The Indian government has taken proactive steps to include Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education policy and curriculum. AI is now part of school learning under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and other initiatives. However, there are major gaps in its implementation. Educators and students are not receiving proper training or tools to use AI effectively. Instead of fostering hands-on or experiential learning, the focus is mainly on memorizing information about AI.
Another concern is the government’s emphasis on AI bias during elections while neglecting media literacy education. There are no structured programs to teach students how to critically evaluate information, assess credibility, or analyze truth from different perspectives. Even when facts are presented, they can be influenced by personal values, religious beliefs, and biases. Without a strong foundation in scientific methods of investigation, students lack the necessary skills to interpret AI-generated content effectively. India’s AI education has grand policies, but zero groundwork. Are schools faking it?
AI Policies in Indian Education
Key Educational Policies
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: The NEP highlights the importance of AI in education, aiming to build AI literacy among students. It promotes ethical considerations in AI use and encourages the integration of technology in classrooms. This policy seeks to ensure that students from different socio-economic backgrounds can access quality education through AI tools.
National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence: This strategy prioritizes AI in education and recommends curriculum changes to include AI-related subjects. It encourages adaptive learning technologies and predictive analytics to improve student learning. Additionally, it calls for a shift toward skill-based education, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, including Coding and other computer engineering content.
Govt Implementation Initiatives
AI as a Subject: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) introduced AI as an optional subject in 2019-2020. The curriculum is designed to give students a basic understanding of AI through activities and projects. As of 2022-2023, more than 386,000 students had enrolled in AI courses at the secondary level.
State-Level Programs: Several states are adopting AI curricula. Madhya Pradesh, for example, launched an AI course for students in class VIII and above in partnership with Microsoft. Similarly, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala have plans to introduce AI education in the coming years.
Truth in Schools
Despite the positive policy steps, what do you see in schools?
Lack of Hands-on Learning: AI is being taught as a theoretical subject rather than a practical skill. Students are not getting real-world exposure to AI tools.
Digital Divide: Many rural areas lack the infrastructure and internet connectivity needed for AI-based learning. This creates a gap in technology access.
Urban Schools: Why talk about rural areas lacking the infrastructure, when the urban schools have nothing to be proud of. No policy and no implementation. Plagiarism, still thrives in schools.
Limited Teacher Training: Educators need structured training programs to teach AI and integrate it into their teaching methods effectively. Currently, such programs are scarce and theoretical only.
Privacy Concerns: Student data collection raises serious ethical and security concerns. AI-driven educational tools need clear policies on data protection.
Use of Large Language Models (LLMs) in India
The Indian government emphasizes transparency and ethics in AI through policies, but a crucial question remains:
Especially when students are asked to memorize answers from guides, isn’t that a form of plagiarism? When students are expected to explain concepts in their own words, but instead regurgitate textbook answers.
Ethical Considerations recommended by the Government
1. Transparency and Accountability
AI-generated content should be clearly labeled with metadata so that users can distinguish between human-created and AI-generated materials.
Measures should be in place to detect and prevent bias, discrimination, and misinformation.
2. Data Privacy and Security
Heads of schools must protect user data and prevent misuse of sensitive information and do they have a policy in place?
3. Fairness and Inclusivity
AI models should be trained using diverse datasets to minimize biases and ensure equitable access to AI technology.
4. Preventing Misinformation and Bias
AI tools should not be used to manipulate public opinion, especially during elections. Platforms are encouraged to embed consent mechanisms to verify and correct inaccurate information.
Questions to ponder:
How do we ensure that AI technology is accessible to students, and if so, how?
Do schools have a policy and procedures to ensure student data is NOT being shared? (There is misuse of personal data leading to scams and theft)
How does the teacher apply this or teach this to the other adults and students in schools and colleges?
Do schools have a policy and curriculum to teach students about biases and AI-generated content?
How many schools have an academic integrity policy, and how is that policy shared with teachers, staff, and students?
Where is the learning? When will this reliance on rote memorization stop? What do students know about the use of LLMs?
What do teachers know about LLMs? Are they creating lesson plans for their growth and personal learning, or are they doing so to help students become relevant learners?
India is trying hard to integrate AI into education and regulate its ethical use. However, the current approach focuses more on policy than practical implementation.
For AI to truly benefit Indian students and society, a stronger emphasis is needed on:
Hands-on AI learning experiences.
Critical media literacy programs.
Teacher training in AI applications.
A scientific approach to evaluating information for adults and students.
Today, school libraries are much more than rooms filled with books. They are active learning spaces where students explore ideas, ask questions, and develop skills for life. An OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue) helps make this possible. It is an online tool that lets students, teachers, and librarians search for books and other resources easily. Just like a search engine for the library, an OPAC shows what is available, where to find it, and whether it is checked out or not. This simple tool saves time, improves access, and helps students become independent readers and researchers.
Why CBSE and Progressive Schools Should Use OPACs
Schools following CBSE, IB, or other progressive learning approaches encourage students to ask questions, explore topics deeply, and learn through projects. An OPAC supports this by letting students find books and digital resources on their own. It helps connect reading and research with what they are learning in the classroom. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 also talks about using technology to support learning, and having an OPAC in your library is a great way to do that. It makes the library more useful, more visible, and more connected to teaching and learning in your school.
Why ERP Systems Alone Are Not Enough
Many schools use ERP systems (Enterprise Resource Planning) to manage fees, attendance, and student records. Some of these systems have a small library module, but it is not enough. These modules only help with basic tasks like issuing or returning books. They do not support advanced library features like proper cataloguing, subject searches, or reading history. An OPAC system like Koha is made just for libraries—it gives better control, better reports, and helps students and teachers find the right resources. Relying only on ERP or Excel can hold the library back.
Koha vs ERP: A Simple Comparison
Feature
Koha Or another (Library System)
ERP System (Admin Software)
Made for Libraries?
Yes
No
Can users search books easily?
Yes, with filters (author, title, subject, etc.)
Limited or no search features
Supports full cataloguing?
Yes (with MARC, DDC, etc.)
Very basic
Helps with reading habits?
Yes, users can see history, write reviews, reserve books
Not available
Open-source / budget-friendly?
Yes (Koha and eGranthalaya are both free) or another OPAC
Mostly paid
Useful for NEP or IB schools?
Yes, supports research and inquiry learning
Not connected to teaching and learning
Simple Reasons to Move to OPACs like Koha or eGranthalaya
Students can search for books on their own—just like Google for the library.
Saves librarian time—no more manual work in Excel or registers.
Makes your library organized—catalogue by subject, author, series, etc.
Helps students with research and reading projects.
Accessible from anywhere—students can search even from home.
Great for small budgets—Koha and eGranthalaya are free and training comes with a small fee
Get useful reports—see popular books, overdue lists, and reading trends.
Professionalize your library—it shows your school is future-ready and serious about learning.
If you are starting out as a librarian, remember that learning these tools takes time, but they will make your work easier and your library stronger. Start small, ask for help, and take one step at a time. Tools like Koha, Libsys, eGranthalaya and other OPACs are used in schools, colleges, and even government libraries across India.
Over the past few months, I have been reflecting on the future of libraries in international schools. Insights from discussions with many international school librarians from the Middle East, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Korea, Japan, and India reveal how the librarians’ roles are changing slowly. Every library is unique in its roles and functions. Each institution’s leadership team, along with board members, shape the library’s vision. Many schools have restructured their libraries, renaming them as iCommons, Knowledge Hubs, Learning Commons, or Library Media Centers. This shift has also transformed the librarian’s role, aligning it closely with the school’s specific needs, making it a distinctive position. At the present time, librarians in International primary schools continue to serve students through stories, information literacy skills and the use of some LLM tools. In Secondary Schools, librarians support information and media literacy, research skills, ethical use of Gen-AI tools, co-teaching EAL, being an Extended Essay Coordinator (IB), being an advisor to students, supporting the CAS Program, and some are involved in the Career Pathways Program (IB), and some are Tech Coordinators. However, the landscape will continue to change & evolve; librarians once again will evolve to take on new roles and learn new skills.
Here is a brief description of my observations and research from the past year.
The Future of Libraries:
A shift toward digital resources, innovative services, and evolving roles characterizes the future of libraries. Libraries are transitioning from housing primarily physical books to offering more digital resources (Akeroyd, 2001). They continue to focus on providing access to information, digital literacy education, and personalized services (Norman, 2012; Pedersen, 2016). They are also expected to serve as communities, fostering collaboration and knowledge creation (Wałek, 2018). The library of the future continues to emphasize service, support, and knowledge management, but the kind of services librarians will offer will change. Support will vary, and knowledge management will include various large language models and data analysis.
The key question is: how will this transformation unfold?
1. Spaces for Co-Creation and Innovation
Libraries, increasingly envisioned as knowledge hubs or iCommons, will be vibrant spaces where individuals and communities co-create content. They will become centres for entrepreneurship and change-making. By leveraging advanced technologies, libraries are embracing community-oriented services, fostering creativity, and driving transformative learning.
Example:
The iCommons at Stanford University fosters cross-disciplinary collaboration, offering open spaces and cutting-edge technologies for ideation, creation, and knowledge-sharing (Stanford Libraries, 2023).
In these spaces, librarians will act as facilitators, supporting patrons with resources and expertise to turn their ideas into impactful projects.
2. Supporting Research and Digital Literacy
Libraries will continue to serve as gateways to credible information, providing access to research databases, journals, and academic tools. Librarians will play a critical role in educating users on digital literacy, emphasizing the ethical use of information, including AI-generated content. By equipping users with these skills, libraries empower them to produce credible, well-researched work.
Example:
The British Library’s Business Centre supports entrepreneurs and researchers in building business plans and conducting market research (British Library, 2023).
3. The Role of Primary School Librarians
Primary school librarians will continue to play a vital role in fostering a love for stories and reading. Beyond this, focus on collection development will be crucial in helping students build and explore their identities—cultural identity, gender identity, social-emotional well-being, or critical thinking skills. These foundations will prepare young learners for a world dominated by technology.
For upper primary school students, the library will serve as a space to develop digital literacy skills. These students will begin to learn how to navigate the digital landscape ethically while exploring the key values of ethics, respect, open-mindedness, acceptance, and a growth mindset. Librarians will support them in developing these traits to empower them as responsible, thoughtful global citizens.
4. Integrating Technology for Innovation
Technology will transform libraries into innovation hubs, incorporating AI tools, data visualization software, and interactive storytelling platforms to promote problem-solving and creative thinking.
Example:
The Idea Box at Oak Park Public Library offers an experimental space for users to explore new technologies and techniques for creative projects (Oak Park Public Library, 2023).
5. Libraries as Entrepreneurship Incubators
Libraries can play a key role in fostering entrepreneurship by providing mentorship programs, access to funding opportunities, and hosting networking events. By partnering with local businesses and organizations, libraries can help users transform innovative ideas into actionable ventures.
Example:
The Toronto Public Library’s Entrepreneur in Residence program connects aspiring entrepreneurs with experts for business development guidance (Toronto Public Library, 2023).
6. Building Community and Driving Social Change
Libraries can function as community hubs where individuals from diverse backgrounds collaborate to drive social change. By hosting hackathons, think tanks, and community projects, libraries foster collective problem-solving and innovation. They also provide resources to address global challenges like climate change and social inequality.
Example:
Aarhus Public Libraries in Denmark host the Global Goals Lab, engaging communities in workshops to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (Aarhus Public Libraries, 2023).
Conclusion
Libraries are evolving into multifaceted knowledge hubs representing the future of education, innovation, and social entrepreneurship. By fostering collaboration, embracing technology, and nurturing creative and entrepreneurial mindsets, libraries empower individuals to become changemakers. They bridge the gap between information and innovation, serving as vital academic and community development resources.
These spaces will be reimagined as Incubator Hubs, iCommons, or Knowledge Hubs—zones dedicated to creative thinking, collaborative learning, and innovative ventures. Services will range from grassroots media production to professional advice and educational programs supporting lifelong learning.
As libraries evolve, so too will the role of the librarian, who must adapt to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world by acquiring new skills and embracing their role as facilitators of transformative learning and innovation.
International IB Curriculum with diverse nationalities:
If your school serves a global nomadic community of children from different countries, then, for sure, your school management would have made the library the centre of the school’s academic program. International IB curriculum schools mainly use a multi-disciplinary approach, making it mandatory for the school to have a rich, dynamic library collection. The school’s senior management emphasizes that the library collection must include books, digital resources, and multimedia while ensuring that these materials are easily accessible to parents, teachers, and students. Not only should the resource library collections be high-quality, relevant, and engaging, but they should also have librarians who are well-informed about their school curriculum from a global perspective while being aware of the latest education trends and the changing reader’s tastes.
International IB Curriculum with an Indian Community:
A truly international school fosters intellectual and professional growth while ensuring that every citizen in the school is treated as a global citizen with respect and gratitude. When I started my journey, I began to learn and understand the needs of the international curriculum and why and how the library is the centre of an international curriculum. I soon realised that librarians are crucial in promoting literacy and encouraging lifelong learning through a rich and varied collection. An international curriculum with a large Indian community must balance Indian literature with international literature since a global/local connection is a big emphasis of the IB curriculum; UNESCO and the Indian curriculum too foster open-mindedness and inclusion.
How to manage sensitive issues in picture books?
Picture books are a child’s first introduction to complex topics such as diversity, family dynamics, death, and cultural differences. It is, therefore, essential for librarians to select materials that handle these subjects with care, accuracy, and empathy.
Parents often come in to browse and check out books from the library. One day, a parent walked up to me before the start of school, and she said, “My daughter brought this book home, and I wondered why you allowed her to check it out; she is only in grade 1, and this story talks about the grandparent dying?” My reply to the parent was that since her daughter picked up the book, it would be a perfect opportunity to first honour her voice and choice, and it would also be an ideal opportunity to discuss the life cycle of living things in the world. For example, every flower and every living animal die; where there is death, there is birth. Librarians, therefore, play a crucial role in identifying and curating these sensitive materials to ensure they contribute positively to a child’s development. Books that deal with death and grief are also prevalent, offering children ways to understand and cope with loss.
What I learned:
Sensitive issues in children’s picture books require careful handling due to their potential to evoke strong emotional responses or controversy. These topics can include subjects such as death, divorce, illness, cultural and racial diversity, gender identity, and socio-economic disparities. Some titles of books that deal with grief and death are Grief Is an Elephant by Tamara Ellis Smith, illustrated by Nancy Whitesides, Boo! When my sister died by Richa Jha, delicately deals about death; The Dead Bird by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Christian Robinson a powerful book about death and rituals. The sensitivity of these issues arises from their profound impact on children’s understanding of the world and their place within it. The responses are varied, depending on the culture and the family milieu they come from. These picture books give children the tools and vocabulary to process and understand complex emotions and realities without causing distress or confusion.
Common sensitive topics about different families in children’s literature:
In children’s literature, several sensitive topics are frequently addressed to help young readers navigate their emotions and experiences. Common topics like divorce, adoption, and non-traditional family structures are handled through well-crafted picture book stories. Sometimes Mama, Sometimes Papa by Nandini Nayar, illustrated by Upamanyu Bhattacharyya, is one such story, Two Homes by Claire Masure, and many more like these describe various types of family structures. I have had students talk about how cool it would be to have two houses like the story Sometimes Mama Sometimes Papa, although it may seem difficult to some children and exciting to others. Such stories become a great resource when discussing different types of families. Children begin to embrace various forms of families. Non-traditional family structure books include – We Belong Together: A Book About Adoption and Families by Todd Parr. A book that celebrates the diversity and joy of adoptive families. Ritu Weds Chandni by Ameya Narvankar, gives a glimpse into same-sex relationships.
What I learned:
Many children experience similar separations from their parents, and this book can help children comprehend, accept, and navigate their emotions. An open discussion of this book provides safety, normality, and a safe environment of trust and open communication. Stories like these evoke questions from different cultures, allowing families to discuss and explain their own family’s value systems to their children. Questions like: “Imagine a family with two dads. What activities do you think they might enjoy doing together?” OR “What do you think it’s like to have two mums in a family?” How might the experience of being adopted shape a person’s identity?” “How do Ritu and Chandni’s feelings for each other show that love is the same for everyone? Why is it important for everyone to have the right to marry the person they want as adults? These questions open the minds, create acceptance of various value systems and develop an empathetic understanding of our society. Question encourages children to see the universal nature of love, irrespective of gender, bias and hatred.
How do you handle culturally & racially diverse literature?
Cultural and racial diversity is a significant theme, aiming to foster inclusivity and respect for different backgrounds. Embracing and including titles of other races is important so that the students do not develop a mindset of Euro/American/ Caucasian superiority. Stories that delve into issues of disability and illness, both physical and mental, are explored to promote empathy and awareness. These days, gender identity is becoming prominent in the educational landscape. Since I come from an Indian mindset; I learn about gender identity and educated myself about it, creating a sense of unbiased opinion in my learning. Picture book stories support children in understanding and accepting diverse gender roles and identities. Along with selection, it is very necessary to have open discussions about these themes. Discussions with primary school students on questions like: “What steps can we take to ensure that everyone feels included and valued in our community? Especially children who might be differently abled than you? (For example, mentally and physically differently abled)”. “How can we celebrate and appreciate the unique qualities that each person brings to our group? (More in this article in the Hindu Newspaper)
What I learned:
Sensitive topics, including socioeconomic issues like poverty and homelessness, can be addressed with care, with the intent to raise awareness and encourage social responsibility. These problems are seen in all countries, whether they are first-world countries or not. Each topic requires careful story presentation to ensure it is accessible and appropriate for young readers while keeping one’s biases at bay. Picture books that describe poverty and homelessness can be discussed from the lens of all countries rather than only third-world countries. Bringing in UNESCO’s sustainable goals resources creates thinkers, who knows maybe one day, one of these students might find solutions to our world problems.
Importance of local cultural values:
For a holistic education approach, it is important that the library collection reflect diversity and house materials that reflect all cultures, languages, and ideas. It is pivotal to be sensitive while accurately and respectfully depicting different cultures, but how the books might be received by children from the same or other cultures is sometimes challenging. In my library, we have a few books on Islam Celebrations, describing the Islamic festivals and cultural habits. One student while browsing the collection – approached me with one of the books on Islam and said, “Ms Bhojwani, this book has inaccurate information and must be banned. He said, “This is not how we celebrate our festivals, and the names of the different prophets are not hierarchically correct.” Should I disqualify the book from the library collection? This led to a more significant discussion on the principles of Islam and the various sects within the Islam religion, and this book was one which had a different representatives since the Isam religion also has various sects & varied aspects of interpretation of Islam.
What I learned:
Open conversations and non-judgemental discussions lead to trust and respect, as well as an opportunity to evaluate and become reflective of one’s beliefs and values. I ensured I did not add my religious beliefs to the student. But, through a socrative style of questioning and discussion, the child could untie his thinking and share his understanding. The library is a place to have diverse viewpoints and thus encourage open & respectful conversations. This was possible because I learned that it is important for libraries to provide a wide variety of information. When I struggle with sensitive issues, I meet with the school counsellor or the academic coordinator to help me scaffold and untie my doubts and help facilitate my thinking.
How to handle diverse opinions and beliefs?
I once had a parent who insisted I withdraw all fairy tales from the collection because stories like Red Riding Hood created fear, Hansel and Gretel brought about feelings of animosity towards stepmother Cinderella, who did not have the courage to stand up for her rights, and so on and so forth. These popular stories have been carried out for centuries and have their place in the collection. It was important for me to explain the importance of these classic stories as literature and as a way to compare and contrast the present with the past. Use these classics to recreate stories that would be relevant in the present. It also good to remind children that these stories were earlier written for adults and not for children.
What I learned:
Sometimes, it is important to educate parents and children that everyone views the world differently, and a book is a medium for expressing the writer’s thoughts. Not everyone has to agree with their views, but it is important to have empathy and understand their feelings and thoughts from the writer’s perspective. After all, diverse thoughts and views lead to diverse cultures, and we must learn to respect everyone’s viewpoint.A reconsideration policy form (Details from the ALA is here) must be created, not precisely like the ALA but a revised version that meets the needs of your school. This helps provide fact-based evidence of creating open communication between parents and the education institute.
Indian diversity and values:
Our Indian Constitution believes in preserving diversity and promoting unity in diversity. In keeping with this ideology, it is essential that we share stories written by different ethnic authors with our students, as well as picture books that depict characteristics of different lifestyles. For example, stories like Paati’s Rasam by Janaki Sabesh & Dhwani Sabesh portray a relationship between a grandmother and a child in South India, Bumoni’s Banana Trees by Mita Bordoloi gives you a glimpse into Bumoni’s big backyard, outside the Kaziranga National Park, in North-East of India. We are the Dancing Forest by Raj Shekhar, illustrated by Venkat Shyam, inspired by an Adivasi song from Telangana and celebrating Gond’s art style.
What I learned:
Librarians must be vigilant about avoiding materials that perpetuate stereotypes or cultural inaccuracies, striving instead to build a collection that celebrates diversity and inclusivity. In a school environment, we must ensure that minds are exposed to new ideas and that diversity is appreciated. Culturally sensitive collections can help foster a sense of belonging among students, allowing them to see their own experiences reflected in the books they read. Furthermore, exposing students to different cultures through literature can promote empathy, understanding, and global awareness. One of the core characteristics of librarians is to expose students to a variety of cultural beliefs through folklore. Truly, emphasizing that books act as windows, mirrors and sliding doors.
Matured content or controversial literature:
Recently, Colleen Hoover’s books have become controversial in Indian Schools. Should we include them or not? I do have some mature content like the Twilight series and Colleen Hoover’s books, in my library collection; the signage next to these books indicates that they are for mature readers (suggesting they may have sensual content and graphic violence) These books also reflect real-life scenarios in the western world and universal themes that resonate with mature readers. Such stories can offer valuable insights into various aspects of life, relationships, and personal growth for children above the ages of 14 and 17 years. (Check out Readers’s Warehouse for understanding ratings)It all depends on the nature of your school’s values and mission. A conservative school value system may not encourage such literature, and as a librarian, you must respect it because the parents send their students to a specific school, knowing the vision and mission of the school. Some schools have questioned books by Sidney Sheldon. I believe his books show intricate character development and suspenseful storytelling. He often writes thrillers and mysteries that delve into the themes of power, ambition, betrayal, and revenge. His novels are fast-paced narratives with unexpected twists, keeping readers engaged from start to finish. Sheldon’s protagonists are usually strong, complex women who face significant challenges and adversaries, and his books often explore the darker aspects of human nature and society. The stories are set in glamorous, high-stakes environments, such as international business, politics, and the entertainment industry, adding an element of intrigue and sophistication.
What I learned:
It is crucial to balance the inclusion of such content with cultural sensitivity and appropriateness, ensuring that the library remains a resourceful and respectful space for all readers. I believe the school library caters to our teaching faculty and the parent adult community. Therefore, these books may be housed in the adult or high school collection. These novels entertain and offer insights into human behaviour and societal dynamics, making them appealing to a wide range of readers, including high school students. Every librarian must develop clear guidelines for collection development policies that provide criteria for selection materials and guidelines for sensitive issues. These policies are transparent and framed with input from administrators, curriculum coordinators, teachers, and parents. Effective communication is key to addressing parent’s concerns and fostering an understanding of the librarian’s role in promoting a balanced and inclusive collection.
Balancing the library collection, curriculum needs, and mission of the school and supporting the needs of the students and the community can be challenging and rewarding.
In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, the role of librarians has transcended the traditional boundaries of book management and information retrieval. These professionals are poised to become indispensable assets in the quest to empower students and enhance the overall academic experience.
Librarians as Multiskilled Individuals:
Librarians must be recognized as individuals with a diverse range of skills, ready to evolve and grow alongside the changing needs of schools. Beyond their expertise in managing library resources, they can:
1. Support Research Projects:
Librarians can guide students and teachers through complex research projects, providing valuable insights into information sources, data analysis, and effective research methodologies and working as partners in Students’ Research Projects including ethical use of AI tools as visibly stated in the AASL Standards.
2. Teach Design and Use of AI Tools
As artificial intelligence continues to shape the future of education, librarians can play a vital role in introducing and training students on the effective use of AI-powered tools for learning and productivity in partnership with teachers, as cited by Van Brummelen and all.
3. Teach EAL or Theory of Knowledge
According to L Carrol, Librarians can leverage their extensive knowledge and pedagogical skills to facilitate the teaching of English as an Additional Language (EAL) or the interdisciplinary subject of Theory of Knowledge, enriching the academic experience for students, as stated in the article, Librarians as Facilitators of Theory of Knowledgeas recommended by the IBO.
4. Run Enrichment Programs
Librarians can design and implement engaging enrichment programs based on the diverse interests of the student body, fostering a love for learning and cultivating well-rounded individuals, like publication centers, media creation centers, emotional wellbeing activities or more can be encouraged and supported by the school administration.
Reasons Why School Heads May Not Share This Perspective
Despite the clear benefits of librarians as multifaceted professionals, some school heads may not fully embrace this vision. This reluctance can be attributed to several factors:
1. Lack of Understanding:
Some school leaders may have a limited understanding of the evolving role of librarians in modern educational settings, viewing them primarily as custodians of books rather than as strategic partners in academic advancement, as stated by Principal Scott Back in the Knowledge Quest post.
2. Budgetary Constraints
School budgets are often stretched thin, and investing in the professional development and expanded responsibilities of librarians may not be a top priority for some administrators.
3. Resistance to Change:
Implementing a new paradigm of librarian roles can be perceived as a significant organizational change, which some school heads may be hesitant to embrace due to a preference for maintaining established practices.
4. Scarce Evidence
While there is growing research highlighting the positive impact of librarians’ expanded roles, some school leaders may require more concrete evidence and case studies to fully recognize the potential of this approach.
By addressing these concerns and advocating for the multifaceted nature of librarians, school leaders can unlock a world of possibilities for their institutions, empowering both students and teachers to thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of education.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is used in many aspects of our daily lives, often without us even realizing it. Here are a few examples of how AI is used in everyday life:
Virtual assistants, such as Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa, use AI to understand and respond to voice commands.
Email spam filters use AI to identify and block unwanted messages.
Many social media platforms use AI to personalize the content that users see in their feeds.
Uber and Ola use AI to route vehicles and calculate estimated times of arrival.
Online retailers use AI to suggest products, that’s AI
Many banks and financial institutions use AI to detect and prevent fraud.
When you add your query on Google Search bar, it prompts you with recommendations – that is AI
Grammarly and Microsoft use AI to predict words, phrases and checks your grammar.
When you ask a query on products, railway bookings and others you have a chatbot that is AI
Netflix and other video content make recommendations to you, that are governed by AI.
Voice recognition on phones uses AI.
What is AI?
AI has entered our lives. So what is AI? AI, or artificial intelligence, is the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think and act like humans. These machines can be designed to mimic the way a human would think, learn, and make decisions. Some examples of AI include virtual assistants, such as Siri or Alexa, and self-driving cars. AI is an interdisciplinary field that combines computer science, psychology, philosophy, and many other fields to create intelligent machines.
It is a large language model trained by OpenAI to assist with answering questions and providing information on a wide range of topics. So, let’s just not watch technology pass by without capitalizing on it’s positive uses and use it to problem solve and build creativity.
Can AI replace Google?
As a large language model trained by OpenAI. It is not able to replace Google or any other search engine. The purpose of Artificial Intelligence models is to assist with answering questions and providing information on a wide range of topics. It does not have the ability to browse the internet or index webpages like a search engine does. It is a tool that can be used to help with research and learning, but it is not a replacement for a search engine.
Are all answers provided by Open AI accurate?
As a large language model trained by OpenAI, it is designed to provide accurate and reliable information on various topics. However, it is not able to provide the most up-to-date information because the data has a fixed cutoff point. In addition, it is not able to verify the accuracy of the information it provides because it does not have the ability to browse the internet or access new information. It is always a good idea to double-check the information it provides from many reliable sources.
Try this out by signing up with: https://chat.openai.com/
Please note – this blogpost was created with the help of ChatopenAI in less than 10 minutes.
How can Librarians use AI?
Librarians can use it to
Generate ideas
Brainstorm topics
Provide a quick overview of a topic to our patrons
Find a way to simplify complex concepts and explain them in simple ways.
These images were created in less than 5 minutes on DALL-E https://labs.openai.com/
Theme: Collaboration – Key to Student Success Day, Date & Time: Saturday, 3rd December 2022 – 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM IST Location: American School of Bombay, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai
No one is excellent at their jobs or professions; we are all evolving. When you look at a successful librarian or teacher, this is because they have extensively been learning and working continuously towards building their skills or learning for a long time and embodying the principle of lifelong learning.
The professional world is competitive, and job profile needs are changing. Therefore continuous learning and professional development are essential for growth and success in your career goal. Technology and best practices are evolving and, therefore, crucial for both new and experienced librarians or teachers.
Technologies, best practices, and pedagogies are evolving and progressing in every industry, making it crucial for new and experienced professionals to continue developing their skills and honing their knowledge. Librarians have evolved into Information and Media Specialists, Media Specialists, Library Specialists, iCommons Specialists, Information & Technology Specialists, and many other new titles.
Primary School Librarians have evolved from simple read-aloud to interactive read-aloud strategies for deeper comprehension while creating a love for reading. Librarians are now learning, teaching & using technology tools and teaching information and media literacy skills.
In my early days as an assistant librarian, I shadowed two librarians at my school: an elementary school librarian and, later, the secondary school librarian. They both taught me lots of practical approaches to support my job. Shadowing experts or other professionals help you grow, learn practical strategies, and understand the ‘why’ of things around you. Collaboration is the key to learning and growing too.
What is the purpose of professional development?
– It helps you gain, learn and apply new knowledge and skills.
– Provides career growth and builds new mentors.
– It keeps you relevant since skills and expertise are evolving.
– Builds confidence in current practices, thereby increasing the capacity of being hireable.
Some of the opportunities for professional development are:
Attending a professional conference.
Participating in workshops.
Engaging in hands-on workshops.
Micro-learning in a particular field like google education.
Shadow a colleague or find a coach.
Reading a professional book or topic of your interest in learning.
Conferences are great opportunities to learn from experts in your field, network with like-minded professionals, and build your credibility, the art and craft of your profession. The purpose of conferences is to bring together professionals with specific expertise to discuss problems and offer solutions.
A long time ago, when I was a Primary School Librarian, a parent came up to me in the Library and asked me to take off all the fairy tale stories from our primary collection. She remarked that the fairy tales were full of violence and were inappropriate for children. Many fairy tales have evil parents who send their children away, ugly beasts that kidnap children and mistreat them. She said, “These stories place parents in poor light, especially the story of Cinderella, where the stepmother is evil.” She questioned me, “do you think all stepmothers are evil? Is the goal of Cinderella to only marry the Prince and live happily ever after?”
In Hansel and Gretel, the father asks the children to leave their home? The children are stranded in the forest with an evil witch who wants to boil the children? What about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs? It belittles the role of parents. These are just a few examples from 100s of examples that we encounter.
What do Librarians do for building a collection?
A dynamic librarian will provide a variety of books that include fairytales, becoming of age stories like Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares, Talking Of Muskaan by Himanjali Sankar, Slightly Burnt by Payal Dhar, Daddy Come Lately by Rupa Gulab, Asmara’s Summer by Andaleeb Wajid are just a few examples. Check out other additional titles.
As librarians, we include picture books with unconventional stories like The Tree Boy by Srividhya Venkat, Nayantara Surendranath, Puu by CG Salamander, Samidha Gunjal, Sadiq Wants to Stitch by Mamta Nainy, Niloufer Wadia Ritu weds Chandni by Ameya Narvankarand more titles.
If schools need to transform, the library collection must evolve and create a collection of print and digital resources that provide different perspectives that include historical and current ideas.
Students are curious. Children want to read books that reflect different communities, lifestyles, and perspectives. The library collection provides opportunities to learn new things. As librarians, we want to bring in a unique collection of books stories that provide perspectives and courage to change and evolve.
Evolving Society and Libraries
As our society evolves, we as librarians want to rise above hypocrisy and double standards. Librarians want to grow and provide a progressive collection of resources to meet the students’ changing needs. What can librarians do to ensure they are progressive and meet the needs of the students while supporting the school and parent community.
Our modern children want to learn about present-day problems, ways of life about gay rights, same-sex marriages, gender equality, and the treatment of privileged versus the unprivileged classes. Schools and libraries want to introduce new literature. However, some parents who find these topics uncomfortable and challenging resist these stories.
What can Librarians do?
Some of the considerations to evolve as a progressive librarian, we must
Learn and read the school’s school vision, mission, and culture.
Understand the national textbooks. Use the Preamble of the constitution embedded in the textbook to develop your school’s collection to build an inclusive collection.
Identify the curriculum of your school.
Create a selection policy that says that the collection development meets the school policy’s needs and the progressive expectations of a global community.
Create a reconsideration policy for individuals who want to restrict books in the Library
What is the Reconsideration Policy for withdrawing books and Why?
A reconsideration policy is created to ensure that there is transparency in the process of banning or stopping the circulation of books to a particular class or for circulation.
Librarians are often confronted by community members, either parents or teachers, to ban or withdraw books from their class or the school library. Creating a reconsideration policy for removing books from the collection will allow an open discussion to hear the community member’s voices and allow a democratic process of including books or withdrawing the books from the Library.
The librarian and the curriculum coordinator can draft a document called the reconsideration policy procedure to allow members of the community to voice their opinion of individuals who desire to withdraw or ban particular titles from the collection or stop the circulation of books.
Taking the reconsideration in a very optimistic view, the librarian must keep the larger picture in mind because India is a secular democratic country. Most education system promotes open-mindedness, critical thinking, and cultural competency. It is imperative to create a tolerant mindset if views and opinions do not match your own. Each individual is entitled to their perspective.
Librarians, books, reading, new technology tools, digital literacy, and communication are components in the repertoire of a dynamic evolving role of Librarians. And, we all know that literacy is not only reading, writing, information gathering & evaluating but becoming and supporting students into becoming Metaliterate.
Metaliteracy
What is Metaliteracy?
Metaliteracy has multiple layers. The first layer for Metaliteracy librarians is to start from Transliteracy. According to Metaliteracy: Reinventing Information Literacy to Empower Learners By Thomas P. Mackey, Trudi E. Jacobson says, Transliteracy emerged outside of the Librarians role where teaching and helping students create knowledge by deciphering from text to physical atlases to Google maps, interactive eBooks, video tutorials, and various Tedx and other social channels based on interests and learning experiences. We consume multimodal literacy, including media literacy, visual literacy, information literacy, & multicultural literacy.
In my opinion, Transliteracy falls directly in the purview of the librarians. It is rethinking our role when creating library plans/curricula. And it might seem practical to include Transliteracy rather than merely – information or media or other literacies since it falls into the heart of the librarians’ domain.
Understanding Transliteracy
Understanding transliteracy helps librarians open up their library curriculum framework and not bottle them into information, technology, or the Literacy Strand. According to T. Ipri, Transliteracy allows librarians and teachers to be fluid and apply a unified approach to literacy rather than focusing on technology tools.
Communications a critical aspect of Transliteracy
Adopting Transliteracy as the basis for learning allows librarians to design instructions where students become the owners, authors, or media creators of their original work. They interact with all forms of modalities: print to all forms of social network platforms to receive information.
Independent Projects
Several years, ago keeping this in mind, the Technology Coach and I embarked on this Independent Project with Elementary School students, giving them the space and time to navigate all forms of sources to arrive at their product/learning. Through these classes, mini-lessons on information searches, identifying credible resources, navigating different kinds of media: videos, images, infographics, and giving students the space and opportunity to create or learn a new skill. After several months, some students made websites, videos, comic books, eBooks, print books, infographics, and even Google tours and pamphlets based on their interests that varied from space, tourism, dolls, games, technology tools, coding, and more. In my opinion, the students learned at their own pace, driven by their interests. According to Dr. Renzulli’s Total Talent Development Program, when a child above average intelligence is allowed to use their creativity with a dedicated task accomplishment goal, this direction leads to Giftedness.
Choice Programs
Presently, a similar program called the ‘Choice Program’ is offered in middle school. Students explore their interests in secondary school, and as a librarian, I have had this opportunity to coach and support these mini-projects at school. This is an opportunity where the librarian becomes a part of the teaching faculty to help Metaliteracy.
I often use the after-school program opportunity to learn and hone new skills while giving opportunities to students to practice skills that lead to metaliteracy. Opportunities in photography, designing, and publication areas are paths where students have their voice and choice. Example the eNewspaper Club for Elementary, Middle, and High schools. Students are editors, and designers are part of every activity, and the librarian is the coach/facilitator to support the project.
Liferarian Conference 2021 Learning
I recently attended the Liferarian Conference 2021; the keynote speaker spoke about the importance of deciphering data and analyzing data by asking the 5W at all levels of data scrutiny. Tableau provides resources for teachers and students to learn about data. Understanding variables & field types in data, exploring aggregations, distributions, and learning how to examine the relationships within the data closely. This, I believe, will help us ‘up our game.’
Indeed, the Librarians’ role is evolving and moving in different directions, encompassing both the physical and the digital spheres. Therefore, as I share this post, I use this opportunity to continue learning and share my learning while honing my writing skills.
In the world of information texts and fiction, there are three schools of thoughts when using information.
Some educators believe that all information is copyrighted and will not breach copyright, and will purchase everything to use. Some educators believe that everything on the Internet is free to use and will use what they want for education or personal use. Some educators take the time to learn about the various licences by Creative Commons and look carefully at the accessibility of the resources.
Many educators and librarians play it safe by using copyrighted materials or completely free websites but hardly venture out to use OER (Open Education Resources) because we know very little about the OER.
What is OER?
OER is Open Education Resources. According to Unesco, “Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning and research materials in any medium – digital or otherwise – that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions. OER form part of ‘Open Solutions’, alongside Free and Open Source software (FOSS), Open Access (OA), Open Data (OD) and crowdsourcing platforms.”
What is the difference between Copyrighted Material and OER?
The publishing world believes that a lot of talent, creativity, and work goes into producing new ideas and products. Therefore, it is only fair for the creators and the publishers to receive a price for their work, just like any other services. Publishers business expect all copyrighted, published texts to be purchased. Through copyright laws, publishers can help protect the creator’s intellectual property, whether they are words or music or videos.
“Its content is universally and freely accessible, at no cost to the reader, via the Internet or otherwise;
the author or copyright owner irrevocably grants to all users, for an unlimited period, the right to use, copy, or distribute the article, on condition that proper attribution is given;
it is deposited, immediately, in full and in a suitable electronic form, in at least one widely and internationally recognized open access repository committed to open access.”
Benefits of OER:
With an increase in technology use in India, the OER can cater to students educational needs, especially for the disadvantaged society
Open educational resources include complete courses, course materials, modules, textbooks, streaming videos, tests, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques to support access to knowledge and learning to all at any time.
Nayantara Padhi’s research paper describes how college professors and educators are open and respectful of OER. Due to the lack of technology resources and lack of understanding of copyright and plagiarism, there is a hesitation to use OER in India. Little experience and support from the Heads of Institutes also reduce the opportunity to use OER.
Many developed countries like the USA and Australia are very serious about promoting open educational resources. India is working very hard to build an OER and are serious about it, and is developing. Currently, OER in the school education field hardly exists since textbooks drive school education. The OER sites by the government are hard to navigate. They are not as robust as the Khan Academy and others.
Does traditional teaching stifle intellectual growth?
The new National Education Policy 2020 has encouraged collaborative, conceptual teaching and learning, emphasizing communication, critical thinking, deep literacy connections, learning science and mathematical concepts. In a fast-changing world, traditional schooling does not work. All memorization is not the answer to the practical use of education in the real world.
So, when teachers are encouraged to use OER instead of textbooks, creativity and information learned can become valuable. For example – learning about different waste management systems from various sources and finding alternatives, solutions and advocating for their use is far more valuable than simply memorizing waste management methods.
How can Librarians & Educators support OER?
Technology with information has taught us that learning does not stop in schools and universities. Having the right mindset and the desire to learn can propel the individual to grow in knowledge and skills. Librarians and educators who continue the lifelong habit of learning inspire others to succeed. All education is available on the Internet with zero fees. So, therefore there is no excuse for learning. Sharing success stories of OER teaching and learning can help others grow and learn.
Misunderstanding of OER?
Some individuals believe that OER is not authentic or the information is incorrect. Some are also of the belief that the OER value of learning is not up to the mark. If you take a Harvard Certificate and do not put the education into practice, it is not worth it. If you develop skills and knowledge through an OER, transform and practice, there is nothing to stop one from growing and learning. All soft skills or knowledge put into practice is the only way to succeed. Therefore, looking carefully into the OER and the sources can be important too.
“Wisdom is not a product of schooling, but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” – Winston Churchill.
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