In this article, the author stresses that teacher-librarians must make themselves aware of a variety of aspects of the local aboriginal culture as well as the differences in interpersonal interaction. Artwork, both student and professional, can make a library more beautiful. Posters or aboriginal role models should be mixed with non-aboriginal…

For a closer look at the career paths of librarians, LJ (Library Journal) targeted the 1988 graduates of UCLA's Graduate School of Library and Information Science (now known as GSEIS). Using 15 years as a mid-career benchmark, LJ hoped to learn how the careers of the Class of 1988 had developed and how these graduates viewed their career paths to…

How can a young media specialist not only survive but thrive during their first year on the job? What do you need to know about working with an experienced staff? In this article, the author provides some strategies that helped the author earn his colleagues' respect. Sections include: (1) Listen and Learn; (2) Take the Terror out of Technology;…

This column is the first in a series exploring "new" expanded conceptions of literacy education. Examples of these new expanded conceptions include visual literacy, critical literacy, hypertext, media literacy, multimedia, drama, music and other less "traditional" forms of print and nonprint text. It is through discussions of these multiple…

Kansas librarians were delighted when Cindi Hickey came into their lives. Kansas is a really big state, sprawling over 82,000 square miles. For its small-town librarians, many of whom are without an MLS, professional development opportunities required hours spent driving--as well as hard-to-come-by travel money for overnight lodging. Hickey,…

Since archaeology is a branch of science that interests so many kids, Alice Robinson based a 10-week lesson for her sixth grade class on the subject. First, she prominently displayed archaeology books in the library, including Ancient Times by Guy Austrian and Archaeology for Kids by Richard Panchyk. After explaining the definition of archaeology…

A funny thing happened in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on the way to passing a $46 million school bond during the 2000-01 school year. Through the use of a scientific telephone survey, school district officials determined residents were more than happy to upgrade their school libraries, but were significantly more tight-fisted when it came to improving…

Picture books are short books, usually 32 to 48 pages long, in which the illustrations and text work together to tell a story or provide information. In this article, the author discusses how a library media specialist has effectively hooked the students into an in-depth study of the Civil War in a 20-minute read-aloud activity, using historical…

Principals should change their traditional evaluating methods while evaluating the library media specialists who also have to serve as a teacher or assume other additional responsibilities and adopt evaluation methods similar to those used for teachers. The "prep" period librarians provide a way to continue the method of instructing students in…

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires inclusive education to the maximum extent appropriate, students with special needs be educated in the "least restrictive environment" (LRE). The scope of inclusive education practice continues to evolve as new technologies and innovative instructional methods emerge.

The advent of Internet has lead to increase in the number of available sources in the library media centers, which earlier depended on reference books, encyclopedia and a nonfiction book. The advantage of the web includes easier access to primary sources, original journals, interviews, TV transcripts, video interviews, and newspaper articles.

Library media specialists can help achieve several goals of the No Child Left Behind Act. Of particular importance is helping students to achieve high test scores, as this would influence the level of federal funds meted out to schools.

The School Library Media Center at Delsea Regional High School was not meeting the needs of the students, staff and community of the 21st century and hence a re-design of the library space was needed. The re-design project included planning objectives, providing a scale drawing and involving key players as stakeholders.

Media specialists are now in charge of computers, printers, software programs and every other technological advancement, as technology have become an important aspect of education. The key points to be kept in mind while promoting technology in the media center are stated.

With the dramatic growth of the Internet in the 1990s, the Canadian government developed a well-regarded strategy for addressing the emerging issues posed by the "information highway." The strategy featured legal reforms to address privacy and e-commerce, administrative reforms for the government online initiative, and connectivity…