Theme 3 Reflection

This last theme has me wondering about “old vs new.” My kids always ask me about what life was like when I was a kid or my parents or my 94-year-old grandma. The differences between myself and my parents' upbringing are not huge. However, when comparing my kids and my grandma, the differences are stark. 

My grandma was born in the final years of the Depression. She has experienced the Second World War, Trudeau Mania, the Civil Rights movements, etc. She became a mother at age 19, had 5 children in quick succession but chose to go to Teacher College because she wanted a career. She’s an accomplished cook and baker. She can sew, knit, crochet, scrapbook, can vegetables like no other. She probably learned to do those things early in life as radio and good conversation were the only source of entertainment. 

It makes me wonder about my own children. What skills do they have and how does their childhood compare to my grandma’s? I often hear my children complain that they are “bored”. It drives me crazy, but I do believe that it’s not entirely their fault. Are they growing up in the “entertain me” era? Are my kids so used to adult structured activities that they can’t think of how to entertain themselves? Is learning how to play becoming a skill that needs to be taught? 

I don’t have answers to these questions. I do, however, have some observations. My oldest (who is 9) is so adept at technology that I ask him regularly for help. If I asked him to find out information about a certain NHL player, he could use the internet like nobody’s business. He can find, evaluate, organize, use, and communicate information easily. He knows the difference between reliable and unreliable sources of information. Not bad for someone who refuses to learn how to tie his shoes. Don’t worry, it’s not “carte blanche” at our house when it comes technology. We try to balance of the use of technology with physical activity, helping with housework and family time. 

David Lee King’s ideas about a library’s touchpoints really resonated with me. “Libraries have a lot of touchpoints—many of them built-in and traditional. For example, when a customer visits a reference desk with a question, that’s a touchpoint. When a customer checks out a book at the circulation desk, that’s a touchpoint. When a customer enters your building? That’s another touchpoint.” (Guides & Events, 2022) Do our LLC’s touchpoints match our customer’s needs? 

I think the main difference between my grandma and my kids is that while my grandma’s generation was encouraged to “accept” information, my kids are learning how to evaluate it. This is an essential part of becoming information literate and a skill that can’t be overlooked. I find that a big part of my job has been learning to find the right reference to suit the student’s need. 

It is a work in progress and is ever evolving. Speaking of tools and touchpoints, I found this neat video from Google Education about searching for information using the right keywords.

Works Cited 

Guides, B., & Events, N. (2022). FEATURE - Exploring Library Engagement Platforms, Tools, and Techniques. Retrieved 11 March 2022, from https://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/mar22/King--Exploring-Library-Engagement-Platforms-Tools-and-Techniques.shtml