A prevalent misconception is that reading must be a solitary endeavor. This view of reading creates an instant aversion for many teens who tend to be social creatures. This article discusses how Kristen Deuschle, the district media specialist for Forsyth County Schools in Cumming, Georgia, combined two of her passions--community outreach and…

In many locales--in many states--early conceptions of the school librarian's job have not evolved over the years even as the duties have expanded exponentially. The fact that in some districts outdated evaluation tools, such as Georgia's 1990 system, are still used to rate 21st-century school librarians is an obvious sign of the misconceptions…

Moving a library media center takes time, energy, and organization. As the sole media specialist/librarian for a new facility, this author has experienced moving material from another school. She learned a great deal and had help from people who volunteered their time and energy to make it happen. Although she does not claim to be a moving expert,…

Due to the absence of a Georgia Educator Certificate in instructional technology, and the lack of state-wide staffing guidelines or requirements for instructional technology specialists, there is a lack of consistency in the qualifications and staffing of P-12 instructional technology specialists in Georgia public schools. The result is a lack of…

Evidence-based practice is the collection, interpretation, and use of data, such as collection statistics or assessment results, that measure the effectiveness of a library media program. In this article, the authors will present various forms of evidence and show that any library media specialist can use data to make informed decisions that…

Many U.S. elementary and middle schools celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday on March 2nd via the National Education Association's (NEA) Read Across America Day (RAAD). Not as many high schools participate in this joyous ode to reading. In this article, the authors describe how they, as media specialists at Sprayberry High School in Marietta, Georgia,…

This descriptive research study examined principal support of collaboration in Georgia schools designated as having exemplary library media programs from the perspective of media specialists, classroom teachers and principals. A pilot study generated a survey instrument to be used for the exemplary school media program study. The literature on…

A description of a learning center program for the school media center. (Author)

Describes mentoring programs for new school library media specialists based on experiences in two urban school systems in Georgia. Discusses criteria for the selection of mentors; support meetings; funding to compensate mentors; the role of administrators; and evaluating mentoring programs. (LRW)

The study described in this report was designed to determine the general perceptions of public librarians regarding school library media specialists and to determine the influence of cooperative ventures on those perceptions. The population studies were randomly selected from all public libraries listed in "Georgia Public Library Statistics,…

Reports on a case study of three rural Georgia elementary school media specialists that examined the tasks performed and their perception of the importance of these tasks compared to responsibilities and tasks in "Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning", by the American Association of School Librarians. (LRW)

Georgia's Choice/America's Choice (GC/AC) is a school reform model, which was adopted in approximately 160 schools across the state to focus on student work and achievement, to align the instructional process and to place emphasis on results. Library Media Specialists (LMSs) are important to school community's spirit of acceptance and should serve…

Discusses the need for professional development opportunities for school library media specialists and describes the development of a workshop in Georgia for new media specialists. Includes the roles and responsibilities of media specialists, including collaboration with teachers; and decision-making responsibilities. (LRW)

The purpose of this study was to compare library media programs located in Georgia Schools of Excellence, and determine how they contribute to the overall success of their schools' instructional program. The library media specialists surveyed worked in 195 schools that have been selected as Georgia Schools of Excellence from 1984 to 1991. A…

This guide initiated by the Area Media Committees for the state of Georgia provides a description of the role of the community in the development of school media programs as well as the responsibilities of educational personnel, including the superintendent, system media contact person, media coordinator, curriculum coordinator, system media…