Details planning and implementation of a two-year project by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to demonstrate online circulation procedures at two pilot sites--an elementary and a high school media center. Benefits of an automated circulation program are discussed, and recommendations for similar sites are offered. (MES)

Identifies questions that school librarians considering retrospective conversion should ask to evaluate their catalog needs and questions to ask vendors about their conversion methods. Comparative data about various vendors and methods of retrospective conversion are provided, along with a list of vendor addresses. (CLB)

Describes the advantages and disadvantages of using CD-ROM in the school library media center. Complaints about hardware, software, user problems, staffing, and funding reported by 67 library media specialists responding to a survey are included; and 15 steps for implementing CD-ROM technology are provided. (KRN)

Presents guidelines for library media specialists who are preparing to install automated systems to provide improved management and access services. Reasons for automating library management are discussed; hardware and software considerations are reviewed, including costs and compatibility; and retrospective conversion of bibliographic records is…

Reports results of a 1990 survey of the progress Minnesota school library media centers made toward meeting Information Power guidelines for automating circulation, reference services, and the catalog. Order of automation, relationship between school size and automation, media specialists' satisfaction with new systems, and reasons for not…

This guide brings together all aspects of administration of a school media center in light of the new qualitative standards in "Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs." The book focuses on practical considerations within a single school as reflected in the new developments in organizing and administering the…

Describes the development of a formula to determine the needed quantity of computers for a school library. Four types of information technology activities (administrative, personal productive, class/group productive, online public access catalog) and several variables (age levels served, campus focus, number of staff, size of student body, average…

Suggests guidelines to consider when choosing electronic reference tools for school libraries, including stand-alone systems versus networked versions; other resources that give access to the same information; annual updates; replacement costs; equipment needs; student and teacher needs; training time needed; and ease of use. (LRW)

Provides guidelines for automating a school library with limited funds and staff. Includes suggestions for preparation; finding equipment, choosing software, using MARC records, using volunteers for barcoding/loading records, the initial switch to an automated catalog, and continuing expenses and hardware upgrades. A sidebar lists costs for a…

This hands-on practical guide contains all the information the network novice needs to plan, fund, create, and maintain a local area network (LAN) in the school library media center. Step-by-step nontechnical instructions and advice for creating an information network are presented in understandable format. The network novice is taken from dream…

This collection of 23 articles compiled from school library journals address the special needs that make automation problematic for school libraries. The articles are divided into five sections: an overview of OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) development (4 titles); evaluating OPAC systems (4 titles); implementing OPAC systems (6 titles);…

This resource guide is designed to assist local schools in South Dakota to evaluate and improve their library media programs. The information provided is non-regulatory in nature (with the exception of information from the "Administrative Rules of South Dakota"), and represents a foundation for building a quality library media program.…

Discusses "Information Power" and its effects on school libraries. Topics discussed include social changes and cultural diversity; technological changes; networking and resource sharing; the access, evaluation, and use of information; partnerships between librarians, principals, and teachers; flexible scheduling; and statistics for…

A new media center is planned for a K-8 Department of Defense Dependents School (DoDDS) with approximately 850 students in Heilbronn, West Germany. Heilbronn has a U.S. Army community with the majority of the students being military dependents. The faculty and administration are made up of educators from all over the United States. Although at the…