from the Director's Desk: January 2008

About Me

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina

Frances Bryant Bradburn, Director of Instructional Technology for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, is a graduate of Wake Forest University and UNC- G’s Department of Library and Information Science. She has worked at the K-12, university, and state levels in a variety of media and technology positions. The former editor of North Carolina Libraries, Ms. Bradburn is the author of Output Measures for School Library Programs, reviews young adult titles for Booklist, and has written a variety of journal articles on both media and technology. Her current professional affiliations are with the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), the American Library Association (ALA), the North Carolina School Library Media Association (NCSLMA), the North Carolina Library Association (NCLA), and the North Carolina Association of Educational Communications and Technology (NCaect). Ms. Bradburn was awarded Mary Peacock Douglas Award (NCASL) in1998, the UNC-G/SLIS Outstanding Alumnus in 1995, and was featured in the Center for Digital Education’s September 2003 column “In the Arena.”

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Farewell, at least for now

It seems appropriate that my final posting as Director should be a hopeful one. According to the latest Pew Internet and American Life Project report, Information Searches that Solve Problems, “Libraries drew visits by more than half of Americans (53%) in the past year for all kinds of purposes . . .. And it was the young adults in tech-loving Generation Y (age 18-30) who led the pack. Compared to their elders, Gen Y members were the most likely to use libraries for problem-solving information and in general patronage for any purpose.” (See the whole report at http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/231/report_display.asp )

Perhaps this is because of the work that each of you is doing to make media and technology relevant to our K-12 audience on a daily basis. As you continue to help students and teachers find, evaluate, and use information regardless of format, please realize that your work is more important than ever. Each of you holds the future of our nation and our society within your media centers, computer labs, and classrooms. It’s the most important job in the world, and I am proud to say that I have had a small part in all you do. Thank you for your support, your enthusiasm and dedication, and most of all your belief in our children and their potential.