Modern school library in a single information space of the school (media library) Prepared by: Head of the library Bedova O.N.

Every parent wants their child to be successful in school. Often this depends precisely on the wealth of the school library. Therefore, it is important to find out what progress is being observed in librarianship at school?

The current state of affairs at school

Of course, many adults remember what textbooks and books they had in their childhood, while studying at school. Most often these were books that had seen a lot, with torn spines and pages falling out. Some blamed the students themselves for mishandling the books, while others looked up to see the government’s reaction. Actually, there has been no reaction yet.

Modern schoolchildren, with the incredible development of Russia at the moment, still use the same textbooks that previous generations had. Of course, the school curriculum changes regularly and changes are made to it, but this does not help the children in any way.

Many librarians testify that if a new textbook appears in the program, then 5-10 of them are provided to each school. A small number, taking into account that more than a hundred children are usually educated in one parallel. Therefore, in each class only one student will receive a new textbook. Most often, these are children from disadvantaged families who have absolutely no opportunity to purchase an educational book on their own. All other children, and, of course, parents, on the eve of the new school year, will need to purchase books.

By the way, the modern school library does not provide a very large selection of classical literature. Thus, it is not always possible to find works by classics such as Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy. Even if the library has the necessary literature, it is not enough for all the students.

Of course, this situation does not exist in all schools. In elite gymnasiums and educational institutions with additional state funding, everything is much better in this regard. Most often, in such libraries the books are new, and they are provided in the quantity that children need. In the provinces things are much worse. The fact is that often children cannot even find a book in the school literature curriculum.

What could this lead to in the future? To begin with, it is important to note that there is already a noticeable decline in the number of children reading. Many schoolchildren are so captivated by the Internet and its culture that enriching themselves with literary knowledge is of little concern to them. In addition, thanks to the distribution of various summaries on the Internet, a child may not even need to read the greatest works of literature, having learned about their meaning with the help of a couple of pages of text.

Further, due to the paucity of educational material provided to children, one may encounter a general decline in academic performance. This means that children simply will not feel the desire to learn from old and ugly literature, which is even unpleasant to pick up.

To change the current situation, not only the initiative coming from adults and teachers, but also the help of the state is needed. Still, with proper and equal funding, children in provincial schools will also be able to count on good textbooks.

The popularity of libraries is also decreasing due to the fact that computer teaching methods are gradually being introduced into teaching. In many schools, a tablet computer has become a mandatory subject that every child must have in class. Now you can easily download any student on the Internet and use it to study the material in class on a tablet computer. By all measures, the situation for Russian libraries is depressing.

Looking ahead to solving the problem

The school library today has a future if the government pays attention to it now.

So, for example, with decent funding for educational institutions, it will be possible to finally get rid of old books, buy new ones and make children happy with them. Of course, it is important that funding also reaches rural schools, where the situation is even worse than in cities. There, the situation is saved by teachers who bring their libraries to school or purchase the necessary literature at their own expense.

It is also very important that children are involved in working in the library. Many schools hold special lectures at the beginning of the school year in order to tell children how to work with a book, handle it, how to behave in the library? This helps not only to improve the child’s cultural education, but also to teach him how to properly handle printed matter. In this way, the life of the book and its service will be extended.

It may be worth making some regular contributions from parents in order to enrich the library fund. In this case, we can begin to reorganize the temple of knowledge within each school now, without waiting for help from the state. Of course, it is difficult to talk about the prospects for the development of library culture in the future, knowing that there is no progress towards this. If only the initiative of many teachers will push the Ministry of Education to change the current problem.

Every child deserves a decent and quality education. However, it is simply impossible to imagine something like this without books. It's time to realize that the library is an important part of the education of children throughout the country.

What makes a school library modern? Unimpeded access to the Internet? Fashionable, not boring design? All this, of course, is good and even necessary, but without a modern understanding of its functions, the library will remain a huge dusty “bookcase.”

All over the world, a librarian is the most respected, educated, erudite person. And the school library is not only an information office, but also a spiritually nourishing one. This is the heart, the brain of the school, this is a kind of psychological relief room, where it should be cozy and comfortable, light and beautiful. It should have all the best so that children are drawn to the library, and therefore receive a decent education and develop spiritually.
But in reality?

What should a school library be like?

The library (BIC), as well as classrooms, must have high-speed Internet, enough workstations (computers) and access to the Internet via a local network (or via wi-fi) for all users. Employees of this same BIC (librarians, specialists in reading, IT technologies) provide “information support for the educational activities of students and teaching staff on the basis of modern information technologies in the field of library services...”, and the BICs themselves should be “equipped with printed and electronic information and educational resources for all subjects of the curriculum...". And what is very important, in addition to educational, educational and methodological literature and “materials on all academic subjects and courses,” the school library fund in any media should be equipped with additional literature, including “domestic and foreign, classical and modern fiction; popular science and scientific and technical literature; publications on fine arts, music, physical culture and sports, ecology, rules of safe behavior on the roads; reference, bibliographic and periodical publications; collection of dictionaries; literature on social and professional self-determination of students.”

Well, the standard succinctly expresses the essence of what should correspond to the concept of a “modern school library.” Everything else should be reflected in regulatory documents that answer the questions of what and how much should be in an educational institution to ensure the declared educational standard.

What needs to be done so that a qualitatively new modern school library appears and takes root in a modern school?
In my opinion the following:

1. The school library is the most important part of the school infrastructure, the most important component of the pedagogical system of a general education institution. Without a good library, a school cannot implement its educational activities. The librarian should not be a “layer” between the teacher and the technical worker. It is necessary to introduce the qualification “librarian-teacher”. A librarian, like a teacher, teaches children smart, kind, eternal things, protects and develops the interests of students. The librarian needs to be given financial incentives; he should have a normal salary, and not the meager allowance that currently exists. At the state level there should be public recognition of the librarian. And the librarian himself must be a professional, a person who not only uses all forms and methods of traditional library activities, but also introduces innovations in his work. It is in the library that everything innovative can and should develop.

2. In recent years, all we have been talking about is that our children read little. CHILDREN READ. The question is: what are they reading? What can we give them given the poverty of our funds? Often, when visiting a library and seeing the squalor of the books, a child’s desire to visit it disappears. There are no books that would interest a child. Old, dirty, dilapidated, they repel him from the book in general. All this leads to the fact that children rarely visit libraries.

To successfully implement the ideas of the new standard, library collections must be equipped with printed and electronic information and educational resources for all subjects of the curriculum, as well as additional literature on all types of media.

3. All conditions must be created for working with information - this includes a sufficient number of computers, printers, scanning and duplicating devices for recording and processing information in various ways. Libraries should implement programs to automate library services for students.

4. The library should be provided not only with modern furniture and equipment, but also with consumables and stationery. The library premises must comply with sanitary and hygienic standards, have sufficient area and lighting. Creating such a comfortable library environment will certainly lead to interest not only in the library, but also in books.

5. And most importantly, school leaders should bear non-formal responsibility for the library - acquiring library collections and providing the library with everything necessary for work. In order to solve these problems, financial resources are needed, which the school does not have for the library. This means that librarians work on sheer enthusiasm, which leads to poor quality service for school students and does not meet the requirements for the results of the work of school libraries in the context of the implementation of plans.

There has been a lot of talk about the global crisis of libraries in the digital age, and, fortunately, over the last five years, these conversations have increasingly touched on real examples of overcoming the crisis. If in the general case we are talking about the fact that the library must be rebuilt in order to perform an educational function, then in the case of a school it is assigned pedagogical functions.

A library is not a huge bookcase, but a space with great potential for all-round personal development. The main thing is to reveal this potential. How to instill in modern children a love of reading? How to make the school environment more friendly, open and suitable for modern education? How to teach children information literacy? - these three questions, perhaps, describe the range of tasks that a modern school library faces...

When in the early 2000s the German public was alarmed by the crisis in education, as demonstrated by the PISA results, the Stiftung. Bertelsman developed the “Public Library and School” program. The fact is that in Germany not every school has its own library, and the PISA results showed “failures” precisely in those children’s skills that are related to reading. The Foundation’s program provides recommendations on how to use the capabilities of libraries to “improve” schoolchildren in their ability to read and search for information. For this it was proposed:

Recognize that information search skills are one of the basic ones, and the library is a place where these skills can and should be developed.
Create conditions so that teachers can teach librarians pedagogical techniques, and librarians can teach teachers the ability to work with information.
Consider the library as a space for individual education.

These basic recommendations show that the school library is a resource for solving problems that cannot always be accomplished in the classroom. If in classrooms children are guided to a greater or lesser extent by the teacher, then the library should create an environment in which the child can and wants to independently choose what and when to read, unobtrusively mastering the skills of independent work with information.

As for the love of reading, school libraries may need to decide on more daring experiments than literary and poetry evenings in renovated interiors.

School libraries and modernization of education: an attempt to understand the current state and some development trends

Sooner or later, every thinking librarian realizes the need for change, but does not always know how to approach it. It’s not enough to say to yourself: “I want change,” putting emphasis on the right word. I want - what changes? You can rearrange the furniture, or you can try to radically change life in the library.
This article is for those for whom rearranging furniture or even new books is no longer enough. With today's publication we begin a series that will continue in the fall. There will be time to think and say to yourself: “Forward!”

“Do you think I’m a scientist, a well-read person?”
“Of course,” answered Ji-gong. - Is not it so?"
“Not at all,” said Confucius.
- I just grabbed one thread,
which connects everything else"

Introduction

More than once, meetings with colleagues ended with the question: “I want to see my library as a strong modern information center.
Where to begin?" But really – why? What should be the basis for library development, what should be chosen as a strategic direction of activity?
Try, “briefly, in a nutshell,” answer...
Modernization and actualization of work, introduction of innovations, media libraries and non-traditional media – this scattering of fashionable topics is both incomprehensible and immense. It's time to understand the new trends and terms that have enveloped the educational and library spheres of activity, the unfamiliar words and the meaning hidden behind them. Let's start in order.

What do we want?

We want the school library to take its rightful place in the educational and information space.

How to do it?

Qualitative changes in the work of a school library can be achieved through the introduction and implementation of innovative projects.

What is innovation?

Currently, the development of innovation is becoming the dominant factor in the development of a society based on knowledge and technology.

This concept is firmly established in our lives and is most often associated with fundamental changes in activity. Is it really? Innovations (namely, this is the Russian analogue of the word “innovation”) vary in the depth of transformation, quality of execution and other characteristics. We will focus on one of the characteristics that will help determine the required degree of concentration of the new (how many innovations are necessary in given conditions). So, according to innovative potential stand out:

– radical (basic) innovations that involve the creation of a fundamentally new product, technology, and management methods;
– improving (modified), which complement the original principles, norms, forms of activity and are the most common;
– combinatorial, which use various combinations of innovations.

Based on the specific situation and the goals pursued, the most optimal and appropriate option is selected, and one or another type of transformation is used.
What should you pay special attention to, given the trends in the development of education? Here (as throughout the entire article) I would like to refer to one of the most authoritative opinions. A. Adamsky believes: “The priority of innovation is the establishment of new methods of management, special methods of supporting the new and, above all, a system for searching for cultural and educational initiatives and turning them into systemic projects" .

We will talk about the projects in more detail later - everything in order. And in order, before embarking on any transformations, it is necessary analysis of the current situation, main ideas and trends in the development of the professional community.

Part 1. Basic provisions and general development trends

Modern school library

Concretizing this concept involves understanding the dynamics and specifics of changes occurring in society.
The following should be taken into account basic provisions:

1. Informatization of society: causes and consequences.
2. Development trends and structure of professional (library) space.
3. Development trends and structure of the educational information space at school and beyond its walls.
4. Idea about the formation of information culture.

Let's take a closer look at some of these provisions.

Informatization of society

Informatization of society can be characterized as an organized socio-economic and scientific-technical process, during which optimal conditions are created for meeting information needs And implementation rights citizens, government bodies, local governments, organizations, public associations based on the formation and use of information resources.(Sorry for the long definition.) The material and technological basis for the informatization of society are various kinds of systems based on computer equipment and computer networks, information technology, and telecommunications.

General trends in library development

In my opinion, publications about the current state and development trends of libraries most often discuss technical innovations and the introduction of technologies, while this is more a consequence than the essence of transformations.
So what determines our today and tomorrow, what are the reasons for the changes that so persistently, sometimes almost against our desire, burst into everyday life?
First Deputy Director of the State Public Library for Science and Technology of Russia, Mr. Shreiberg, conducting an analysis modern trends in the development of library and information technologies, highlighted a number of basic provisions. Here are some of them:

1. Information society. The role of libraries in transforming society into a civil and information society.
2. Legal foundations in society and the role of libraries.
3. The Internet as a unified communication environment, which laid the foundation for new concepts and approaches in library automation and information exchange.
4. The new concept of the library must, firstly, be built and, secondly, the role of the “information component” must be strengthened in it, its independence and priority, and not secondary to the fund document.
5. Electronic information resources and electronic libraries. Determining the optimal interaction between traditional, automated and electronic libraries.
6. A new level of interlibrary interaction, cooperation and integration. Creation of corporate systems.
7. Increasing the role of educational activities.

These provisions must be taken into account when developing library development, including school libraries. Which we will do a little later, in the part of the material where we will talk about drawing up a modernization project.
So, we have sorted out the main directions of library development.
What is happening in education at this time?

General trends in the development of education

"Educational policy of Russia at the present stage."
It was in this document that the need was proclaimed modernization of the education system. Let me highlight some fragments:
“Modernization of education, building new educational models, must be carried out taking into account regional experience and local conditions for the development of education.”
“The necessary conditions for achieving a new, modern quality of general education are: ... state support school libraries as centers of information culture."
“It is important to expand opportunities to obtain information freely and quickly.”
“Accessibility, quality and efficiency are the key words of Russian educational policy at the present stage.”
School libraries are structural links of educational institutions, and, therefore, the modernization program is directly related to them.
The ongoing changes in education will certainly lead to an increase in the role of school libraries. It is necessary to take into account all the key directions of the new educational policy and plan library activities taking these provisions into account.

Information culture

The volume of information, an array of all kinds of data, global electronic networks require the ability to competently assess, select and purposefully use a variety of media. The formula “I know that” must be supplemented not only by the functional formula “I know how,” but also, above all, by the formula “I know where.” That is why it is so important today to develop schoolchildren’s ability to select and analyze information.
Information culture should become a unifying principle for the effective integration of technology into education. Library professionals and teachers who use technology are best equipped to help students, teachers, administrators, parents, and other school community members develop these skills. Library staff can become a key link in training users, contributing to the development and establishment of their information culture.
Having examined and taken into account the main ideas and leading trends in society, we move further - to develop our own strategic development plan.

Part 2. School library development strategy

Now we know what's going on around school library. It's time to pay attention to the library itself. And the most intense!
When starting to create new development programs, the following factors should be taken into account:

– The planned changes are a long process, and not a one-time event. The implementation of one project will entail the need to create the next, sometimes completely unexpected. Such a chain reaction is a completely natural course of development of the structure. “Movement is life,” say philosophers and doctors. And we agree with them, starting to create new library.

– The planned changes will directly or indirectly affect all aspects of activity libraries: from organizing work and introducing new technologies to relationships with colleagues, teachers, parents and administration. Don't expect to get away with a slight scare. Everything will be, as the classics said, seriously and for a long time.

– Changes are inevitable, I would even say inevitable, if it didn’t sound so doomed. Grant support for transformations should not be indispensable component. Figuratively speaking, it is not fate that depends on the presence and thickness of the wallet, but only speed transformations. The attitude towards the planned changes can be expressed as follows: “Regardless of whether the project is funded or not, we will develop and develop it.”

Initially, a modernization project can be prepared “inside” the library, or it can be part of a school-wide transformation program. In my opinion, both options will be viable. The differences in this case are determined by the creative level of the school staff and management, the quality of relations between the administration and the library, the degree of professional recognition and trust in the activities of the school library. Although, completely subjectively, the situation is closer to me when the library itself acts as the initiator of change and modernization, starting to build the entire structure of the educational space of the school “on its own.” Independent creative work seems to me preferable to “walking in the ranks,” even if this ranks are innovative.

Any innovation as a cycle has several stages:

1. The birth of innovation. Understanding the profession and oneself in it. Searching for a development idea and turning it into a concept, i.e. specification. Creating a project.
2.Mastering innovation. Project implementation, implementation, experiment.
3. Diffusion of innovation. Your activities serve as best practices for your colleagues.

Let's take a closer look at the process of birth of innovation. Step by step it looks like this:

– Awareness of the needs and opportunities for change. Let’s hope that we have already passed this stage, I would even say that we have suffered through it. We are convinced: we needed modern school library!

– Search and development of innovations. Having passed the stage psychological readiness for change, we must in theory comprehend the coming transformations. Let's start by defining goals and objectives modern school library:

Role and objectives (mission) of the school library

This provision should reflect both general development trends (which we discussed above) and the specifics of the activities of a given library. When formulating the mission of the library, it is worth highlighting:

– the main tasks of its activities;
– functional specialization;
– opportunity to interact with partners.

For example: “Providing potential and actual library users with open and free access to information for the purpose of development and information support for the processes of modernization of education.”
The mission is lofty, beautiful, but quite abstract.
It’s worth coming down to earth for a while to evaluate your real capabilities and the library’s resources. After all, all good intentions and the most wonderful goals can be realized only if there is a certain base.

When planning upcoming activities, we determine realistic prospects for the development of a particular library.
Library development involves targeted activities to qualitatively change library services and products, create new conditions and expand opportunities for users to access information.
Let's find out what we have for such transformations. So, in assets:

– regularly replenished fund;
– qualified library staff;
– support of the director and administration;
– the library development project will become an integral part of the innovative school development project;
– additional information resources (automated information library system and electronic catalogue; non-traditional media; audio, video library; Internet access);
- technical equipment;
– established partnerships in educational, library and other communities.

Analysis of the internal environment (in our case, a specific library) can be carried out using the SWOT method. What it is? Try to consider the activities of the library from four sides: S (strength) – strength; W (weak-ness) – weakness; O (opportunity) – opportunity; T (tendency) – tendency. Try filling out a table with these columns - get a clear picture of what you have.
When assessing the real situation, you should not give in to despondency. Yes, there are problems. And they need to be solved. Chronic pessimism, as well as clinical optimism, will not help here. A clear understanding of the situation is necessary to avoid mistakes and mistakes. Moreover, despite the difficulties, You should focus not on survival, but on development.

Searching for an idea and writing a library development project

When starting to create a project, we focus on the strengths of our library’s activities, on those areas that can be supported by real or potential developments.
Each of us has our own strong point, that fulcrum with the help of which, according to Archimedes, we can “turn the earth over.”
The practice of project work indicates that the emphasis in the development of libraries should be transferred from the internal library to the external, social sphere. The problem to solve which changes are being made should affect not only the internal organizational aspects of the library’s activities (salaries, staff shortages, reconstruction of the building, purchase of computers). When creating a library development project, you should focus primarily on solving social problems: access to information, ensuring equal opportunities in education, the need to develop certain services. The last point is especially relevant in light of the emerging trends of the new century. And these trends are such that service focus activities human development will actively develop and become a priority in the coming years. Let's try to find and open new opportunities for users, new services.
Having decided that what, how and when We intend to undertake, let's start creating the project.
(Why exactly project, you ask? Because it is project activities that have become widespread in school. Because project activities can be considered as one of the ways to implement the chosen development strategy. Because the project activity is quite specific, i.e. presupposes not only the presence of an idea, but also a mandatory final product - the result of the project.)
We have already talked about the depth of possible innovations. Project work, as a concrete embodiment of innovation, can be multi-level:

1. The school library works for its school, developing and implementing own project.
2. The school library is focused on cooperation with libraries of any profile, participates in library projects.
3. The school library is an active partner in educational projects, as it works with many schools and school libraries.
4. The school library works closely with other public institutions (museums, non-profit organizations, etc.), working on general projects.

Of course, another option is possible - complex.
Basics project content should provide:

1. System improvement collection information and formation of databases.
2. Development of paths distribution information and organization access to information resources.
3. Development of new information and consulting services for users and attracting new customers.

When choosing the optimal development strategy, it is worth taking into account the current state of the library, its resources, technical equipment, possible interactions with partners, and expected costs. It is necessary to take into account educational features of the school library, the unconditional specificity of its activities:

– information support for students;
– information support for teachers in educational, research activities, as well as information support for innovative processes in school;
– assistance in self-education and self-development of children and adults;
– pedagogical work of school library staff, since the school library is a participant in the educational and educational process.

It must be remembered that any project is created as a model specific library created according to needs and desires this school community. With the participation of this specificity, it is formulated objective of the project.
For example: “Development and provision of new information services to the general public, non-profit organizations, and individual structures.”
Based on the set goal, we determine the optimal project objectives. N.V. Zhadko identifies very clearly the necessary groups of tasks:

1. Strengthening library resources (equipment with computers, communications equipment, targeted additional staffing, training of personnel to work on the project).
2. Creation (purchase) of new products and services.
3. Organizing access to new information services for users.
4. Promotion of new information services to the consumer (advertising, information in the press).

Next we move on to compiling work plan. It should reflect the optimal sequence of work on the project, realistic deadlines, and sources of funds.
We will talk more about this in the next part of the material. To be continued…
See you in the fall.

Elena IVANOVA

List of materials used:

1. Castells M. Information era: economics, society and culture. – M.: State University Higher School of Economics, 2000. – P. 25.
2. School management, No. 29, 2001.
3. http:// www.infosgs.narod.ru/27.htm
4. Shrayberg Ya.L. Modern trends in the development of library and information technologies: annual report // Libraries and associations in a changing world: new technologies and new forms of cooperation: 8th international. conf. “Crimea-2001”: Proceedings of the conference – Sudak, 2001. – T. 1. – P. 9–11.
5. School management, No. 32, 2001, Anthology of developmental management. P. 6; School management, No. 33, 2001, Anthology of developmental management. S. 5.
6. Lenk H. Formation of a system-technological super-information society // In the book: Society and books: from Gutenberg to the Internet. – M.: Tradition, 2000. – P. 38.
7. Zhadko N.V. Project development of libraries. – M.: Elena, 2000. – 96 p.

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There has been a lot of talk about the global crisis of libraries in the digital age, and, fortunately, over the last five years, these conversations have increasingly touched on real examples of overcoming the crisis. You don’t have to look far for such examples: Moscow residents could already appreciate the “library revolution” of Boris Kupriyanov, a famous Russian book publisher and bookseller, whom officials called for help in order to save the capital’s district libraries from extinction.

Under the leadership of Boris Kupriyanov, some Moscow district libraries have turned into open public spaces where visitors can feel as free as in a cafe with a cup of coffee. The public gasped at the unusual design developed by a Dutch architectural bureau, and Boris Kupriyanov never tired of repeating in interviews that design is only the external side of the matter, the main thing is to change our attitude towards the functions of the library.

At one meeting with journalists in Irkutsk, Kupriyanov said that the library is intended to preserve not catalogues, but “that great practice that has accompanied humanity for seven thousand years” - reading. And the librarian carries out a cultural mission - in a sense, he teaches reading, demonstrating the potential and importance of this activity.

Boris Kupriyanov
publisher and publicist, co-founder of the Phalanster bookstore
The most important criterion for a librarian's professional suitability is not the ability to make high-quality bibliographic collections, but general culture, love of books and knowledge of literature. If a person knows library science by heart, but does not like books and readers, he is unsuitable for the profession. This is fundamentally important. Will you trust a pilot who hates flying? The library must go wild, literally and figuratively. Get out of your walls, offer new practices, new relationships.

The example of Moscow libraries was quickly adopted in other cities: St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Nizhnekamsk. Along with the visual change of space, such a simple solution as allowing readers to independently pick books from shelves was a real breakthrough.

If in the general case we are talking about the fact that the library must be rebuilt in order to perform an educational function, then in the case of a school it is assigned pedagogical functions.

How to instill in modern children a love of reading? How to make the school environment more friendly, open and suitable for modern education? How to teach children information literacy? - these three questions, perhaps, describe the range of tasks that a modern school library faces.

When in the early 2000s the German public was alarmed by the crisis in education, as demonstrated by the PISA results, the Stiftung. Bertelsman developed "Public Library and School". The fact is that in Germany not every school has its own library, and the PISA results showed “failures” precisely in those children’s skills that are related to reading. The Foundation’s program provides recommendations on how to use the capabilities of libraries to “improve” schoolchildren in their ability to read and search for information. For this it was proposed:

Recognize that information search skills are one of the basic ones, and the library is a place where these skills can and should be developed.
Create conditions so that teachers can teach librarians pedagogical techniques, and librarians can teach teachers the ability to work with information.
Consider the library as a space for individual education.

As for the love of reading, school libraries may need to decide on more daring experiments than literary and poetry evenings in renovated interiors. One of the most striking examples of such courage is reading for dogs, which is gaining popularity in libraries in different countries. Yes, yes, small children may not like to read, but almost everyone loves animals and agrees to read a book or two to their attentive four-legged friends.

12/04/2015, Fri, 11:25, Moscow time

Russian school libraries will be transformed into modern information centers that will propel the old library system into the new digital era. The modernization concept even involves an online game with a student career simulator. The transformations could open up new opportunities for domestic developers.

At the end of November 2015, the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, the Russian School Library Association (RSBA) and the Scientific Pedagogical Library named after. K.D. Ushinsky organized a discussion of the draft Concept for the development of a national network of information and library centers (ILC). By 2020, school libraries will be modernized and turned into information and learning centers of a new generation, where you can play, learn and communicate using the latest technologies.

The IBC development concept presents the school library as a public space with a collaborative work area, a media library and a knowledge base for students and teachers. Updated libraries with high-tech devices, upholstered furniture, a playground and free Wi-Fi should attract teachers and students and become a place where they can spend time interestingly and usefully.

In addition, as part of the modernization of the national network of information and library centers, for the first time in Russia, modern gaming technologies will be used to solve the complex problem of choosing a future profession. For this purpose, it is planned to create a special online game in which users will be able to try themselves in different professions, build a virtual career, acquire professional communication skills and collaboration on projects. Library staff will play a key role in this game.

Modernization and demands of the times

The learning process has changed a lot over the past 20 years. Schoolchildren learn not only at school, but also at home and in the process of communicating with peers. Information technologies are increasingly being used, primarily distance learning, Internet and mobile devices. Sometimes schoolchildren completely “disconnect” from the school ecosystem, preferring learning and communication outside of school. At the same time, students lack knowledge about the ethics of online communication, information evaluation and collaboration skills, which are very important for the future integration of young people into society and for a successful career. In most countries, there is a search for an optimal model of school education that could solve this problem without a negative bias towards complete control over the initiative and free time of children.

The computer and the Internet have become an important part of the educational process

Libraries play an important role in creating a welcoming and effective school ecosystem, and library staff are given leadership roles in learning and information management. At first glance, the Russian concept of IBC takes into account all these aspects. But can it help in adapting the existing school system to the new realities of the information age?

Online gaming - a special direction

A special place in the Development Concept of the National ILC Network is occupied by an online role-playing game, which will help schoolchildren choose a future profession and understand the principles of building a successful career. In the game, users will be able to choose different professions, study their features and gain game points in lessons, competitions and intellectual games.

Abroad, coworking areas are widely used for practical training.

The online game will be built on professional trajectories from real life. Similarities to gaming communities and missions will be interest groups and joint educational projects. At the same time, the library employee will become a “game master” and will help choose optimal scenarios and solve problems.

According to the head of the K.D. Ushinsky Library, this online project will combine play and learning. At the same time, for a library worker, the game can become a means of attracting schoolchildren to the library and one of the ways to build cooperation with teachers.

“Now both children and adults love to play online games,” notes Alexey Gabov. - In a game project for ILC, you can combine study with “leveling up” a character, and his development will be the development of the student himself. Additional “achievements” (achievements) and game bonuses can be obtained by completing assignments in class, participating in competitions, or simply reading books.”

Plot development is a matter of the future; it is difficult to name the time frame for implementation and the specific developer of the online game. Ideally, the project should have a majority of real key professions. This should be a full-fledged expandable game universe, in which there are entrepreneurs, civil servants, and social workers, the hiring process and a serious economy are simulated. Creating such a unique game is a long process, and this process is still at the conceptual design stage.

There are various simpler educational games in Russia and abroad. This area is actively developing, but for now it is game-based learning of some specific knowledge, that is, the acquisition of a separate educational module is translated into a game form.

Modern online role-playing games are popular among children and adults. Games like these can be used for learning

For example, there is a game called Classcraft abroad, but its emphasis is not on career guidance, rather than on classroom work. This is not a career simulator, but rather a variant of Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop role-playing games. The game's plot is based on completing homework, good behavior in class, and the like.

You can recall the game Minecraft, which is included in the compulsory educational program in Finland. Or Second Life, which is also used for education. Both are game universes, but in them education and career building are not the basis of the game plot.

Initiative and freedom

The concept of modernizing school libraries involves involving schoolchildren and teachers in independent learning and self-development using multimedia resources, the Internet and comfortable work areas.

Cataloging is a separate serious problem of school libraries, which is planned to be solved in the ILC

In modernized libraries, the teacher will be able to prepare materials for the lesson, study the latest techniques, and create a pedagogical portfolio for certification. Thanks to electronic services, it will be easier to test knowledge, accumulate and disseminate the most effective teaching methods.

For students, new libraries should become a place for communication and intellectual development, a platform where they can learn to apply knowledge in practice. At the same time, the entrance to the school library will be open to everyone, and not just schoolchildren. This also applies to cooperation with development funds, attracting funds from charitable organizations and individuals.

Some technologies cannot be used at home. Separate rooms can be provided for them in the library.

The authors of the ILC concept assign a special role to cooperation with developers and suppliers of high-tech educational products: virtual and augmented reality helmets, interactive whiteboards, etc. Mutually beneficial cooperation in this area opens up opportunities for all participants and will help quickly introduce new technologies into the educational process. Thus, information and library centers will become a platform for Russian IT companies to test and implement advanced developments.