Approximately 15 states are changing their policies to give school districts more flexibility in acquiring content. They have changed laws or policies or have bills pending in state legislatures to redefine "textbooks". Most of those changes are similar to the approach Indiana took in its new law: a "textbook" is not only a…

Describes how the Indiana library community defeated a "Speaker's bill" in the Indiana House of Representatives that threatened public library interests. Topics addressed include the introduction of the bill, lobbying, and arguments against the bill. (SLW)

Discussion of media in public libraries focuses on independent films and alternative video. Topics addressed include commercial films; film adaptations of novels; instructional films; material selection; cataloging; video technology; and a project in Indiana that tried to encourage public librarians to collect alternative videos. (LRW)

In order to gather information detailing the extent and effectiveness of oral history projects in public libraries, questionnaires were sent to public libraries in 11 states that listed "oral history" among their resources in the American Library Directory, and to a small number of other libraries in these states with oral history…

Attention to school libraries must be at the heart of any comprehensive plan for improving youth literacy. Excellent school libraries are essential if young people are to have access to the reading resources to help them gain the level of literacy achievement vital to meeting the challenge of the twenty-first century. Sections of the booklet…

Describes the Young Hoosier Book Award program, which is designed to promote voluntary reading. Notes that schools across Indiana are deeply impoverished in terms of literacy resources for students and that school libraries are chronically underfunded and are in dire straits. (RS)

Argues against perpetuating misinformation in this technological age, as illustrated in recent Indiana legislation mandating that selected historical writings be included in school library collections; among documents listed is a letter from an Indian chief which has been proven to be fictitious. (AEF)

Based on analysis of the current system and comparison with existing and possible alternatives, this report evaluates the effectiveness of the Indiana library cooperative network, a de facto network based on the activities of individual libraries, Area Library Services Authorities (ALSAs), the Indiana Cooperative Library Services Authority…

Reports the results of a survey of librarians in 71 Indiana high schools concerning controversial topics and books that they thought would cause their constituents the greatest concern. Concludes that censorship is taking place and that librarians sometimes acquiesce in indirect censorship, thus denying some students access to important literary…

Noting that reading instruction for young adolescents in Indiana's middle grades schools has been virtually eliminated, this booklet describes how important reading is in the middle grades and why it continues to deserve attention beyond the elementary years. The booklet proposes a series of actions that educators--teachers, administrators, school…