At least once a year, teachers generally request a historical fiction assignment. Bare facts make dry reading but historical fiction, set in an actual time period with plausible dialogue and credible characters, is more palatable to youngsters. This column discusses the most widely-requested historical periods of study for intermediate and upper…

At the end of each school year there are discussions on all the international teacher-librarians' lists about whether there is a need for inventory or, as the Australians call it, "stocktake"; whether it is reasonable for us to request resources be returned before the last day of school; and whether the library should be closed to allow…

In this article, the author describes how a "living memorial" for a deceased individual that provides comfort to the bereaved. The author discusses ways she has used living memorials in her own life and talks about the significance they have had. She states that memorial collections provide a means to grow a library's overall collection and…

In this brief article, the author discusses that teacher-librarians must continually balance the curricular needs of our collection with the needs of each child. Perhaps the needs are now more in other areas: psychological, social, religious and ethnic. Whatever the need, it is the teacher-librarians responsibility to look at their students and…

Without question, the ongoing transition from print to electronic periodicals has challenged librarians to rethink their strategies. While some effects of this change have been immediately apparent--greater breadth of material, easier access, exposure to new sources, publisher package deals, and open access--the broader outcomes on library…

This article focuses on nonfiction titles appropriate for mid-sized public libraries, with a special emphasis on bisexuality, transgender identities, race, disability, class, age, and other issues often marginalized in both mainstream and GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) culture in America. Some colleagues, at San Francisco Public…

The Huntington is a great library set in a magnificent arboretum with trees from around the world. Yet its resources, like those of other libraries, do not match its needs. Important holdings remain uncatalogued and inaccessible to scholars. Many collections were more accessible before they were given to a library, where they can sit for an…

Highlights some of the skills and technological advances that have changed the way special collections are preserved in reference to two approaches: item-level conservation and collections conservation. Discusses mechanical paper splitting; computer imaging and mechanization; mass deacidification; controlling temperature, humidity, pests, and…

This article is an exploration of oral history practice within the context of a performing arts archive. It addresses the deceptively simple question of what oral historians should actually ask their respondents and, ultimately, how much do we, as researchers, really want to know. The use of oral history material is discussed from a historical…

Hurricane Ivan struck the Gulf Coast of Florida on September 16, 2004, destroying waterfront homes, and damaging properties for miles. Pensacola Junior College (PJC), a two-year college with three campuses and a student population of approximately 26,000, was hit hard. In the Pensacola Campus Learning Resources Center (LRC), water and mold ruined…

Exotic, captivating, and seductive, orchids have long fascinated plant lovers. They first attracted the attention of Westerners in the 17th century, when explorers brought back samples from South America and Asia. By the mid-1800s, orchid collecting had reached a fever pitch, not unlike that of the Dutch tulip craze of the 1630s, with rich (and…

Moving materials from receipt of the shipment to distribution to branches within 48 hours is such a hassle among members of the technical services department of Columbus Metropolitan Library. However, these issues challenged them to find alternative solutions to achieve their goals. After reviewing the in and outs of their department and making a…

"ARL" is the bimonthly report on research library issues and actions from ARL (Association of Research Libraries), CNI (Coalition of Networked Information), and SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition). "ARL" reports on current issues of interest to academic and research library administrators, staff, and…

Pay equity, as a concept and outcome, is significant for libraries and librarians because it demonstrates the value of the library and information profession, and the significance of the work undertaken by librarians and allied professionals. The State Library's involvement in the NSW Pay Equity Case and precursor investigations into the worth of…

There's no shortage of library management books out there--but how many of them actually tackle the little details of day-to-day management, the hard-to-categorize things that slip through the cracks of a larger handbook? "Library Management Tips that Work" does exactly that, addressing dozens of such issues facing library managers, including: (1)…