In this article, the author examines the need of the Future Ready Librarians (FRL) initiative. The FRL Framework helps define how librarians might lead, teach, and support schools based on the core research-based components defined by Future Ready. The framework and initiative are intended to be ways to change the conversation about school…

In this policy brief, the authors examine and provide examples of the ways that public libraries have become invaluable partners in supporting family STEM learning. Although emerging research points to the strong influence of families on children's growth and development, a focus on joint parent and child STEM learning is still nascent. This brief…

This article describes the author's (an elementary school librarian) journey as she researched various bike bookmobile programs in the United States. Though the three programs had different target audiences, all the bike bookmobiles that she observed generated excitement and interest in reading. Public interest for each program was high. People…

In this paper, the author shares K-12 strategies for community outreach and describes what school library media specialists can do to expand resources and services beyond their student community. The author first suggests to use Book Fair and other school activities like Open House and Curriculum Night to promote one's library and recruit human…

This article examines the results of a survey sent to Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Special Collections requesting information on outreach to K-12 students. Over half of the respondents work with K-12 and many of those who currently do not are planning to. New pressures and changing philosophies contribute to this trend.

When parents help kids with their homework or get involved in an assignment, they're doing more than showing an interest in their children's education--they're helping them succeed. And since everyone knows that well-equipped school libraries make a huge difference in student achievement, there's a real need to make parents aware of the media…

Twenty-two articles present ways librarians who work with young people have reached out to the community. Most describe cooperative efforts between schools and public libraries. Other topics include a school read-aloud program, a public library's work with preschoolers, common elements in guidelines for school and public libraries, and management…

Discusses a bill introduced in the January 1999 session of the Connecticut General Assembly that involves collaboration among community agencies to create additional after-school programs for children and improve upon existing ones. Presents details of one Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC) member's testimony and her account of…

Helping Books Help Families (HBHF) is a book discussion program developed by the State Library of Ohio to be instituted by public and school libraries in the state of Ohio. The focus of the program is to promote reading with three groups: families as a group, to parents alone as role models for reading, and to students in school libraries. There…

Discusses reasons for home schooling and suggests ways that libraries can respond to home schoolers. Concerns about academic performance and socialization of home-schooled children are also discussed, and library services are suggested. Such services include community outreach programs, tours, sponsoring workshops, and collection development…

The objectives of this "reading club" manual are to encourage reading; to provide a handbook for library staff and volunteers to use as a whole or in parts to complete their reading programs; and to aid librarians in helping participants in the reading club experience a feeling of accomplishment by providing ideas that are fun for…

The 1997 volume of Rural Libraries includes two issues containing seven articles. Articles are: (1) "Information Access through Electronic Databases for Rural Public Libraries" (Kitti Canepi); (2) "Bookmobiles in the Burbs" (Joyce Voss); (3) "Bookmobile Survey" (Liam Kennedy); (4) "Connections: Internet in Rural…

Highlights examples of outreach and lending programs that bring the museum experience into school and public libraries and suggests that the school library media specialist can act as the link between museums and teachers. A list of contacts for the nine programs mentioned is provided. (EAM)

This guide presents a number of activities that are designed to attract students and teachers to the school library media center. Included are ideas and suggestions gleaned from various professional journals, books, and library media specialists around the state of Texas, such as: (1) games, contests, and reading clubs; (2) bulletin boards; (3)…

This volume contains descriptions of 62 library programs that have been identified as being exemplary in one of the following program topic areas: (1) services to populations without library or media centers; (2) services to populations with inadequate library/media centers; (3) services to special populations, including the disadvantaged,…