Collection Use: Effective Use of Audio and Video

Audio and video programs are found in library collections. They are often used teaching and learning environments. Audio and video technolgies are used to record events and presentations, to provide a record of what took place, what happened, or what was said. Students use the technologies to house and deliver their projects; sometimes they even post the finished product online. Educational and instructional programs are used in both audio and video formats. Audio and video programs are used to entertain, persuade, and inform viewers and listeners. Online videos are accessed and used. But before a program is acquired for the library collection or selected for a classroom, teachers, librarians, and teacher librarians should identify the intended audience, the purpose or need served, and the specific content of the program. Before classroom or public dispaly, someone needs to 'preview' the program - - watch and listen to see if it meets the intended purpose and is appropriate for the intended audience.

Whether you're debating the issue of feature films on video in the classroom, deciding whether to expand the music collection, or helping a parent select a quality video for their four-year-old, librarians are constantly dealing with issues related to the effective use of audio and video.

Pop in the CD and press play. Or, click on the video icon at a website. The use of audio and video seems easy until you consider the value of the activity. Audio and video can be entertaining, informative, and educational. However, they can also be biased, violent, and subversive.

Read the off-site article, The Uses (And Misuses) of Mass Media Resources In Secondary Schools by R. Hobbs (1999). Consider the findings of this study. Have things changed much today? What experiences have you had with the use and misuse of audio and video materials? What is the role of audio and video for children and young adults? What can and should libraries do to promote positive uses of media?

Explore the materials found at Podcasts from the Heart, a project of J. Todd, middle school teacher at Cary Academy in Cary, NC. LIsten to some of the podcasts - you will find both student-created podcasts and a teacher-created program.

Read the off-site article, Turn Up the Music with Digital Technologies (Dec. 2006) (Access requires login) by A. Lamb and L. Johnson, Teacher Librarian; 34(2), 55-58. Although focused toward schools and teacher librarians, much of the content is applicable in other library settings. Identify ways that music fit within a specific library setting. Think of ways that you could apply one or more of the article ideas.

Read the off-site articles, A Teacher's Tour of YouTube by C. O’Neal (Sept. 2006) at Edutopia and Using YouTube in the Classroom by B. Dyck (May 2007) at Education World®.