What can school librarians do about library and book censorship? First, ask questions. Find out what your principal and your district have put into policy and what your principal's expectations are for your school library. Then, communicate with your classroom teachers. For ourselves, school librarians should work with colleagues, especially other…

If there was ever a time to review material selection policy and bring stakeholders into the conversation, the time is now. Kowalski discusses the school librarian as an instructional leader who must keep administrators informed, but also organizational partners, and stakeholders. Teachers, family partners, and student partners are also discussed…

What are ways to draw attention to the need for an annual library budget? How can school library leaders advocate for equitable library budgets across a school district? These are questions the library services team of three district librarians researched before taking the first steps toward making transformational change in the Beaverton School…

Catalyst: Another newspaper article ("Ranks of School Librarians Dwindle in HISD, Statewide" in the October 7, 2013, "Houston Chronicle") detailing another decision by a Houston Independent School District (HISD) campus principal to eliminate the librarian (Mellon 2013). In response to this article, Dorcas Hand, an experienced…

Presents strategies for educating administrators as to the value of school library programs and their influence on student achievement. Highlights include meeting and communicating with principals and superintendents; providing documentation to support library policies and collections; demonstrating professional research abilities; inviting them…

In this article, the author talks about the concept of school library as a place of learning for students. He contends that a school library must be conceived in terms of three aspects. First, it should have a creative school library media specialist to lead the principal through a meaningful vision of what the library could be in terms of…

Discusses leadership of the school library media specialist in the areas of curriculum and instruction. Presents case studies of principals who were media specialists and recognize the importance and leadership potential of media specialists, and provides a leadership model for school library media specialists. (LRW)

Discusses the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990 and the role of school library media specialists. Focuses on principals' perceptions of media specialists in five categories: information literacy; collaboration, leadership, and technology; learning and teaching; information access and delivery; and program administration; and suggests that…

Discusses the importance of collaboration between the school library media specialists and classroom teachers from a principal's perspective. Topics include the problems with traditional scheduled library visits; media specialist as teacher; principals' expectations of teachers and media specialists; and barriers to successful collaboration. (LRW)

Discusses the lack of communication between school principals and school library media specialists, the lack of information principals have regarding media specialists' roles and responsibilities, and the use of the executive briefing to open up effective channels of communication. Explains correlations between "Information Power"…

Introduces the eight speakers and panelists. (MES)

According to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (2006), "Accomplished library media specialists are instructional leaders who forge greater opportunities for learners" (55). As one of the few school personnel responsible for all students, the media specialist can serve as a coordinator and an advocate. They can ensure equitable…

Describes a program developed to help school principals understand the importance of school library media specialists based on "Information Power." Explains modules on academic achievement and school libraries, information literacy and academic standards, library collections and flexible access, and revitalization and evaluation of…

Describes an integrated curriculum project for fourth graders in a Hawaiian elementary school with a highly transient population. The project, ALOHA (Active Learners on Hawaiian Adventures) was developed to motivate students in learning about Hawaii's culture and ecosystems. Cooperation between the library media specialist, technology coordinator,…