to tell a teacher "can I skip your class to go do research in the library, since after all, we're not doing anything important today"?

school libraries are a relic from the time when there were actually "study halls" and "free periods". as such, I'm all for gutting them. it's like having a gym with free weights and a personal trainer that you can't use during gym class, but is nonetheless "there for you".

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When they invent BookFace, I'm -there-.

I once tried to burn down a school library.
actually I just burned one book but they said I was trying to burn it down.

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Batman created by Bob Kane

I actually wouldn't mind a return to things such as free periods during the day for students. Let the ones who want to actually do their school work do it and have the chance to do it right, and the ones who don't want to work probably aren't doing it in class or at home anyways, so how is an extra chunk of unstructured time set aside going to hurt for them?

As it stands though, Libraries in high schools are just dead weight... either work for a real solution towards incorporating them into the students' day, or take a wrecking ball to them. Either one would be a better idea than just letting them sit stagnant like they do.

Part of the problem is that school libraries are pretty limited in terms of size and resources. It would be interesting if they designed new schools such that the library is actually the public library as well (separate outside entrance, etc.). But that probably brings up all kinds of issues in terms of safety of the kids, etc.

Library use was definitely emphasized in my school (and we had the free periods to use it) but the town library had much better books, by an order of magnitude.

In reality, it probably makes sense to move toward online libraries. The technology is certainly there, it just a make it happen.

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...Trot and Cap'n Bill were free from anxiety and care. Button-Bright never worried about anything. The Scarecrow, not being able to sleep, looked out of the window and tried to count the stars.

http://www.cml.lib.oh.us/new/branches.cfm?branchid=298

The wish is granted. Long live Jambi.

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When they invent BookFace, I'm -there-.

Wow, very interesting. It's good to see they're trying something. Especially since taxpayer $$ pay for both schools and libraries. If they can get the boards to agree on something, that would be amazing.

My HS library was odd. They had an immense periodicals collection, about 6 shelves of regular books and two shelves of reference books. It's obvious every head librarian has a different idea.

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This is the day - Your life will surely change - This is the day - When things fall into place.