This article presents the results of the latest "SLJ" survey of school expenditures and collections for 2009-2010. The survey reveals that librarians have used a variety of coping techniques to weather this economic storm, whether it is servicing more than one school, using additional volunteers, taking on more tasks, or seeking outside funding.…

Much has changed since the last SLJ spending survey was conducted in 2002--and much of it for the better. For starters, most local budgets have remained steady over the last three years. However, funds for library resources and services dipped as a result of federal and state policies and mandates. Nevertheless, a quarter of those who responded to…

With budgets threatened in schools nationwide, students, parents, and educators have begun to realize that they cannot wait around for state or national organizations to act. Web applications have made grassroots advocacy a lot easier, and homegrown efforts on behalf of libraries have sprung up across the country via blogs, wikis, Facebook, and…

Describes how three public library youth librarians used statistics to justify budget requests, change resource allocations, expand services, and show benefits of new services to the community. Examples are provided under the following headings: Show what's missing; Show what's gone wrong; Show what's going right; Show inequities; and Compare and…

Presents findings from the "School Library Journal" survey of school library expenditures for FY 1997-98. Data include: budget allocation; salaries; library collection; technology; staff and certification; access to basic electronic resources; library policy; planning and communication between library media specialists and teachers; and…

Identifies current challenges to children's library services including inequality in access to information; integration of information skills in the classroom; rising costs, low budgets, and increasing demands; the state of book collections; and the need for research at state and national levels. Local examples of successful solutions are…

Local action, district analysis, and Planning Programming Budgeting Systems (PPBS) are the subjects of this article. (Author)

Media specialists and teachers spend an estimated $1.4 billion annually on nonfiction titles. And even though most librarians, like Shirley Morand of New Richmond High School in Ohio, expect budget cuts this academic year, they still plan to dish out a sizable chunk of money on books that support students' textbooks, according to School Library…

School libraries are at the mercy of school bureaucracy. Budgets, acquisitions and processing are controlled; red tape and communication gaps can be formidable. Libraries are at the bottom of the priority list and librarians must shed their submissive image to re-establish themselves at the forefront of education. (16 references) (DH)

Discusses graphic novels and visual literacy and notes the increases in the graphic novels budget at Downers Grove (Illinois) Public Library. Outlines seven steps to developing a graphics collection. Sidebars highlight popular titles, award-winners, and Web sites for librarians just learning about graphic novels. (AEF)

Summarizes a survey of developments during 1993 through 94 in public and private school library media programs in the United States. Highlights include: expenditures for all types of nonbook resources compared to books, reading motivation programs, staff development programs, and the use of Internet and e-mail. Seventeen tables display survey…

Reviews the literature for studies conducted in the United States and in Canada on the use of magazines in elementary school libraries, and describes a study of Oklahoma schools that investigated titles most frequently used by children. Results are reported that indicate most use is for pleasure reading. (six references) (LRW)

Comparing 1994 and 1996, the eighth biennial survey of school libraries found median expenditures for books unchanged; audiovisuals, periodicals, microforms, and CD-ROM expenditures down; and software, local area network, and Internet expenditures up. The report also examines the extent of collaboration between library media specialists and…

A survey of Arizona principals covered topics related to school media specialists: (1) the importance of specific librarian skills; (2) use of evaluation instruments to judge librarians; (3) communication between librarians and principals; (4) professional development opportunities; (5) how librarians should and do spend their time; and (6)…

Offers advice on how to obtain grant money for libraries. Highlights include outcome-based goals; finding funding sources; and parts of the proposal, including the need or problem statement, objectives, methods, evaluation, budget, and program continuation. A sidebar lists 10 tips for winning grants. (LRW)