Not only are the hills alive with the sound of music, but the school library media center at Delsea Regional High School in Franklinville, New Jersey, is alive with the sound of reading. The media center has become a hub of reading, because the school library media specialist has made the promotion of reading and reading-incentive activities an…

Calls for proper assessment of students' abilities are on the rise in the U.S. and the No Child Left Behind Act is one example of the efforts undertaken at the state and national level. The role of library media specialists in the authentic assessment of students where they perform tasks that demonstrate their grasp of essential knowledge and…

The one year the author was an elementary librarian, she organized a Read Across America (RAA) celebration involving three different elementary campuses. This included bringing in community members to read, free books for students, and the piece de resistance--campus principals dressing up in the Cat in the Hat suit and reading to the entire…

Audiobooks have become a mainstay of the classroom for many teachers. Studies have demonstrated that they are not only effective tools for helping all children become more literate, but they also provide an enjoyable and simple way to introduce children to books they might not otherwise read. Audiobooks have also proven to be effective when…

According to a November 2004 Pew Internet and American Life Project survey, "87% of those between the ages of 12 and 17 are online...and half of them say they go online every day" ("Teens Forge" 1). They prefer the Internet to traditional libraries because they consider the Internet to be easier to use, more convenient, open 24/7, and full of more…

As a former elementary library media specialist now in a new middle school library media center, it was frustrating for the author to not have enough time to assist students and discouraging to see the apathy that so many of the students displayed toward books and reading. Middle schoolers are busy with social activities, sports, and schoolwork.…

The standards specified in all academic areas have risen to educational prominence and mandates to meet these standards have changed the face of American education for all educators. The positive ways by which emphasis on standards has changed the face of the library program are discussed and the challenges posed are presented.

Department of Education has created a report card with a star rating system, which would assist parents in evaluating the local schools in Minnesota. Schools should not concentrate only on the stars that are test-based but should also consider other criteria like the quality of the library program.

The library media specialists are a critical factor in a school's survival, especially as the staff works to strengthen reading comprehension across all classrooms and disciplines. Brief summaries to clarify what is involved in each strategy of the six prime strategies of library media specialists are described, which can help the school to…

The strategies to be followed by a Library Media Specialist when his or her position is reduced due to budget reductions or reorganizations in the school district are discussed. The strategies include, learning the timeline for district budget adjustment project, distribution and discussion of library advocacy information with building…

Not all volunteers respond the same way to the same stimuli. The purpose of this article is to suggest several ways to nurture volunteers in a library media center setting. Some might respond best to a printed word of appreciation or recognition in a district newsletter, while others would value a book or pin as a gift. Perks, like allowing…

As librarians work to prepare themselves and their colleagues to function in the rapidly growing world of information they often find themselves feeling alone and overwhelmed. One group of Ohio school librarians took on the daunting challenge of keeping up with the continually changing world of information technology and together developed an…

Moving a library collection is no easy feat. The librarian will need time, energy, and plenty of help to accomplish this enormous job. Although seldom easy or painless, the job can be simplified if the librarian and her staff plan carefully, prepare the collection, and organize the move. This article describes the planning, preparation and…

Today many authors and artists adapt works of classic literature into a medium more "user friendly" to the increasingly visual student population. Stefan Petrucha and Kody Chamberlain's version of "Beowulf" is one example. The graphic novel captures the entire epic in arresting images and contrasts the darkness of the setting and characters with…

In this article, the author shares some tips for the new or not-so-new library media specialists. During the first week of school, the library media specialist's life will be filled with teacher work days, mandatory meetings, piles of stuff with no apparent purpose, and a line of teachers and other staff who want something from the library. There…