Recommendation 6 School libraries
Recommendation 6. We recommend that the Government consider how school libraries can be 21st century learning environments.
Comment: Libraries have a key role because they are a repository of many resources. With the move to ebooks they will be the provider of materials for both learning and recreation.
The issue of copyright management of eBooks needs resolution - libraries are sometimes restricted on how many times they can make an ebook available. The price of eBooks also needs examination – it appears to be excessive – one wonders if the price was lower the sales would be so much higher and so the returns to the copyright holder higher.
If the students have tablets/apads then all text books would be able to be replaced with ebooks - much lighter and readily distributed. Apple have already announced better editting tools - when can we simply insist that all such content is readable on the BYOD.
However libraries will need funding both for more content for adults and for staffing over prolonged hours.
