Biggest Takeaway from SLIS 761

Over the course of this semester, I have learned about many new tools that will be useful in my future school library.  However, my biggest takeaway from this semester has been that information technology in school libraries is not an intimidating, unapproachable topic. Through reading my classmates' blog posts, I realized that technology is something that everyone can engage with and integrate into their school library programs. Creating blog posts for this class helped me to realize that there are many resources available to help school librarians and other educators with technology. Therefore, I do not have to reinvent the wheel in my school library. I also do not have to subscribe to every podcast, blog and Yountube channel. I simply need to stay connected to relevant and useful sources of information about school library technology as it applies to the grade levels at my school.

Makey Makey is one of the new tools that I learned about this semester. Image from makeymakey.com (https://makeymakey.com/products/makey-makey-kit)

I also realized that I do not have to enter the school library knowing everything about school library technology. Actually, this would be an impossible goal to complete. School library technology is always changing and there are always new aspects to existing technology that a librarian can discover. Resources such as Free Tech For Teachers appeal to all educators while Make Use Of collects new developments for those who want to stay up-to-date. The following video from Tech Fifteen is one of many short instructional clips that introduce online tools.

These are just a few of the tools that I found useful during the course of the semester. When combined, they led me to my big takeaway: you do not have to know how to code or be a self-described tech expert to successfully use technology in a school library. Previously, I thought of technology and digital tools as challenges that I was not prepared to tackle because I did not have specific training in web design, coding, programming or other specifical and technical aspects of digital tools. The activities and materials in this class, particularly the blog posts and responses, have helped me to understand that no one knows everything about technology. As school librarians, it is only our job to continue to be curious and open-minded as we search for new tools for our library programs.