Elementary school libraries are not often thought of as suitable spaces for learning commons because most elementary school libraries operate on a fixed schedule, allowing only one class at a time to use the space. Elementary school libraries are too often the drop-off location for a specific class during the classroom teacher's planning period.…

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…

Although still a relatively new technology with less than 10 years of history, YouTube's extensive reach and integration in mainstream society as well as lifelong learning habits of online users cannot be understated. This article examines how the YouTube collection at the University of British Columbia Library's Irving K. Barber Learning Centre…

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…

Today media centers provide students the opportunity to learn and explore subjects of their interest in depth. The media center is the largest classroom in the school providing service to every student and every teacher in all curricular areas. The library should be a place to encourage students' interests and a place to broaden their horizons by…

In this article, the authors present the outcomes of a project they implemented to increase library use by their adolescent males, a population at their school that avoided the library like the plague. They conducted a survey to know what their male students wished they would find in their media center. Their students suggested manga as a genre,…

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 article talks about selection policy and provides suggestions on how library media specialists can update their selection policies to provide an atmosphere that facilitate inquiry. The selection policy is meant to ensure that the collection meets the needs of the school community as comprehensively and effectively as possible. Instead of…

This year's "School Library Journal's" spending survey showed that, despite the recession, the vast majority of media centers around the country have retained their credentialed media specialists. For example, almost 85% of elementary schools and more than 95% of middle and high schools have a full-time certified librarian. In addition, salaries…

Hurricane Ivan struck the Gulf Coast of Florida on September 16, 2004, destroying waterfront homes, and damaging properties for miles. Pensacola Junior College (PJC), a two-year college with three campuses and a student population of approximately 26,000, was hit hard. In the Pensacola Campus Learning Resources Center (LRC), water and mold ruined…

Discusses the value of support during challenges to library media materials and describes studies that show that, when assistance was received from either within or outside the district, challenged material was more likely to be retained. Considers reasons why library media specialists choose not to seek professional support. (LRW)

Summarizes the findings of three studies conducted for doctoral dissertations that investigated differentiated programs of library use for gifted and talented students. Topics discussed include types of library materials used; use of the resource center; scores on tests of information skills; and the role of teacher-librarians. (three references)…

Suggests titles for elementary school reference collections that are basic adult resources to support teacher's curricular needs and general reference questions that are beyond the scope of most children's reference sources, and which will be used by teachers and by library media specialists rather than by children. (LRW)

Describes a library media center activity for elementary and secondary grades where students use reference materials to find the answers to a travel game based on a "Where's Waldo" format. Clues for a worldwide version and a U.S. version are included. (LRW)

Presents a rationale for keeping the school library media center's vertical files. Discusses reasons related to: student accessibility, supplement to the school curricula, local topics, and limited financial resources. Outlines ten guidelines for maintaining a useful and current file collection. (AEF)