Encyclopedias

There are lots of good and bad things about encyclopedias and I still think that they can serve a purpose in the right situation in a school. I believe elementary schools are much better suited for them as the teens are far better at navigating the databases for information. I feel that the students in elementary school still should learn this skill and learn about these sources as part of their growing.

This year one of my classes was doing a country study and I have 2 older sets in my library that do not get used that often. I had actually thought about getting rid of them. However, after this project I think I have changed my mind. The students had to find some background information on a country they have not been to before. Even though the books were older the tourist sites and city names don't change. This was a good place for them to start to find information that was direct and what they needed. These students were in grade 5.

However, the down side is the cost that goes with a buying a set and how quickly they really can become dated. I am not sure if I am wiling to buy a new set as I can put that money towards online encyclopedias and spend more time teaching the students how to navigate those databases. They are always up to date which is a nice feature.


I feel this term at my school and with UBC I have learned that there still is a place in the library for a good encyclopedia. The cost is a big issue, but if you happen to be in a school with a big budget, then you are very lucky and this can be a possible purchase. My school happens to be one of those schools and this could be something that I will look at doing in the future.