Thursday, November 17, 2011

children's input

I apologize in advance for this not being under the proper heading but in an attempt to 'get-ahead' on work (as if that is even possible lol) I'm posting wicked early:

So since I'm not planning on doing human research for my project I wanted to get into readings that were less technical and more enlightening in terms of realms of discourse I am unfamiliar with (I had to take a research ethics workshop in my undergrad due to a "research methods" for communication studies...) I ended up really enjoyed the Druin article, “what children can teach us,” mostly because I hadn’t ever dealt with ideas about children’s literature/libraries before

I think the article brings out a lot of innovative ways that we can change how things are searched/presented in the children’s section of the library.

First off, since researchers “reported that children suggested such search terms as “dinosaurs,” “dragons,” and “princesses,” children’s libraries can innovate and change to meet children’s needs by adopting different Boolean operators. I wonder how this would work: maybe research their search terms and input it into the system but have it be in a separate “kids search” section of the catalogue/website?

Secondly, based on the research finding “that children looked primarily at the book’s cover, pictures, and title when selecting books from a shelf and used these as selection criteria,” this suggests that children’s libraries could develop a different way of shelving these sections altogether. I envision rather than showing spines of a book, having frontal display units. I imagine that we would run into problems in terms of how much we could put on display but perhaps a rotation would peak kids’ interests in things other than what is hot/relevant?

It’s unfortunate that “despite children’s diverse and enthusiastic use of technology, they are a marginalized user group.” Reasons for this include: security reasons, impose restraints to achieve a uniform Web design, complexities of intellectual property and the rights of children to have access to information. I found the last one very interesting since things become even more complicated since when you add in the restrictions to access of information based on their age (for their protection) this can call in to question accessibility issues.

I’d like to finish off by playing Devil’s advocate (this will be a serious leap based on all the changes I’ve just suggested based on children’s inputs): the article states:

“The question of what materials are appropriate to be included in a collection is not new to librarians. What is new for digital collections is the diversity of materials that can be considered. Curatorial policies need to be reexamined in light of what is now possible in the digital realm… What has not changed is the concerns of children. Children still want more copies of books in better condition and more books for entertainment.”

Therefore, if children’s concerns are constant and are clearly outlined here, why do they need to be involved in the development of new digital libraries? Why don’t we get books in better condition and more books for entertainment? I’m sure there is a librarian with young children that can inform the collections development people what his/her kids are interested in based on what they see them doing (they may not even have to ask their kids!)…

The does article suggests a rebuttal and I Whole Heartedly agree BUT is it possible to not include them an still have a well-rounded kid’s section… ?

2 comments:

  1. This was great to read since it brought up a lot of questions. I have been working with kids between 5-21 (the later are sometimes just kid-like) for nine years and I frequently reform how I respond and understand them. What I have learned is that they often understand more than we give them credit for. I find we often write them out of conversations about them or even discuss them while they are around to hear with out allowing input. In other words, adults have a wonderful ability to remove the agency of the children.

    In regards to your question:

    "I wonder how this would work: maybe research their search terms and input it into the system but have it be in a separate “kids search” section of the catalogue/website?"

    I wonder if that separation is actually needed? But also if this is going to work the computers also have to accessible to the kids. Ie... low down and easy to access. Physical limitations are just as excluding as knowledge limitations.

    In terms of if a well rounded collection can come out of not asking children, I question if you can get a collection for a customer without knowing the customer. I wouldn't expect the children to be a monolithic crowd but rather a diverse group of interests. Perhaps I can make a beautiful collection for kids but it will be geared toward kids who like fantasy and history. The exploration of a customer is always needed, even if they are kids.

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  2. Coming from a background in anthropology, I am glad that this course has touched on ethics in human research. Often we take for granted that the researcher is in a privileged position in relation to the subjects of study just by nature of their authority to initiate research. The consequences of disclosing intimate information, the consent to be 'under observation' for the study, and the potential implications of the researcher's claims may all jeopardize the dignity, status or safety of the study participants. When it comes to disadvantaged populations like sex trade workers, people suffering from mental illness, gang activity, or other sensitive subjects, the claims could result in negative portrayals of those studied and prevent them from gaining access to supports that they need. When it comes to children, the responsibility of the researcher is to ensure that they are not disadvantaged or exploited in any way.

    For my study, I will be speaking with library professionals, so the balance of power will be quite equal. They will also be able to provide very reliable informed consent as a community of people who could also be in a position to conduct research of their own. As peers, they will also be able to actively contribute to any analysis and provide feedback on initial findings.

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