Offers definitions, statistics, and suggestions for public librarians working with homeschoolers. Library concerns are addressed, including censorship, negative staff attitudes, technology demands, and administrative limits; and ways to make homeschoolers more welcome are suggested, including compiling homeschooling resource materials, library…

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)

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 use of telephone sales as marketing tool for sale of materials from publishing industry to children's libraries. Nine guidelines designed to protect consumers, overall reactions of librarians who have purchased goods and services by telephone, and sources of free and inexpensive information on telemarketing are included. Ten references…

Discusses key points for children's librarians to consider in selecting books, preparing questions, and facilitating communication for book discussions. Highlights include choosing discussable books; ambiguous endings; factual, interpretive, and evaluative questions; helping readers talk; and benefits. Sidebars include a book discussion sampler,…

Discusses the role of the elementary school librarian, as well as the educational function of the school library from the 1950s to the present, and speculates about the future. (CMV)

Describes the implementation of flexible scheduling in an elementary school library media program. Topics addressed include integration of library skills into the curriculum, cross-curriculum teaching, integration of the library media program into the school's total program, making certain all students are involved, managing library resources, and…

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 necessity for providing access to microcomputers in elementary education and recommends 48 software titles that would be appropriate for public or school libraries. Considerations for librarians establishing a microcomputer software collection are discussed, and suggestions for choosing preschool programs as well as programs in…

Reports on questionnaire survey sent to 170 Arizonan elementary school librarians to determine if students are being used as aides and the extent of their involvement in library media programs. Highlights include organization of aides, selection requirements, scheduling practices, training, assigned tasks, program support, and future implications.…

Comments that library media specialists have not been adequately utilized in schools, especially at the elementary level. Reasons why the library should be an integral part of the instructional program are discussed, and several ways in which the librarian, as a generalist, can aid students in academic achievement are listed. (MES)

Recommends bibliotherapy as a way in which school media specialists can help children become more independent and more socially and emotionally mature. Situations for which bibliotherapy is appropriate and the importance of discussions and other follow-up activities are covered. (8 references) (MES)

Describes methods used by the Louisville Free Public Library's children's department to introduce the library's programs and services to elementary school children. Specific suggestions for one-person visitations are provided including pertinent book titles. (EJS)

Proposes nonseries books as an alternative to series books for information on the Third World. The basis of the selection of these books is discussed. Thirteen nonseries books on Africa are listed and annotated as well as eight books on Asia and five books on Latin America. (RBF)