Should a School Library Still Buy a Print Encyclopedia?
Posted by: David Tyckoson
This is the first of several installments that answer questions asked at the Booklist webinar on 21st Century Reference Collections
Q: Two school librarians, one at an Ohio high school and one at a Connecticut elementary and middle school, each asked a version of the same question. Since we have access to an online encyclopedia, is it worth purchasing a print encyclopedia?
A: Call me old fashioned, but one source that I do believe that a library should own in print is a general encyclopedia. There are several reasons for this. First, a print encyclopedia (and it should be a different one from your online encyclopedia) provides a contrasting perspective for those seeking multiple sources. Second, a print set gives students experience looking up information “old school”. They learn how to use an index, find an entry, and get to learn the joy of browsing. Unless you have a computer for every student, it also gives them access to information when no computer is available. Finally, you can rotate the pruchase of a different set every few years. For most topics, including most of geography and history, an encyclopedia that is a few years old will be fine. There is great value in exposing students to print encyclopedias and I think that you will find a certain delight as students explore the print edition, which is very different than the exploration of the online version.
January 28th, 2010 at 6:35 am
I too agree there is no substitute for the experience the students get from searching for a topic in a book. It is a life skill that is needed. Very often in university courses, it is necessary to use sources from print and if they are not exposed to this in elementary and high school then they do not know where to begin their search. In the schools I work in, there are not enough computers for each student so they do use books as their main source. I think that the online resources available today are great and ever expanding as well!
January 28th, 2010 at 11:05 am
It certainly is a life skill that should not be missed. I work in three elementary school libraries and I agree that although print copies are expensive and are out of date in no time, they are so important. If a budget allows it, I think they should exist in every library.
February 11th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
I agree that browsing through a print encyclopedia is a very different experience than browsing online, and it is a life skill that all could benefit from. However, I fear that over time fewer and fewer people will feel this way. I just wonder if in 50 years, or even 25, library print reference collections will be dwindling away. Sadly, it might not be for us to say what media future generation will value and embrace.
February 12th, 2010 at 9:12 am
I am faced with this dilemma often. Every ONE of our kids from 3rd through 12th have a personal laptop (required) they have their textbooks and other materials on their laptops. We use drop boxes and file sharing instead of worksheets and printing. It is tough to convince them or administration that there is a need for printed materials such as encyclopedias. But, as much as it angst me to say, I believe they are correct in our situation. I teach my kids the skills, but they refuse to use them.
We have all but removed any print reference or Non-fiction from our high school library, there is no longer a need, unfortunately.
February 12th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
By having older sets of encyclopedias in the collection besides the new ones, you can allow the students to take them home too.
February 16th, 2010 at 8:02 pm
My students will only use print editions when there is no computer available. We have 3 different versions of Britannica online, in addition to other online resources we receive from our state. Since my book budget is small, I have chosen not to purchase a print encyclopedia for the last several years. I have used our funds to purchase books that the students will use on a regular basis.
February 20th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
In our district students in grades 6-12 who do not have an AUP are blocked from the internet and therefore our online encyclopedia and other resources. For these students we need have a print set of World Book along with the online version and will probably continue to do so.
October 7th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
I am in a high school and my newest set is from 2005. I know that is probably awful, but honestly, my budget is awful. It’s hard for me to want to buy something that my kids won’t use for that much money when we have World Book online and we need books that they will actually check out. I think in another district the kids might be willing to use them more, but in mine, they do not.
April 8th, 2011 at 8:09 am
I think a better way to answer the question is apply some archeology and observe what goes on in library environments where encyclopedias exist in online and off line format.
Sure, in situations where all students don’t have access to the internet, you can make a case. But regardless of the potential quality of the experience of flipping pages versus clicking a mouse, how much do hard copy sets actually get used when they are available?
If the usage rates cannot justify the expense, then that tells you plenty, regardless of what logic or intuition may provide.