A makerspace is a physical place in the library where informal, collaborative learning can happen through hands-on creation, using any combination of technology, industrial arts, and fine arts that is not readily available for home use. The underlying goal of a makerspace is to encourage innovation and creativity through the use of technology-to…

Today school library media specialists operate in an environment of daily challenges and controversies. "No Child Left Behind" established mandates that all educators are scrambling to meet. No matter how people feel about the way the legislation is being carried out, it is difficult to argue against its purpose--that all educators must…

Mentoring is defined as a professional relationship between an experienced person and inexperienced person. When newly hired library media specialists enter their schools, they often become part of the district's mentoring program. Yet, mentoring these new professionals can be problematic for school districts. In addition, when a library media…

This report presents selected findings from the Public School Library Media Center Data File of the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). SASS is a nationally representative sample survey of public and private K-12 schools, principals, and teachers in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. School districts associated with public schools…

Article provided a checklist as a tentative guideline for the difficult question of how to judge the instructional media center. (Author/RK)

The new non-book media present a challenging problem to libraries already struggling to keep up with conventional media. The new media, their relationship to libraries, and attitudes of librarians towards the new media are reviewed. The case for library non-involvement and the case for active support of the new media are both examined, followed by…

Discussion of school library media specialist's involvement in reconsideration of materials from library media collection focuses on what media specialist should bring to complaint situation (school board-approved materials selection policy, training and experience, knowledge of available resources in intellectual freedom) and reconsideration…

For many years, there has been pressure on American schools to restrict or deny students access to books or periodicals deemed objectionable by some individual or group on moral, political, religious, ethnic, racial, or philosophical grounds. Censorship of library books in school media centers is present today. The library media specialist is…

This 25-article issue presents overview of reference services for childern and young adults, including public and school libraries, information needs, reference interviews, children's librarians, library instruction, library cooperation, production of information resources, material selection, and vertical files. References are included. (Haworth…

A WELL-EQUIPPED AND ADEQUATELY STAFFED SCHOOL LIBRARY CAN HELP IMPROVE INSTRUCTION AND CAN BE THE CENTER OF LEARNING BY PROVIDING EXTENSIVE ENRICHMENT MATERIALS. THE SCHOOL LIBRARY IS A NECESSARY PART OF EVERY SCHOOL. THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION (ALA) RECOMMENDS STANDARDS BASED ON SCHOOL SIZE, AND THE KNAPP FOUNDATION SPONSORS SCHOOL LIBRARY…

Describes a nationwide survey of librarians in secondary school library media centers to find out how much self-censorship is practiced in collection development. Results indicating that librarians do seem to voluntarily censor their acquisitions are discussed. (BK)

Reports results of a nationwide survey of school librarians that shows the increasing influence of librarians. Highlights include authority of library media specialists; career length; salaries; teacher-librarian collaboration; library materials budgets; librarian's role in purchasing materials and selecting vendors; certification; educational…

Objectives of this paper are: (1) to provide a practical point of view, based on experience of library and audiovisual practitioners, for expanding secondary school library programs into instructional materials center programs as demanded by instructional programs involving flexible scheduling, inquiry, and independent study; (2) to provide an…

The library college concept is a teaching method which differs from traditional methods in that librarians and faculty work more closely together in carrying out course objectives and tend toward a convergence in role or a symbiotic relationship. In the spring of 1967 an upperclass course in library materials was taught using this method at a…

Discusses issues of censorship and intellectual freedom that affect library media specialists and librarians. An annotated list of relevant resource materials is included, and suggestions for further action are given, including examining the library's material selection policy statement and involving students and teachers. (LRW)