Hello Everyone, Welcome to the March Library Newsletter, it’s a little long this month as there are a myriad of events to promote, research to read, and news to divulge! This month sees two research articles on eBooks Vs Print Books as they battle it out in the popularity stakes, we’re celebrating March as Craft Month, with a few Easter decoration ideas to occupy children over the long break ahead. The school library will be celebrating Dr. Seuss Day on 2nd of March, as well as Grammar Day (4th March), World Storytelling Day (20th March), and World Tolkien Reading Day (25th March). Of course, let’s not forget World Book Day on 3rd March (all €1.50 book tokens have been sent home already), Mother’s Day on the 6th, St. Patrick’s Day on the 17th, Easter Rising celebrations throughout and most importantly, Easter Sunday on March 27th. Phew… a lot of celebrations in one month! Congratulations to Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit, he becomes even more famous as he’s cemented into history on the new English 50p coin. A new children’s search engine, is discussed and a few of its claims busted! There are plenty of puzzles to boggle the mind, lots of book reviews and an event guide for local libraries. Deirdre Print Books Vs. eBooks E-Books vs. Print: What Parents Need to Know Sales of kids’ e-books are skyrocketing, but is high-tech as good as print for the youngest readers? Find out how they stack up. By Jenny Deam LEARNING BENEFITS has almost doubled since 2010, Elementary School Teachers Really jumping to 46 percent. And e-books Need to Know. Here’s how you can for kids and teens became the inspire your reader with both options. Reading/Technology Skills fastest-growing segment in 2011, When Maggie Moore, a suburban according to the Association of Denver mom, was literally weighing American Publishers and the Book Print May Be Better For : her packing options for a family trip, Industry Study Group. she was stumped by her 4-year-old The hands-on experience. son’s stack of favourite books. He “We are not going to stop this train,” Some experts, including Taylor, worry had dozens, and she knew they’d be says psychologist Jim Taylor, Ph.D., that devices can distance little kids too heavy to take along. But they author of Raising Generation Tech. from the real world. If they’re only would be away for a few weeks — But should we try to slow it down? exposed to e-readers, kids lose the how could she bring only a few? When it comes to the youngest tactile experience of handling a That’s when she reluctantly bought a readers, some experts are skittish traditional book, turning its pages, or Nook, loading titles for both of them about putting tablets into tiny hands. sharing their faves with friends. onto it. She wasn’t a big fan of the Parents are conflicted, too — 68 “Technology is a beautiful box but it is extra screen time it would mean for percent prefer that their 6- to 8-year- still a box,” he says. her preschooler, but Moore justified olds read print books, Scholastic the purchase as a stopgap solution. found. Since there’s not much Falling in love with reading. What happened next surprised her: research out there, it may be years Cuddling with a parent over a book or From the moment her son held the before we understand the impact of gathering around the teacher for device and began to scroll through a tech devices on young readers. storytime helps kids associate book, he was transfixed. “He was in Still, there are signs that e-readers reading with nurturing. “These heaven,” says Moore. can have a positive effect on newbie reading experiences can set the readers, especially when it comes to stage for later reading success,” says E-reading devices have been around targeted learning based on each Julia Parish-Morris, a post-doctoral only a few years, but it’s already hard child’s ability. But don’t give those fellow at the University of to imagine life without them. And like storybooks the heave-ho just yet. “It Pennsylvania who studies how young all things tech, what started as a doesn’t have to be an either-or. You children interact with e-books. While product for adults is now targeted at a don’t build a house with only one she thinks e-books are great for younger audience. In fact, according tool,” says Otis Kriegel, a fifth-grade independent readers, she’s not as to Scholastic’s new Kids & Family teacher in New York City and the sure how good they are for Reading Report, the percentage of author of Covered in Glue: What New preschoolers and kindergartners. Her children who have read an e-book research has found that parents often become more controlling, have been the shared reading It caters to a kid's unique learning concentrating more on what their experience — a known vocabulary- style. child is doing with the device instead builder — rather than the device that of talking about the story. helped kids learn. But what they did Floyd also likes that the anonymity of find: “The kids were extremely the device helps struggling readers Focusing a child's attention. engaged,” says Brueck. feel less embarrassed. “It lets The music, animation, and games children find a book that fits their that are loaded into kids’ e-books can interest and skill without the entire end up being more distracting than Digital May Trump class knowing what they are reading,” useful, says Lisa Guernsey, director Print Because . she says. Erika Alexander, a of the early education initiative at the suburban Detroit mother, agrees. Her New America Foundation. “The fourth-grade son is a reluctant reader, It's more interactive. technology is so exciting that the even though books were part of his While add-ons can distract, they are conversation focuses on what button routine when he was younger. extremely useful for beginning to push instead of the content,” she Recently when they were shopping, readers, who can zoom in on says. What’s better is when those he picked up a Nook that was loaded unfamiliar words or click links that bells and whistles lead back to the with a graphic novel. Attracted at first help make connections to their world, story, instead of just entertaining. to the gadgetry, he stood in the aisle says Guernsey. Plus, the and inhaled the story. Alexander still touchscreen or buttons on an e- plans to encourage a love of old- reader can hone a preschooler’s fine- fashioned books. But she also motor skills. recognises that her son is a visual person, and a high-tech device hooks It's more rewarding. him in ways that were missing before. When kids see printed words light up as they sound out the words, they’re encouraged. Kim Floyd has been The Bottom Line . teaching kindergarten in Napa Valley, CA, for 24 years and using iPads Kids have a lot to gain from both Digital Matches Print loaded with books for the last three. reading tools. Even though she’s a The proof of e-reading success is in For : huge e-reader fan, Floyd believes front of her every day when she sees that children should be exposed to how excited her students are the Boosting early reading skills. For print first or at least simultaneously. second she pulls out the tablets. the past four years the Centre for Her students switch off easily, and Because the devices help children Literacy at the University of Akron there are surprisingly few squabbles understand words by highlighting and has been studying how to integrate e- over who gets the iPad. “After the defining those they struggle with, readers into classrooms. Jeremy novelty wears off, they become their vocabulary increases. Her Scott Brueck, director of the school’s nonchalant,” she says. Plus, kindergartners have vocabularies Digital Text Initiative, found that technology will never replace good more typical of second graders, she animation and audio in e-books did parenting and good teachers. So notes. Floyd even studied the vocab- seem to help young kids identify when you read to your child — building phenomena for her master’s printed words. When Brueck tested regardless of whether it’s a traditional degree last year, testing pre- pre-K students, a third knew the or e-book — keep the conversation kindergartners who were not native words before reading the story with a lively. Talk about what he sees on the English speakers and had no grown-up on an e-reader. After page. Ask what he thinks will happen preschool experience. By the end of reading the e-book, the number shot next. Because as researchers and three weeks, their vocabularies had up to 54 percent. It’s unclear whether educators all agree, the most jumped from roughly 200 words into the results would have come out the important app, especially for little the thousands. same with traditional books; it might kids, is human. e-Books or Print Books E-Book or Paper Book − What’s Best for Young Children? By Lauren Lowry advantages and disadvantages to improvement in their Hanen Certified SLP and e-books. vocabulary, as well as in Clinical Staff Writer their understanding about how words can be broken Technology surrounds us. It Advantages of E-books up into smaller parts (i.e. affects almost all aspects of our syllables).