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Fans of baseball, football, and basketball, you all have something in common: it’s easy for you to tell what team is on the field, which one is off of it, and when players are changing their roles from offense to defense. In baseball, of course, three outs and the team at-bat retreats into the dugout, picks up its mitts, and trots back onto the field. In football, there are many variations and tricks of the trade. For example, a “hurry-up” offense is designed to move so quickly that the defense doesn’t have time to substitute fresh players onto the field. But in general, the exchange of players in our nation’s major sports is a slow and stately process that’s based on principles that kids learn when they first begin playing a particular game. There’s one sport, though, that’s totally different from the others—and I suspect it has a lesson to teach those of us in library land.

Unlike other sports, in hockey, players “change on the fly.” That is, a coach signals a group of players to jump onto the ice even as the others are whizzing off—the exchange happens in the middle of a play, as the puck is speeding down the ice. Hockey is such an exhausting sport that players only last a few minutes playing at full tilt, so a coach is constantly deliberating over whom to put in while trying to outguess the other coach’s moves. It’s a speeded-up, live chess match on ice.

I’m put in mind of hockey because of some recent developments in digital publishing. We’ve long known that Overdrive offers libraries subscriptions, rather than full ownership of books. Now Amazon has gotten into the act, offering its Prime members (who pay an annual fee) an ebook subscription. It strikes me that collection development is similar to the easy ebb and flow of offense and defense that I first described. A librarian knows her collection, sees where she needs to add titles, and from time to time, weeds those titles that have outlived their usefulness. But subscriptions are more like hockey.

In the digital subscription world, a librarian isn’t expecting her collection to remain the same for any length of time. She subscribes according to her current needs, knowing that the materials she has made available to today’s patrons may significantly change in the near future. For instance, she wants the latest and greatest of, say, news and financial databases. But in a subscription model, the constant churning and turnover isn’t just a matter of adhering to the latest dateline. A librarian may gain, or lose, an entire chunk of her collection as her subscription funding comes and goes, or as publishers’ digital policies change, or as patrons’ favorite digital devices shift.

What if we embrace a library model that’s part baseball and part hockey? What would such an arrangement look like? Print books, and some databases, would move in and out of the library at a leisurely pace, similar to ballplayers taking and leaving the field between innings. But digital subscriptions would constantly change on the fly: with new materials in, the old out, and the librarian playing the role of a highly tactical hockey coach, constantly matching ever-changing needs to ever-evolving resources. If that’s the case, the question isn’t “What do you own?” it’s “What do you need this very second?”

I can imagine a two-sport library, but there’s one caution. As you hockey fans well know, there’s one thing that can stop the rapid change of lines: when the game itself stops. The NHL and its players spent much of 2012 embroiled in a battle over money, and as a result, the players lost more than half of the current season. The one real danger in a subscription model is that it could break down totally and publishers could turn to some completely different plan. Well, if that happens, then librarian-coaches will just have to change partners and dance—on the fly.

Districts are using technology to innovate and change the ways students learn and teachers teach. For example, the Vancouver (WA) Public Schools have a roadmap for student learning that includes blended and online courses, Bring Your Own Device, 1:1 programs, and an increasing use of mobile devices by students, teachers, and administrators. We are not alone. Many districts are experimenting with similar initiatives, not to mention learning management systems and the increased use of digital resources in lieu of textbooks and library books.

Given this shift to mobile and personalized learning, teacher librarians must ante up for digital resources to meet the needs of students and teachers. As I look at the survey’s statistics on the use of ebooks and digital resources, I don’t see a widespread or sufficient commitment among school libraries. One of the highest levels of reported technology growth in the 2012 survey was the use of ebooks. Forty seven percent of respondents indicated usage with students and teachers, up from 31 percent in 2011. Additionally, 25 percent indicated that they planned to use ebooks in the next year. If those intentions translate to action, that would mean that in 2013, 72 percent of libraries would have and use ebooks.

But the willingness to play is not matched by a commitment to pay for these resources. When measuring ebooks as part of library collections, data reveals that digital titles remain more a novelty than a core resource. For those with ebooks in their libraries, the average number of titles owned was 265. And only 31 percent reported having reference or noncirculating ebooks in their collections. Many school library collections boast tens of thousands of print titles. This gap speaks for itself.

The survey also suggests that many libraries haven’t transitioned to online. A number of libraries fail to provide (or even provide access to) any digital information resources. Nine percent of school libraries indicated that they do not have a library website of any kind. Among those that do, one in five lacks links to electronic resources on that site. Despite an apparent two-fold increase from 2011, the number of teacher librarians who report using free Web-based resources in 2012 (78 percent), begs two questions: What were they using in 2011, and what are the others using? In many cases, it’s not a digital subscription: only 62 percent of teacher librarians report using digital subscriptions in 2012, up from 54 percent the previous year.

To use another poker analogy, school libraries have no choice but to be “all in” with ebooks, etexts, online databases, and digital resources. In my district and others, 1:1 programs now exist in which students are issued laptops or tablets, which they can use both at home and in school. In many cases, these initiatives include the use of learning management systems, online textbooks, and digital content that provides a wealth of information and content, often embedded in the courses themselves. For the first time, there’s no good reason for a print textbook. More ominously, there are also fewer reasons for a school library, especially one with only 265 ebooks. While we have strong libraries and teacher librarians throughout our district, our newest STEM magnet school opened last fall with no physical library and is currently without a teacher librarian.

Teacher librarians need to learn and master a new game. The knowledge and use of technology and digital resources must be ubiquitous, pervasive, effective, and thorough. The survey clearly demonstrates this is not happening. For every teacher librarian who uses a tablet computer, there are three who don’t. For every school librarian who uses Web 2.0 tools such as Edmodo, Diigo, and Pinterest, many colleagues do not. Aside from ebooks and subscription databases, most teacher librarians report that they play no role in purchasing or recommending purchase of technology for their schools.

Respondents listed several reasons why they haven’t embraced digital resources and educational technology in their libraries and schools—funding, training, and uncertainty. Vancouver has found ways to address these issues so that teacher librarians stay in the game, lead and support student learning, and align their school library programs with the strategic needs and direction of the district.

Funding. Everyone faces budgetary challenges. But teacher librarians have choices about where and how monies are spent. In Vancouver, our teacher librarians have begun several collaborative efforts to invest in ebooks, building on a longstanding district-wide suite of digital resources. There’s a conscious and coordinated effort to build and grow digital collections to support student learning. As iPads become more common, we are now seeking ways to leverage these tools to access ebooks and other online resources.

Training. Vancouver trains teacher librarians to be technology leaders in their schools. Now in its fifth year, this program has built valuable confidence and expertise so that teacher librarians are the first—rather than the last—to learn and adopt educational technologies. Teacher librarians have learned how to use Web 2.0 tools like Google Drive, Wallwisher, and Prezi to lead both building and district training efforts.

Uncertainty. As an early adopter of online resources and now ebooks, I understand the uncertainty associated with digital publishing. With competing platforms, vendors, and formats, there’s a chance of putting money on the table and being dealt a difficult hand. Despite that, I don’t think we have a choice. We’ve placed some bets on promising vendors knowing that our savvy populations require our collections to be mobile, digital, and relevant now, not next year.

As a longtime teacher librarian, I believe that we are perfectly poised to lead, teach, and support students and teachers in 21st-century schools. We have a small pile of chips in the form of information skills, systemic vision, and a longtime role as collaborators and educational leaders. But here’s the hand we’ve been dealt—our students, our teachers, and our schools are digital. And in many cases, our libraries, collections, and skills are not. The average age of survey respondents was 50 years old, meaning that like me, most of us knew libraries when the rules were different. The good news from the 2012 survey is that many teacher librarians are very much in the game. Now all us need to see that bet and raise it. Game on!

Mark Ray is the Vancouver (WA) Public Schools’ manager of instructional technology and library services and a former state teacher of the year.

Two School Library Journal articles took gold and silver prizes at the 2012 annual Eddie Awards, sponsored by FOLIO: magazine and recognizing editorial excellence in magazines and websites. The winners were announced at an awards ceremony in New York on November 14.

“Are Ebooks any Good?” by Lisa Guernsey, published in the June, 2011, issue, received the gold award in the Eddies’ “Business to Business, Government/Public Sector/Education, Single Article” category. Asking the question “Do digital books help young kids learn to read,or are they mostly fun and games?” Guernsey, director of the Early Education Initiative at the New America Foundation and author of Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time Affects Children from Birth to Age 5 (Basic Books, 2007) explored the pros and cons of ebook adaptation for early readers, as more and more schools turn to electronic materials for younger students.

The silver prize in the same category went to “The Bully in the Backpack” by former SLJ senior news and features editor Debra Lau Whelan. Subtitled “There’s no limit to the cruelty of bullies. Here’s what you can do,” the article featured individual accounts of cyberbullying, statistics, and suggestions for how to help the 25 to 85 percent of kids who are harassed online.

“We are just thrilled,” said SLJ editor-in-chief Rebecca T. Miller. “Both articles nimbly address challenging issues in changing times. To have the editors acknowledged by peers for what we already feel proud of is pure icing—but we love it!”

Picture books: On August 31, Candlewick launched a yearlong video celebration of picture books in honor of their 20th anniversary. Every day for 365 days, as part of the We Believe in Picture Books campaign, Candlewick will offer a video shot by authors, illustrators, staff, and friends, sharing what picture books mean to them, recommending a favorite story, and more. Librarians and teachers are welcome to post these videos on their own websites to share with students. You can also submit your own video to the publisher in which you informally talk about your favorite picture book, what the format means to you, or why it matters.

Pinterest Contest

Win an audio package: Califone International is encouraging educators to follow them on Pinterest and create their own board titled “Classroom AV Wish List,” in order to win tools for their classrooms. To enter the contest, educators have to repin one of four audio packages—portable PA, mobile and ELA learning, library, and clicker—from the Califone Pinterest contest board and then explain how the it will help enrich their classroom. One pin per contestant per week is permitted. Contest rules and submission requirements are featured on the Califone blog. Winners will determined by Califone based on creativity and effective use of audiovisual products. You have until September 24 to enter. Winners will be announced by October 5.

Buy One Get One Free

Ebooks: To celebrate Capstone’s expansion of its Interactive Library interactive ebook program, the publisher is offering customers the opportunity to buy one ebook and get another free. This fall Capstone is expanding its program to include more than 2,000 titles. The program has also improved its technology and is compatible with any PC, Mac, iPad, interactive white board, and any other device with high-speed Internet access. Kids can access Capstone’s interactive ebooks in school, at home, or on any mobile device 24/7. Hurry—this special promotion only runs until November 16. To place an order, customers should use the code “12CILBOGO.”

Careers in Library Service

Career opportunities: The Pratt Institute School of Information and Library Science (SILS) is offering students in their SILS program tuition scholarships and two semester internships at the Brooklyn Museum, the Frick Art Reference Library, and the New York Art Resources Consortium to prepare them for careers in museum libraries and archives. M-LEAD TWO (Museum Library Education and Digitization-Technology, Web, Online) is a three-year project that will give students hands-on experience—they will be able to work with research materials from these museum libraries and be mentored by the museums’ staff. Students will graduate with a master’s degree and an advanced certificate in museum libraries and will also get stipends for participating.

The project is funded by a grant of more than $261,000 from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the 2012 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program. “With a two-semester internship program and a focus on collection accessibility, the new project furthers our efforts to prepare students for careers as museum librarians and archivist and also advances a new model for museum library education for the 21st century, incorporating digital collections and services across the museum so that graduates are preparing to meet the challenges of museums in our global networked information environment,” noted Tula Giannini, dean of Pratt-SILS and project director.

The program, currently being beta tested in 20 schools, is expected to launch this fall and give school librarians access to more than 3,000 fiction and nonfiction titles from publishers such as Random House Children’s Books, Charlesbridge Publishing, and the Lerner Publishing Group, and include such titles as Mousetraps (Carolrhoda, 2008) to I Want to Do It Myself! (Anderson Press, 2011)

Membership to the Minneapolis-based service is free and schools only pay $1 per ebook when a student or teacher checks it out. The BrainHive account administrator—typically the librarian or principal—can delete any title from the collection at any time and add titles to create a custom collection that’s accessible only to individual students or groups. And there’s no need to worry about multiple users-each ebooks can be checked out simultaneously.

Strictly for school, rather than public libraries, new members start with credit for 10 free checkouts. The ebooks can be read on any web or mobile Internet browser on PC and Mac desktops and laptops. While you can’t read the books on a Kindle or Nook, a free ereader app is expected for the iPad at launch.

Through BrainHive, students can take notes on ebooks, as well as bookmark, search, and store each title within their own personal “Book Bag.” They’ll also be able to read the titles at school and from home-and all titles can be integrated with library catalogs using MARC records, placing them in the same catalog alongside existing print and ebook collection.

Schools have the option to buy the most popular titles on a multiuser basis, making any ebook purchased through Brain Hive a permanent part of a school library collection with no additional rental fees.

Teachers can create book clubs, recommend age appropriate reading lists and resources that complement assigned reading, and incorporate interactive white board lessons. Brian Hive ebooks also are aligned to the Common Core State Standards, STEM, and state standards for science and social studies.

Another bonus? Brain Hive collects data on usage trends to help librarians understand what books are being read, how often, and for how long, and it automatically emails the information to the account administrator. A report wizard also makes it easy to generate reports for any time period, with the information exported in excel or PDF format.

With library budgets on the decline, school librarians are trying different models when launching ebook libraries in their schools. BrainHive can supplement any set-up or give school librarians who haven’t started building their ebook collection a way to dip their toe in the digital ereader and ebook water.

“Schools desperately need creative thinking from the private sector, inventive business models, and affordable access to the best educational content for our students,” says Adam Lerner, President and Publisher of Lerner Publishing Group in a release. “As a 52-year publisher for the school library market, we are thrilled to offer our eBooks on BrainHive.”