Homeschooling families are everywhere these days. They're on television, giving interviews after winning national spelling bees. They're in the paper, profiled after making Olympic trials. They're on the radio, talking about the growing popularity of homeschooling as an educational choice. And they're definitely in libraries. According to a 2003…

Based on the findings of a recent three-year study by Dominican University's Graduate School of Library and Information Studies, the authors can confirm what many librarians have long suspected: students who take part in their local library's summer reading program significantly improve their reading skills. This article describes the results of…

Each weekday when school let out, the Queens Library at Far Rockaway--a branch of the Queens Library in New York City--would fill with nearly 100 teens. Drawn by the public-use computers, many others, who had dropped out of school, would also crowd in. To invoke a cliche, the situation was both an opportunity and a challenge. The popularity of the…

The medical community understands surprisingly little about autism, referred to as autism spectrum disorders (ASD), because its symptoms can range from severe to a high-functioning autism, known as Asperger's syndrome. There's general agreement that a genetic predisposition coupled with unknown environmental triggers may explain what's behind it,…

This paper presents the Fort Washakie School/Community Library and Technology Center, cowinner of this year's SLJ/Thomson Gale Giant Step Award. Nearly four years old, this combination school-and-public library is located in the town of Fort Washakie, on the Wind River Indian Reservation, a vast 2.8-million-acre tract about a three-hour drive…

Storytimes, lap-sit programs, and other services for young children are a major part of most public libraries' missions. According to children's librarians, these services play a significant role in preparing children for success as readers. This article discusses the positive relationship between children's services and early reading success by…

The success of several series of feature films for children is reported and justification for other libraries to provide similar services is given. (NH)

Discussion of the puppetry program at the Austin (TX) Public Library describes the types of shows, staff training procedures, story selection, puppet construction, and special effects. (MES)

Both program planning and public relations are necessary in attracting readers, watchers, and listeners to the public library. (Author/PF)

The brief history of Western Australia's public library development (since 1950), chronicled here, has been marked by an overwhelming public response in communities of all sizes and locales. (12 references) (Author/SJ)

A remarkable group of 19th Century American women removed the signs, Dogs and Children Not Allowed,'' from the public libraries and originated what has been called America's most valuable contribution to the library world--library service to children. (10 references) (Author/NH)

Getting kids excited about the library isn't as difficult as media librarians think. All it takes is giving them some control. They'll be surprised at how quickly their attitudes change once they let them play a role in everything from programming and technology to book selection and design. It may take some getting used to, but listening to what…

A program of the Cambria County Library System, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to provide toys and activities for preschoolers is described. (PF)

The literature suggests that children's library services have declined because librarians have neglected to document, evaluate, and measure their programs. The collection of such data would help strengthen their position with administrators who are dealing with financial stringency. Suggestions are offered to help counteract the decline of…

Comprehensive Employment and Training Act personnel were used to provide tutorial services in the public library. (PF)