Literature: Background Information
Literature online is a great example of how computers
and Internet access help level the educational playing field. While few
educators expect textbooks to disappear from the classroom (nor should
they), computers and the Internet do one thing textbooks cannot: they provide
up-to-date information. That can't always be said for textbooks. Just ask
the educator still using social studies books showing Jimmy Carter or Ronald
Reagan as President.
On a one-for-one basis, computers are expensive, but so
are books. A recent Associated Press article noted that New York Governor
George E. Patake said his state "must double the $114 million it now
spends on books." That's a lot of money for books or computers, but
while computers may "age" relative to newer models, Bill Clinton
will only be President until January 2,000.
If there's a downside to the Internet and literature,
it has to do with access to specific works and authors. Schools purchase
textbooks and royalties are paid publishers, but other than service provider
charges, the Internet is usually free. This is by no means a criticism
of copyright protection, far from it. Rather it's simply a quick and easy
way to explain, for the most part, why the works of many 19th and 20th
century writers like Hemingway, Steinbeck, Fitzgerald, Vonnegut, et al.
are not represented on the World Wide Web as they are in textbooks.
The upside to all this, however, is that more and more
titles will find their way to the Web as copyrights expire and author's
and publishers realize there is both monetary and literary value to be
gained by publishing on the Internet.
If you are a teacher or parent looking for lists of quality
literature for students, you'll find lists of award-winning books on some
of the sites. In addition to the sites featuring literature as content,
you'll travel to sites on our list that encourage student writing by publishing
essays, poetry, and plays written by young people. Some of the sites for
younger students also include penpal contacts and opportunities to publish
artwork.
Editor's Note: While working on this literature theme,
I came across a few English sites that warned U.S. citizens not to proceed
or even download the available information. These were usually works by
authors still living or whose publishers and/or estates have not allowed
the material to enter the public domain. One particular English server
had the complete text of Finnegans Wake but warned, "Do NOT download
or read these books on-line if you or your system are in the United States
or in another country where copyright protections can extend more than
50 years past an author's death."
If you're interested, a good site to learn more about
copyright regulations is the United
States Copyright Office, Library of Congress.
Resources for Educators
Web Site Addresses and
Descriptions of Content
Guidelines for Use of Resources
K-3
Teacher Suggestions &
Student Activities for Kindergarten through Three Students
Guidelines for Use of Resources
Grades 4-6
Teacher Suggestions &
Student Activities for Grades Four through Six Students
Guidelines for Use of Resources
Grades 7-12
Teacher Suggestions &
Student Activities for Grades Seven through Twelve Students
Adaptations for Age and Ability
Home & School Connections
