A recent trend in public libraries' children's services emphasizes the role of promoting school readiness. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the school readiness efforts present in storytime programs, this study observed and scored 68 public library preschool storytime sessions presented by 35 storytime providers across three states using…

This study analyses how community resources are integrated into four areas of the Australian Curriculum: Languages (Chinese), The Arts (Visual Arts), Sciences, and Humanities and Social Sciences (Economics and Business). It examines four case studies to compare the use of rural resources and local partnerships in achieving educational goals and…

When secondary school librarians teach students digital life literacies, they help students perceive that librarians can provide support for real-life problems. The more librarians work with students, create inviting library environments, and have positive engagements with students, the more they change student perceptions of librarians in…

Public libraries have long been considered important spaces of adult education and learning. However, major social changes over the past few decades, and the impact these have had on libraries' work, have received little attention. Our three-year cross-national study of libraries in Canada and Britain explored how librarians navigate the discourse…

Children's and young adult librarians are crucial links to effective learning for students. This straightforward handbook is filled with nuts-and-bolts advice on the best ways to help young people with their homework, no matter what the assignment. Carol F. Intner, a certified English teacher and experienced tutor, concentrates on the practical,…

In this article, the authors share how cloud-based applications, such as Google Calendar, Wikidot, Google Docs, Google Sites, YouTube, and Craigslist, played a big part in the success of their plan of implementing a technology training program for customers and employees. A few years ago the Denver Public Library, where the authors work, developed…

In a comprehensive study of two-hundred fifty homeschooling families in urban, rural and suburban areas of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the researcher examined all aspects of the instruction, materials and curricula employed by the families in a ten-year longitudinal study from 1998 through 2008. The researcher conducted interviews and…

Examines the following elements of scaffolding, providing insight into the librarian's role as educator: attention, ownership, collaboration, appropriateness, modeling, support, adjustment, and internationalization. A sidebar lists 10 ways to recognize a constructivist children's reference librarian. (AEF)

Because they're quick and fun to read, riddles can "hook" even reluctant readers and keep them coming back for more. Riddles also improve vocabulary, comprehension, and oral reading; enhance deductive and inductive thinking skills; and promote libraries as places for fun. Drawing on her work with children in schools and public libraries, Dee…

A collection of original essays, case studies, and research reports is presented on the problems, hopes, and techniques of instructing library users and nonusers, from the kindergartener to the postschool adult, in the effective use of libraries and their resources. First there is a comprehensive overview of the research to date on library user…

This packet contains both a teacher's guide and a student activity book designed to help adult students locate and use community resources. Both booklets cover the following topics: the public library, Social Security, postal services, use of the telephone and the telephone directory, the newspaper, the Cooperative Extension Service, reference…

This report provides a summary and evaluation of a retreat held for the directors and literacy coordinators of the 46 public libraries participating in the California Literacy Campaign (CLC), their supervisors, State Library staff, and members of the California Library Services Board. Following a brief introduction and overview, descriptions of…

Focusing on federal efforts to fight illiteracy through the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA), Title I, this report describes some of the literacy projects that have been supported by LSCA funds, examines current literacy trends, and discusses some ideas for the future. The definition of literacy is considered, public libraries are…

This study suggests that it is important to study library users' reaction to and satisfaction with the instruction given to them for use of the online public access catalog (OPAC). The objective of this study was to discover the types of instruction that users at the Beavercreek Community Library (Ohio) feel are most useful in learning the OPAC.…

This curriculum guide, written by experienced teachers of adults in Philadelphia, describes a full curriculum for intermediate-level adult literacy students (students who have basic reading skills). The curriculum is based on the assumption that adult students deserve a broad, well-rounded education. The guide also discusses teaching techniques…