There is no national policy for school libraries which compels school governing bodies and principals to have a library in their schools. It is thus not surprising that in 2011, only 21% of state schools had libraries, only 7% had stocked libraries and 79% of schools had no library at all (Department of Basic Education (DBE) Republic of South…

It seems, at times, that a frantic race persists to ensure that a child, in the crucial learning stages of early elementary education, acquires the appropriate reading level before he or she "gets behind." Though there are obvious issues with branding a book "Grade Level One" or "Reading Level 2.2," it is nevertheless…

Describes the National Library Power Program, a collaborative effort sponsored by the Dewitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund in cooperation with local education funds and public school districts that was designed to create public elementary and middle school library programs that are central to the education program of the school. (LRW)

Presents ideas for creating classroom libraries, noting how to set up a library (create a space, build and organize the collection, and set rules), where to find books at bargain prices (e.g., garage sales, libraries, book clubs, and grants), basic books to include, and information on authors and illustrators. (SM)

Describes school library reform efforts in New York City's elementary public schools initiated by a private foundation to help improve education and fight poverty. Topics include funding; successful public and private collaboration; librarian training; and research to determine the role and influence of libraries. (LRW)

Profiles cooperative projects developed at elementary schools in the Miami-Dade County Library Power Grant. Discusses the librarian/teacher collaborative planning process. Describes the PEACE (Plan for Excellence in a Collaborative Environment) project which revolves around a multi-leveled, pyramid design for collaborative planning. (AEF)

Describes cooperative planning and projects with teachers, students, and the library media specialist at an elementary school to help update the library to meet current and future information needs. Highlights include flexible scheduling; resource sharing; classes in library skills; computer technology; and updating the collection to include…

Describes how the media center at Mt. Bethel Elementary School (Marietta, Georgia) was redesigned to make better use of electronic resources. Discusses the initial preparations and the remodelling process. Outlines the four components of managing change--vision, planning, funding and implementation. (AEF)

Discusses how, with support from Library Power, a national initiative that stresses collaboration between librarians and teachers, positive changes were brought about in an elementary school in a primarily lower-income section of Brooklyn. The students recreated the Cinderella story and made a multimedia presentation, and the library was…

Describes a project at the Denver Public Library (Colorado) called "Kid's Catalog" that involved creating a child-oriented online catalog with a graphical user interface. The catalog's software is designed to search, make cognitive links, and present a list of materials. Research was conducted at the library and three elementary schools…

Discusses the importance of books that combine quality illustrations with quality stories of a multicultural world that are suitable for elementary school students. Includes suggestions for librarians and teachers who are selecting books and evaluating collections. (LRW)

Describes methods used to revitalize a media collection in a DeKalb County, Georgia elementary school. Explains collection development issues; collection evaluation, including curriculum mapping, collection mapping, and weeding; reorganization, made possible through weeding; results of recency analyses; and results of teacher surveys that…

Looks at collection development for print materials in school libraries serving children in grades K-8. The policy statement and the processes of evaluation, selection, acquisition, and weeding are examined, emphasizing the place of curriculum objectives and the role of the librarian. Twenty-two references and a bibliography of 15 selection tools…

Describes the "Library Power" project designed to bring together teachers and librarians in an effort to provide quality language arts instruction to "special populations" in over 100 schools in New York City. (RS)

Examines aspects of censorship that professional educators do not usually acknowledge--a silent, self-imposed censorship. Asks at what point book selection policy becomes a means to justify rejecting the purchase or provide for the removal of specific titles from the bookshelves. Suggests a solution: a written selection policy at the school and…