To enable learners to seize the opportunities they will face in the future, school librarians must hold a clear vision of where they want their learners to go. Indeed, the primary responsibility of school librarians is to develop whole-child-focused library programs that engage and empower learners with the durable skills, attitudes, and…

To develop a new understanding of how self-directed professional learning (SDPL) contributes to the professional growth of school librarians, a case study design using humanistic learning theory (Maslow, 1954; C. Rogers, 1983) and based on theoretical assumptions about adult learners (Knowles, 1968, 1975, 1980), the intentional self-directed…

As the future arrives faster and faster one must ask continually, what do kids actually need from their formal education today and tomorrow? Continuous innovation of method and strategy must be integral to the practice of all teaching professionals. Equitable educators must take a look at the learners in front of them, when and where they stand,…

Introduction: Self-guided learning has had a major impact on adult education, where information seeking and use are key aspects of learning. With their lack of experience in study contexts, the students are nevertheless assumed to develop information literacy. Method: The paper aims to create an understanding of how information literacy can be…

Instructional collaborations between classroom teachers and school librarians often involve the "research project." These annual assignments (typically) are opportunities to put the inquiry process into practice and provide a rich context for learning. The National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School…

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of high school librarians related to use of online environments to provide instructional support. The study sought to discover influences on the types of online instructional support provided by high school librarians. Inquiry focused on the participant librarians' perceptions of…

This article is the second part of a two-part article on a learning project developed through the Independent Learning Centre (ILC) program at Concordia Lutheran College. The first part of this article can be found in the January 2009 issue of this journal and discusses how the applications of the "AASL Standards for the 21st-Century Learner"…

In this article, the authors describe McNair Middle School's Independent Study process. Each year in late January the authors connect to look at the calendar to schedule time for the seventh-grade gifted and talented (GT) students to come to the school library to begin their annual Independent Study. "Independent study is a planned research…

The easiest link for libraries to establish in relation to the learning society is the direct managerial link that many have with educational institutions. Libraries in schools, colleges, and universities of all kinds are significant parts of the education enterprise. They become more so when the emphasis of education shifts to independent…

Data from student and teacher questionnaires, interviews with school librarians, and examination of bibliographies of student papers were collected in six metropolitan area public schools working to study facilities used and assistance received by students on independent study assigments. Results indicated that students successfully used a wide…

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)

The library resource center of a new school in Wales is described and evaluated. First there is an overview of the school itself: social environment, school aims, organization, individual and independent work, staffing, and growth of the school. Then various facets of the resource center are discussed: aims, design and layout; departmental…

MORE THAN 10,000 CHILDREN ATTEND SCHOOLS WHERE THERE ARE NO SCHOOL LIBRARIES. SIXTY-SIX PERCENT OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE A SCHOOL LIBRARY. EVEN SCHOOLS WITH CENTRALIZED LIBRARIES HAVE FEWER THAN FIVE BOOKS PER PUPIL, AND MANY ARE WITHOUT PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED LIBRARIANS. BECAUSE OF THESE STATISTICS A SPECIAL ISSUE ON ELEMENTARY…

Basic orientation to educational theory and research is provided to further the teaching role of the school librarian. This liberally-illustrated handbook also includes instructions for a variety of games and other motivational devices. Principles of motivation theory outlined in Chapter 2 are given immediate practical application in Chapters 3-5,…

What specific learning behaviors are important to students and faculty members? Does the campus provide spaces that foster these behaviors? Where are those spaces? Asking these three questions at six colleges and universities reveals notable differences in the ways students and faculty members answer them. Student and faculty member answers also…