Discusses the role of the media specialist and offers ideas for library orientation. The concept of invitational education (i.e., education aimed at creating a total school environment that summons teachers and students to realize their potential and to make classrooms inviting) is considered and several related resources are suggested. (MES)

Discusses ways that school media specialists can address the needs of latchkey children and at-risk students. A total of 21 resources providing background information and suggestions for dealing with the issues involved are listed. (MES)

Summarizes state-level activities in Illinois, Connecticut, Nevada, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Montana, New York, Oklahoma, Colorado, Minnesota, Florida, and Wisconsin that influenced recommendations at state pre-White House Conference on Library and Information Services meetings for improved library services to children and young adults. A position…

Highlights examples of outreach and lending programs that bring the museum experience into school and public libraries and suggests that the school library media specialist can act as the link between museums and teachers. A list of contacts for the nine programs mentioned is provided. (EAM)

Discussion of ways to improve student focuses on the simple concept of letting students read whatever they choose, including comic books or so-called trashy books. Barriers to this approach are discussed, including the difficulty in breaking away from past practices and academic research that is unhelpful to practitioners. (LRW)

Describes two Treasure Mountain IV conferences. The first conference brought practitioners together with researchers Stephen Krashen and Keith Lance to discuss evidence that school library media programs make a difference in academic achievement. The second conference focused on the possibility of measuring the impact of library media programs on…

Discusses school librarians' use of telecommunications to provide access to electronic resources and information databases outside the school library. Examples are given of services provided through the Internet, including electronic mail, file transfer protocol, Gopher, Wide Area Information Server, and World Wide Web. (five references) (LRW)

Comments on the research finding that the personal convictions of the teacher-librarian about what is made available to secondary school students are more influential in the censorship of school library materials than external pressures to censor by school and community members. (six references) (MAB)

Describes the 15 rural extension centers maintained by Texas community colleges. Reports survey findings regarding the library extension services offered to the centers, including full branch libraries (five centers) and informal arrangements with public libraries for services (five centers). Indicates mileage between center and campus. (DMM)

Describes a service offered by the library at Oakton Community College (Illinois) to full-time college faculty and administrators. Faculty members register to receive the contents page from any periodical in the collection and are encouraged to borrow the periodical or request any desired articles. (DMM)

Cites court decisions in several prominent school library censorship cases and discusses the role of the library media specialist in preparing students to meet challenges to their intellectual freedom. Several teaching/learning activities that are useful for involving students in censorship and intellectual freedom issues are described. (eight…

Describes the roles of various divisions of the American Library Association (ALA) in helping to pass the youth services resolution at the 1991 White House Conference on Library and Information Services (WHCLIS2). A sidebar contains the text of the resolution, which is entitled The Omnibus Children and Youth Literacy through Libraries Act. (LRW)

Reports on an annual national survey of state-level school library officials. Data are presented for 1990-91 on the number of children enrolled in public schools, the number of certified school library media specialists employed, and students per media specialist. A graph compares data for selected years from 1969 to the present. (KRN)

Discusses management guidelines to follow when conducting performance appraisal conferences for clerical assistants or paraprofessionals in secondary school libraries. Topics addressed include the need for privacy during the conference; making the assistant part of the process by asking for a self-evaluation; being well prepared; and properly…

Underscores the need for international education in community colleges, considering the links between American international business competitiveness and community college education. Looks at the role of learning resources centers (LRCs) in program development and support. Considers activities that may be undertaken by LRC staff in international…