A few months ago, the largest school district in Texas announced plans to close twenty-eight elementary and middle school libraries, claiming it was part of an effort to combat low test scores and discipline problems. Unfortunately, this troubling trend seems to be spreading. According to the author, multiple studies have shown that effective…

School librarians need to be proactive in identifying new ways to help students prepare for the world of the future. Students need relevant educational experiences that support emerging demands created by information and service based economies. The economies of Pacific Rim countries such as the USA, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Canada are…

A hallmark of school library media best practice is for the library media center to be open and accessible to patron use before, during, and after the school day and throughout the entire school year. Anecdotal evidence and informal discussion among school library media specialists indicate that library media facilities are sometimes used for…

The "Educational Media and Technology Yearbook" is dedicated to theoretical, empirical, and practical approaches to educational media development. All chapters are invited and selected based on a variety of strategies to determine current trends and issues in the field. The 2011 edition highlights innovative Trends and Issues in Learning…

"When you start your new job as a school librarian, one of the first steps you must take is to ask to see the district's book selection policy. If there isn't one, write one. Right away. It protects you, the teachers, and the district." That advice was part of the author's school library administration course at the School of Library and…

Provides 26 strategies for libraries that have chosen the independent learner role and are committed to meeting the needs of young adults. A self-evaluation form on access and a list of the developmental needs of young adolescents are included. (Contains 12 references.) (EAM)

Future school library media specialists will serve as information consultants to students and teachers and as gatekeepers to new information technologies and resources. School information services will provide easy access to local, regional, and national collections. Two high schools in Maryland and suburban Chicago are experimenting with…

Families need to become involved with their children's development of information literacy skills. Statistics on television and home computer ownership and online access for families and schools are presented, and resources that school library media specialists can use to promote family involvement are described. (AEF)

Discussion of several of the objectives in Information Power, the new American Association of School Librarians/Association for Educational Communications and Technology guidelines for library media specialists, considers such topics as access to information and the role of the media specialist. (eight references) (MES)

Now that "everything is on the Net," what are the roles of K-12 libraries and librarians in a digital-age learning environment? School library media specialists (SLMSs) work with classroom instructors and learners throughout the educational process: from curriculum development to unit/module/lesson plan development and delivery, integrating…

Discusses the need for media specialists to be able to translate broad issues into specific questions that can be answered at the building level in order to improve school media programs. A series of specific questions for each challenge posed in "Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs" is presented. (five references)…

Discusses use of the Internet by school library media specialists and its importance in the development of the library profession. Highlights include how to access the Internet and resources about the Internet, including information about networks as well as three sources that provide introductions to the general concepts of the Internet. (LRW)

The emerging technology of the World Wide Web is a natural source of acquisitions for archivists. This paper discusses two areas of digital communications: a university archivist's role in the support and management of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) home page, and the uses other archives and special collection departments at selected…

Description of how library media specialists can assist teachers and administrators in retrieving useful information by using ERIC highlights its organization, the types of materials available that are especially useful to classroom teachers, and ways that it can be accessed online. A list of ERIC Clearinghouses with addresses is included. (EM)

Examines the role of the online catalog in school libraries. Addresses the evolution of the online catalog, discussing connectivity, integration of technical and public services, networked hardware and software, user interface, and searching the catalog. Discusses the dual role of the library media specialist, of managing the catalog and offering…