<p>Anything LED is the safest option, plus they use so much less energy. </p>
<p>Incandescents (“regular” light bulbs, as well as halogen) get way too hot to have right near bedding, particularly in a situation where a student may fall asleep, or leave the room with the light on. If they are encased behind thick glass, that’s a little better, because if the bulb explodes (which is common with halogens) the shards will stay out of the skin! But just with regular use, they do get very hot, and they can burn you, as well as cause long-term skin damage.</p>
<p>Complact fluorescents are very common now, because they don’t use much energy. But the quality of the light is often found to be unpleasant. Also, if they break, the stuff inside must be cleaned up thoroughly, because it is toxic. If the student doesn’t have a vacuum cleaner handy, or is on the sloppy side 
it may get spread around. Or it may be in vapor or gas form, which can’t really be removed.</p>
<p>The LED clip-on book lights, I’ve noticed, get rave reviews on Amazon, but there may be other more flexible LED solutions too.</p>