The relationships school librarians develop with administrators and teachers can serve as a powerful advocacy tool in demonstrating the tremendous potential they have as instructional leaders of multiple literacies in K-12 schools. Through the author's experience and research, this article presents principles that may help guide school librarians…

In January 2006, Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Libraries began a successful embedded librarian program in the university's College of Education and Educational Technology. The program has improved the library's relationship with faculty and students; shaped a more relevant collection of print, media, and electronic resources that meets…

The common belief among school librarians is that a flexibly scheduled school library program as opposed to a fixed schedule program is the best choice. After all, there are distinct advantages to the flexible program: students are served at the point of need, skills are not taught in isolation, and collaborative lessons are developed with…

In this first of two articles on making the most of fixed schedules in library media centers, the author discusses the fixed library media center schedule at her school, which allows for some flexibility to help the library media specialist support authentic student learning through collaboration with teachers. She discusses the administrative and…

As librarians work to prepare themselves and their colleagues to function in the rapidly growing world of information they often find themselves feeling alone and overwhelmed. One group of Ohio school librarians took on the daunting challenge of keeping up with the continually changing world of information technology and together developed an…

During the 2001-2002 academic year, Augustana College Library (Rock Island, IL) and St. Ambrose University Library (Davenport, IA) began a unique joint venture of peer observation between the reference staff members of the two libraries. Librarians from each college took turns visiting the other library and conducting peer observations of…

This paper discusses the use of online learning communities for library professional organizations to promote collaboration and learning. The addition of an online learning community component to a library organization expands collaborative and educational opportunities for members through a virtual environment. Although technologies used to…

Explores how a tenure support group can provide a mechanism for discussing concerns and channeling efforts for academic librarians seeking faculty status. Discusses establishing tenure support groups and their role. Describes programs presented to tenure-track librarians at Texas A&M University, and outlines benefits of participation. (PEN)

Examines the increasing information value of government documents as resource materials, the effects of information technology on access to government documents, and the resulting need for cooperation among archivists and librarians in selection and administration of these materials. (CLB)

Describes problems encountered by public librarians when assisting students with assignments that are difficult or impossible to complete. Examples of librarians' successes in assertive, tactful communication with instructors and a list of solutions to inappropriate assignments are provided. Special emphasis is given to assignments dealing with…

A survey of 104 Florida public library administrators resulted in a 70% response rate to a questionnaire investigating the value of a variety of types of activities associated with professional development. Presented as a poster session, this report indicates that the following professional and continuing education activities were considered the…

Discusses the benefits of and the need for cooperation among archives and libraries as a means of sharing funding sources, and outlines the necessary key elements of a national historical records program involving manuscript libraries and archives. (CLB)

Intended to provide a comprehensive system for the evaluation of a media specialist's total job performance, this three-part evaluation form is based on the St. Louis Community College's Faculty Evaluation System: Instructional Resources Faculty, August 1981. Designed for peer evaluation of media specialists, the first form includes a rating scale…

Five brief papers explore the issues of "ownership" and proprietary interest in the online catalog, relationships between technical services and public services in the design and management of the catalog, and opportunities presented by the new technologies to alter ways of working together. (CLB)

Although there have been some arguments against librarians doing research, a growing body of literature finds significant benefits in their research and publication, both for themselves and for their libraries. These include job advancement, personal recognition, improved relationships with teaching faculty, increased responsiveness to change, and…