With all the discourse in school librarianship about collaboration, there is surprisingly little discussion of teacher planning. For teachers, planning is the taken-for-granted work necessary for teaching. Planning focuses on various increments of time, ranging from a single lesson to a day, a week, a grading term, and a school year. Teacher…

Library media specialists are a literacy model. They hold the world of literacy at their fingertips and in their collections. Everything individuals need to know about literacy can be found in some form in the library domain, either in the stacks or in the professional repertoire that librarians posses. There are plenty of ways that library media…

Discusses leadership of the school library media specialist in the areas of curriculum and instruction. Presents case studies of principals who were media specialists and recognize the importance and leadership potential of media specialists, and provides a leadership model for school library media specialists. (LRW)

Explains how the library professional staff in a Colorado Springs school district has changed the focus of their job role from technology implementation and support to increasing student achievement. Discusses reasons for the change, the library technology educator model, standards of performance, and collaboration with classroom teachers. (LRW)

This presentation addresses the issues of change in perception of the role and program of modern school library and information services (SLIS). A brief review of the various aspects of school librarianship over the past decade is addressed from the global perspective. The purpose and function of the modern SLIS is examined. The role of the…

Discusses challenges facing teacher librarians to plan a future for the information-knowledge environments in schools and suggests that action and evidence-based, learning-centered practice focusing on a constructivist inquiry approach are important. Topics include perceived lack of support and understanding; funding; professional development; a…

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…

Argues that current technologies offer unique possibilities for instructional improvement and identifies probable obstacles to exploitation of these opportunities for all students, including female, handicapped, inner-city and rural, minority, disadvantaged, and average learners. A 2-tiered model is presented for the media specialist addressing…

Discusses how one-on-one interaction between teacher-librarians and students can turn library research projects into positive experiences in which students use a process of constructing knowledge for themselves rather than reproducing knowledge they find in information sources. A model of thinking during information use is presented. (Author/LRW)

Aimed at consultants and those responsible for the development of school library media programs, this paper outlines the functions of school library media personnel, with emphasis on their instructional role and their role as agents of societal change. A discussion of entry-level competencies which should be required for school library media…

This comprehensive report details the activities of a study which investigated public, public secondary school, community college, academic, state institutional, and state library agencies, in order to: (1) assess the current status of libraries in literacy education; (2) determine an expanded role for libraries in literacy education; and (3)…

This volume contains descriptions of 62 library programs that have been identified as being exemplary in one of the following program topic areas: (1) services to populations without library or media centers; (2) services to populations with inadequate library/media centers; (3) services to special populations, including the disadvantaged,…

This paper provides a framework for a plan for the utilization of technology in a school district. An example of a set of proficiencies for the use of computers by students at various grade levels is offered as a model for the computer literacy component of a district master plan. Other components discussed are the supervision and management of…

Discusses national standardized testing versus testing reform and provides an overview of the alternative assessment movement and its relationship to the school library media specialist. Highlights include criticisms of standardized testing; theoretical assumptions for alternative assessment; research and practice related to specific alternative…

Describes the Knapp School Libraries Project that was developed in the 1960s to create model libraries in elementary and secondary schools by upgrading their materials and qualified personnel. Visits from librarians, educators, students, and community members that helped disseminate the model libraries' characteristics are discussed. (Contains 14…