Education.au has released their market research report on Educators and ICT Usage. This survey of the use of technology by Australian teachers was commissioned to inform future roles and responsibilities for Education Network Australia (edna). edna is a repository of thousands of online resources for education, training and research.

If you don’t want the whole 108p. straight up, an executive summary is also available.

Things about librarians in the report:

• Awareness of edna (Education Network Australia) was higher among librarians (78%) than almost half of the educators (47%) surveyed.
• The computer and the Internet were vital tools for many participants, especially for librarians and IT specialists.

… and some responses about libraries ….

“The library is not so much a physical facility, more of a database” p. 103

“I think contact with the library is of critical importance to anything we do as lecturers, and the same is true for students.” p. 103

“And don’t forget keeping the libraries informed. They are vital to the way others in TAFE are informed about these sorts of things.” p.102 in reference to edna.

“Our librarians are absolutely wonderful. You go to them for help, and they immediately ask have you tried this? If they know about edna, everyone will eventually know about it.” p.98

“All the course work is on-line. I don’t even go to libraries any more. I rely totally on the Internet.” p.55

For those of us involved in providing professional support to educators the report includes responses to a question asking about types of support in the use of online services and tools would be most valuable. The key it seems is flexibility, and not too hard a sell. Short, hands-on demonstrations are valued. (p. 40.)