It's time for a sweeping new approach to information literacy learning! The sad truth is that few, if any, information literacy efforts in schools have fulfilled the promise of a "comprehensive" information literacy program: (1) A comprehensive program should reach "all" students in the school; (2) A comprehensive program should be "predictable"…

The arts have their place in every facet of a school, and the library is no exception. Thinking beyond traditional definitions, arts education could include teaching creative problem solving as well as continuous questioning of issues and ideas. The media center is the perfect venue to showcase students' efforts in the arts. This article gives…

The school library media center should be a place that every student and teacher feels compelled to visit on a daily basis. Offering good, informative orientations can provide the direction needed to ensure that happens. Orientations should be part of every school library media specialist's job description and role. Orientations can be as long or…

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,…

School libraries can hardly keep graphic novels on their shelves. Enthusiasm for the genre has led many librarians to question how such novels might be infused into normal curricula. However, many librarians who have proposed such an integration have learned that their colleagues do not share their enthusiasm. From the teachers' perspective, it…

A library should be a free place where people can access and share information. Many school libraries have such strict access to Internet resources that patrons are blocked even from many educational sites. Restrictions do need to be in place to protect students from online predators and inappropriate content, but access needs to be carefully…

The LMS and library media program standards were written to reflect the 21st century learner. The most current documents, "Standards for the 21st-Century Learner" and "Standards for the 21st-Century Learner in Action", have embraced the 21st century learner jargon, despite how vaguely the terms are defined. The library standards, although written…

One of the goals of the school library media specialist is to "Promote the library media program as an attractive, welcoming, and essential venue" (AASL 89). The media center should convey an atmosphere where students feel welcome. Creating media center memories can help library media specialists to achieve this goal. This article describes…

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…

Because so much information exists only in video format--from documentaries to instructional videos to entertainment films that create a significant amount of the popular culture--libraries have increased their collections of these materials. Nevertheless, no library could possibly afford to collect every item its patrons might one day request.…

Collaborating with teachers is a critical part of the library media center program. It is one of the most effective ways librarians can positively impact the learning of students and build relationships with teachers. Collaborative teaching is the best way for librarians to become an active part of the educational process. In this article, the…

Today's principals must have knowledge of content area standards and be involved in curriculum planning and pacing. They assign strong master teachers as mentors to new teachers. They are involved in what's happening in their classrooms and practice ongoing assessment of the classroom teaching, focusing on improving student learning. Today's…

Many secrets can be told by the physical surroundings of library media centers. Whether the center is kid-friendly is one of the first obvious tell-tale signs. When a library center has Arthur & D.W., Clifford, Pooh & Eeyore, shells, special rocks, etc. hidden by the circulation center or in the back in boxes, it's time to revolt. The movie Free…

Twenty doctoral students from the School of Library and Information Sciences at the University of North Texas met in the summer of 2005 to complete a seminar and online course on "Online Information Services." The class offered the perfect research settings with 10 practicing school librarians and 10 practitioners from other areas of the library…

Hearing some fun facts about books and authors can bring books to life and help ignite students' interest in books and reading. Because most elementary school media centers and public libraries have many of the Newbery Medal books, students will have a better chance of finding books they decide they want to read once they hear about them. Reading…