In "What Defines an Exemplary School Librarian," Jami Jones and Gail Bush make a strong argument that professional disposition is the key to a successful library media program. The authors emphasize the relevance of INTASC standards which specify that teachers must promote "positive social interaction and (develop) healthy and helping…

One never gets a second chance to make a first impression. During these tough economic times it's important to promote the school library media center's program and collection as integral parts of the learning process. The changing landscape of librarianship demands a wide selection of approaches to promote library resources. Ideas, strategies,…

Web 2.0 has revolutionized one's ability to teach students in new and exciting ways. Students with disabilities can now overcome many barriers that once kept them from being successful in the regular education classroom. Media specialists can effectively advocate for students with disabilities. School library media specialists have the ability to…

The American Library Association says that the arrangement of library facilities should motivate students to use the materials to learn. Believing that changing the library facility can bring about important changes in the program, this author shares how she became a "decorator" and changed the library media center in an elementary K-6 school. The…

Today media centers provide students the opportunity to learn and explore subjects of their interest in depth. The media center is the largest classroom in the school providing service to every student and every teacher in all curricular areas. The library should be a place to encourage students' interests and a place to broaden their horizons by…

School media specialists collaborate with many teachers every day. They are so good that sometimes they even collaborate without realizing it. Sometimes, however, a more formal type of collaboration is needed. Not only does formal collaboration give them a chance to shine as the instructional leader, it also allows them to collect data to show…

Buzzwords are as prolific in educational circles as bunny rabbits are in spring. Over the last 10 years everyone has heard the buzz of multiculturism, multiple intelligences, learning modalities, essential questions, cultural literacy, media literacy, differentiated instruction, learning by design, curriculum alignment, curriculum mapping,…

Three years ago, the author was a newly minted library media specialist, a bit green, but excited, enthusiastic, and ready to educate her middle school students. Once she learned that four out of the twenty-five sixth grade classes she was required to teach were bilingual "Dual Language Classes," the author was determined to use her background in…

As librarians work to prepare themselves and their colleagues to function in the rapidly growing world of information they often find themselves feeling alone and overwhelmed. One group of Ohio school librarians took on the daunting challenge of keeping up with the continually changing world of information technology and together developed an…

It is argued that library media specialists should consider technology as integral to their jobs as they do literature and books and use it to create an active learning community. The many ways that technology can be used to enhance student achievement are discussed.

Library media centers can evolve into technological, informational, and recreational hub of schools and can help technophobes access their many resources. A greater and better understanding of what it is exactly that library media specialists do can thus be achieved.