BYOD and libraries

I enjoyed reading the posts on this topic by Lauren and Verna; I will try to add what I can.

BYOD, of course, stands for Bring Your Own Device.  In the library (and school library) context the devices in question are iPads, tablets, smartphones -- electronic devices that can search for information on the Internet and provide media objects (text, visual, audio). Doug Johnson, director of media and technology at a Minnesota school district, refers to these devices as having a library in one's pocket, and argues that they "call into question the need to traditional, print-oriented libraries, as well as traditional print-oriented teacher librarians."

My own personal observations on this phenomenon include

• in substitute teaching high school and middle school, I reckon 98 percent of students bring some sort of device with them
• 98 percent of the time, the devices are used for goofing off.  

I have seen some more productive work done with school-issued Chromebooks, including teachers using Google classroom for assignments and such.  (Johnson and Lagarde make a distinction between 1:1 programs in which the school district furnishes the electronic device,and BYOD, in which the family pays for it; BYOD might appeal to some as less costly to the district. However, the disruptive elements of this information technology seem to apply regardless of who is paying for the devices).  

According to Johnson, school librarians and those who staff them should get out in front of popularity and potential of electronic devices and make themselves "indispensable to school efforts in "giving all students continuous access to online resources."

One ramification of the goal of continuous network is the library's own wireless network. Johnson and Largarde contend that school libraries should include a robust wireless network infrastructure, ideally with enough bandwidth to support four devices per student. They also suggest that perhaps schools can create a separate wireless network for students and guests, keeping it separate from the computer network dealing with online gradebooks, payroll, library circulation, to minimize security risks.

Johnson explores other ramifications in a 2012 article first published in Library Media Connection, in which he calls for librarians to ask several questions about themselves and their school programs. These include

1. Do library rules help or hinder students in utilizing their mobile devices?  Johnson argues that libraries should not ban these devices, but rather encourage their use to to access information and etextbooks. It can also support their use by making sure their wireless connectivity is strong and battery charging be made convenient.
2. Does library staff have prompt and accurate answers to electronic device-related questions, including solving problems linking to the wireless network, program logins, and finding digital resources. Johnson argues that the library should become the default "go-to" place for such questions. l
3. Are library resources procured with their potential use by mobile computer devices in mind?Johnson argues that digital resources should be usable on a wide spectrum of large and small devices. 
4. Are library instructional programs and templates available on Google Docs or similar cloud programs, and do seminars by library staff teach students how to use their own devices to access library resources? 

Focusing on these and other questions, Johnson contends, will help libraries and librarians harness the power and popularity of electronic devices most students have to productive uses, and in the process ensure that libraries and librarians survive as a vital part of America's changing school and technology landscape,

Works Cited

Johnson, D. (2012). "BYOD to the library," Library Media Connection," August/September.

LaGarde, J., & Johnson, D. (2014). Why do I still need a library when I have one in my pocket? Teacher Librarian, 41(5), 40-44. Retrieved April 20, 2016.





[Chuck Norris picture taken from from Doug Johnson's Blue Skunk Blog at http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2012/11/7/byod-a-short-list-of-resources.html]