The role of school librarians has changed as the rapid expansion of information technology during the last decade has placed more emphasis on their participation in the instructional process, and propelled the librarian into a new role as school media specialist. Many media specialists have difficulty in grasping their role in schools. They are…

Suggests seven basic steps of instructional design to be used by library media specialists in planning with teachers for instructional development efforts. (Author/CMV)

Describes Jackson Community College's Professional Development Center, a drop-in center housing print and nonprint materials on hundreds of professional development topics. Reviews college efforts to motivate staff to use the center. Outlines the center's evaluation criteria. (DMM)

This is the inaugural volume of the Principles and Practice Series which is intended to provide practicing library media professionals with research and theory that are grounded in effective practice. This volume is organized into six sections. Part 1, "Overview," provides an overall context for examination of literacy and learning in an…

The purpose of this book is to report the findings of one study of the centrality of the academic library and to suggest specific ways in which the library can fulfill its mission. The book aims to improve librarians' understanding of how to help their users succeed and seeks a new metaphor for the academic library that is appropriate for the…

Suggests activities for use by school library media specialists who wish to foster the development of thinking skills by elementary students. Areas covered include analysis and evaluation in choosing books, differentiation between fact and fiction, understanding story structure, contests, categories, analogies, self-generated questions,…

The first part of this monograph contains three essays that define faculty development and describe development activities, including library-related initiatives. "Using Faculty Development to Meet the Challenges of Higher Education" (Martin Tessmer) describes how development activities can help college educators meet teaching, professional, and…

Offers ten suggestions for developing the role of library media centers and media specialists within schools that center around improved communication with teachers, administrators and the public, involvement with curriculum decisions, familiarity with library materials, increased promotion of the media center, and professional development. (CLB)

This article highlights the importance of librarians joining the secondary school instructional planning process at the curriculum development stage and demonstrates how librarians and teachers can jointly plan instructional programs. Discussion covers implementation of guidelines, curriculum involvement, and six challenges. Fifty-eight references…

Information is a consumer-driven commodity; the very existence of libraries and information centers is based on the patrons' need for specific information or material. This professional resource shows how to use management methods to implement a strong customer service program to deliver better service to patrons. This book outlines the reasons…

The traditional role of the school librarian encompassed collection development, reading guidance and literature promotion, and reference. Over time these functions have expanded and participation in carrying out functions has become more active. For instance, the teaching role of the library media specialist is a dramatic and far-reaching…

This book is designed to help school library media specialists fulfill their role as curriculum partner with teachers and administrators in the collaborative development, implementation, and assessment of the instructional program. Current theory and research, practical experiences of over 40 library media specialists, and step-by-step…

This questionnaire is designed to assess teachers' needs for school library media center services. General areas covered are: (1) services provided by the library media center which might be useful; (2) curriculum development and long-term planning; and (3) media center collection and selection. (MES)

Discusses recommendations from the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science for defining, developing, and promoting library media programs that teach information finding and using skills. Areas covered include helping students develop thinking skills, theoretical implications of current research on how children process information,…

This collection of 38 articles, reprinted from "Emergency Librarian," addresses critical elements of school library media program development and implementation, organized by seven areas: foundations; the school context; role clarification; information literacy; collaborative program planning and teaching; program development; and…