PARKERSBURG - As digital books and electronic readers gain popularity, educators are looking at whether student demand for digital materials warrants inclusion in school libraries.
Debbie Lamp, coordinator for media and technology for Wood County Schools, said electronic books, also known as e-books, have been a topic of discussion among school librarians.
"This time when they were doing their book orders, some people did order some e-books," Lamp said. "We are getting our feet wet."
Lamp said the cost of the books has made them less attractive to the librarians who operate on limited budgets each year. While she has left the purchasing of e-books up to individual librarians, Lamp also has asked those educators interested in the e-books to think about how the digital copies would be used.
"I asked them to have a plan before they began ordering," Lamp said. "They need to educate their staff and students on how they are used, have the right equipment to use them. They need to have a plan."
Susan Blake, library media specialist at Mineral Wells Elementary School, said she purchased e-books primarily for teachers.
"A lot of times the teachers try to share a print resource with the class and it is hard for everyone to see it," Blake said. "With the e-books (and reader technology) they can project it up on a screen and they can turn the book into an interactive book."
Blake said in that format, teachers are able to make notes, highlight words and passages, and better direct the class to specific concepts.
The Mineral Wells School program is still in its early phases, Blake said, with teachers still learning the technology and how to best use the books. Blake said all of the e-books ordered conform to specific lesson plans and curriculums for the classrooms, so she expects the digital texts to see wide use later this school year.
"I am anticipating this is going to be an awesome thing, and the teachers I've spoken to are really excited about the e-books," she said.
Brenda Brum, librarian for Parkersburg South High School, said so far the low student demand for such materials coupled with some not-so-obvious limitations have kept the e-books scarce in her library.
"We have looked at it and I've accidentally ordered a few of the digital books," she said, "but I've always canceled the order and instead ordered actual books."
Brum said the majority of students at the school have not requested digital books, and not many students own digital readers.
Brum also said the digital copies come with checkout restrictions that make them less optimal.
"Some of our students do have digital readers, but it's not enough to warrant ordering the books," she said. "Anyone can check out and read a physical copy. I haven't had a lot of requests for the digital copies."
The cost of the e-books, Brum said, is "comparable" with the price of physical copies.
Brum said if the price of the e-books was lower, or if a single e-book could be checked out by multiple students at the same time, she likely would reconsider.
"I try to get as much bang for the dollar when I order books," she said. "I always want to fill the need of reading, no matter what the medium."
