Technology has struck again.
This time it was at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro, where the school library’s dusty bound volumes were replaced by online data.
School Director John B. Rogers said Friday that the bulk of the library’s books were shipped to the Maine Library Association and stacks of professional magazines recycled.
In their place is a high definition LCD projector showing on a 12-foot-wide screen hooked up to a Blue-Ray DVD player topped off with a complete surround-sound system. Students may hook up their favorite video games or pop in a movie to watch, a message on the school’s website boasts.
The conversion of the library to a student lounge seemed a natural progression, Rogers said.
The books were “very, very old,” he said.
Students had used the library in past decades for research and to work on lesson plans for the curriculum, Rogers said. “Now, as you know, most of the research is done online. So, it really wasn’t used at all.”
The room was converted to a student lounge and a nonprofit group that benefits students equipped the room with electronics aimed at entertainment, not scholarship.
Students who stay overnight at the school now have some place to relax and have fun.
Meanwhile, the main building on campus already had been equipped with wireless access to the Internet, enabling students to go online with their laptops in the classrooms and virtually any other room in that building. They could conduct research and not be confined to a single room like the former library, Rogers said.
Moreover, the position of full-time librarian was converted about three years ago to a different job at the school, saving the state money, Rogers said.
The digital technology know-how and skills of entry-levels students at the academy today is “light years” ahead of his generation dating back to the 1970s, Rogers said.
“Some of these young folks that come here to train to be an officer or a corrections officer have a tremendous amount of research knowledge going into this,” he said. “And I think as fast as it is here today, it will change to something different tomorrow. And it will probably be even more light years ahead of what’s here today.”
Library at Maine Criminal Justice Academy closed due to disuse
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“Students may hook up their favorite video games or pop in a movie to watch, a message on the school’s website boasts.” WOW has the academy changed…..
You can say that again…it’s become a daycare center……gone are the days of it being one of the best in the country……remember Wednesday evenings??? You each got one 5 minute call home that one night??? Well, they now can sit back and use their cell phones all they want….sad….gone is the sense of pride in being a graduate of MCJA….
You got your Wednesday night phone call as long as the cadets didn’t do anything on Monday or Tuesday to upset the cadre.
Academy changed to Arcade, is more like it.
I don’t think the taxpayers are impressed at the lack of discipline; shut off the games and focus on your vocation.
Evidently you have no idea how much of a high stress vocation it is. The simple pleasure of watching a movie or playing a game is a needed relief for the school work and training that goes on there.
Better try the Bar down the street for academy students especially prison guards and correction officers.
Is there space in old library for my Dunkin Donut franchise ?
Best post ever man
awesome!!!!
Wow I would think as many police offers this state is down they would open it up and start classes ASAP. Bangor PD down over 25% State Police down over 33% and other towns and city are having the same problem. Lepage lets open it and get started ASAP.
Better look at what they are paid first. I think Maine is one of the lowest average pay state of is public safety people. Both at the state and municipal level.
It is the worse paid state.
Read the article instead of just half of the headline.
Thank you your honor.
The “students” they are referring to, are people who go there for in-service training. People who have been through the BLETP or MCBPS (as it used to be called) and are taking extra classes. This is not available to the cadets who are there for the BLETP. Although I’m sure things are not like they used to be, as far as how the Academy did it’s thing, but there are no video games or tv for cadets, phones are only for a few minutes at night, not whenever you want, it’s still very structured. But like I said, I’m sure it’s nothing like what it used to be when it was on Silver Street or even when it first started in Vassalboro.
Vassalboro is a better facility but you are right even for in-service training it is not the same any more. Even the food is worse. I still remember some of the meals Mike put together for us and always had the jar of pickled eggs out on the salad bar and who could ever forget Speedy (only those who took training in Waterville will know who that is).
Hmmm. Can all of their necessary research with print resources be replaced by online sources?
Book em Danno…oh , maybe not.
They didn’t carry 50 shades of GRAY.