This case study explores the strategies used to redistribute materials among available shelves in a curriculum materials center after deaccessioning and relocation projects. The librarian estimated imposed fill ratios based on collection segments which were then mapped onto a floor plan to efficiently shift materials. The estimated imposed fill…

K.C. Boyd discusses how school librarians can advocate for school libraries and school library services. She details how to turn frustration into strategic advocacy efforts by highlighting the school librarian's role as an essential literacy partner in students' academic achievement.

Croft presents her study results that explored how district leaders can be equipped to support their school librarians in the absence of an official district school librarian supervisor. Croft offers suggestions for practice to assist school librarians in partnering with district leaders to provide the knowledge and experience district leaders…

School librarians regularly face difficult intellectual freedom questions. Is it a good idea to put grade- or reading-level labels on the outside of books or use labels to determine what students should read? Do children have First Amendment rights? The ALA "Intellectual Freedom Manual" provides answers and guidance. The…

Important happenings related to the concept of intellectual freedom (IF) coincide with the annual back-to-school ramp up. This article discusses how to use the summer hiatus to develop learning opportunities related to events such as Banned Books Week (BBW) and Banned Websites Awareness Day (BWAD). The author provides resource information to aid…

The article is divided into three sections. The main section, "Filtering beyond CIPA: Consequences of and Alternatives to Overfiltering in Schools" (Kristen Batch) describes factors that contribute to the overimplementation of CIPA. Internet filtering is a routine practice in public schools and libraries. The Children's Internet…

What do school librarians fear most? Hands down, their biggest fear is a formal challenge to a resource in the school library. There are no accurate statistics about the number of challenges to school library resources. The staff of ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom estimates that only about 20 percent are reported to ALA annually. For the…

Evidence-based library and information practice (EBLIP) provides school librarians a systematic means of building, assessing, and revising a library program, thus demonstrating a school library program's worth to the larger school community. Through survey research collecting both qualitative and quantitative data, 111 public school librarians in…

School librarians act as servants of the school community and protectors of students' rights, and it is the ethical duty of school librarians to champion student privacy and resist threats to it. This article addresses the legality of this process based upon the 2007 article "How Does the Family Rights and Privacy Act [FERPA] Affect You"…

Three years ago, when K-12 schools started thinking seriously about creating digital libraries, the Mesquite Independent School District (TX) bought several Sony eReaders, loaded them with books, and circulated them to students. This initial attempt was not a rousing success. After the Mesquite ISD pulled the plug on its disastrous e-reader…

Mission statements are expected elements of business plans and corporate communications. Yet, practice in creating them and monitoring their impact varies and skeptics wonder about their usefulness. A survey of business literature provides a context for school library mission statements. Mission statements define the nature, purpose, and role of…

As schools across the country face increasing fiscal restraints, school library professional positions are being eliminated at an alarming rate. As a result, many school librarians are becoming the only certified library professional in a district, serving multiple schools and grade levels. Suddenly, each is a solo librarian. As a solo librarian…

This primer for Mississippi school librarians is designed for use as a planning guide by teachers, librarians, administrators, and supervisors involved in developing school library programs. The ten chapters of the bulletin cover: philosophy of the school library; standards; school library facilities; library collection development, including…

This five-year plan for the administration of Utah's Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) program contains the following sections: (1) principles; (2) assumptions; (3) the current scene of Utah libraries, including public libraries, academic libraries, school library media centers, and private and research libraries; (4) establishment of…

Provides an overview of the various roles of state libraries and discusses several issues of concern to all state libraries: the role of the library within state government; resources sharing; school library development; public library development; automation consulting; continuing education for library professionals; and the leadership role of…