Considers the new roles of librarians that have evolved from changes in technology. Discusses new job titles for librarians; changes in bibliographic instruction; training the trainers; virtual branch libraries; teamwork and collaboration; changes in organizational structures; and outsourcing options. (LRW)

Discussion of the impact of the Internet on libraries focuses on librarians as creators and marketers of new online services. Describes two fee-based online services at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and concludes that academic libraries have the ability to create new online services, especially reference services. (Author/LRW)

Examines the legal issues surrounding Internet filtering in public libraries. Discusses First Amendment rights and responsibilities; recent court cases; legal problems with limiting Internet access; librarian intervention; less restrictive means to protect minors from harmful materials; and possible liability issues. (LRW)

In fall 2003, Mt. Holyoke, an elite, largely undergraduate liberal arts college with a student population of roughly 2000, unveiled its take on the information commons. Located in an area known as Miles-Smith 4, the commons functions as a conduit between the main library and Dwight Hall, which houses the library offices, state-of-the-art media…

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…

In this article, the author asks the question "Where do students at your school get most of their information for research?" He states that if they are only using the Web, their research is probably on shaky footing. Using only print or using only digital resources often gives student researchers only part of the picture and provides inadequate…

A library media specialist should be involved in understanding the curriculum and the content area standards in the school, school district and the state, which would help the library media specialists to assist in planning, collaboratively teaching and co-evaluating with the classroom teachers. The library media program can become an integral…

To have an impact on student achievement, librarians must first find ways to educate kids who are steeped in an information-rich world--and then use research to show other educators how libraries make a difference in learning. Today's students live in an information-rich "cocoon" that most librarians did not grow up in, said David Loertscher,…

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)

Scholarship conducted in an increasingly online environment requires the services of a trusted third party in order to ensure that scholarly communication remains reliably accessible and applicable over the longer term. The library, by virtue of its most fundamental values and attributes, is probably better suited at this time than other…

This study examines sixty academic libraries' Web sites and finds that 80 percent of them do not have a technical services' homepage. Data reveal that institution's status might be a factor in whether a library has such a page. Further content analysis suggests there is an appropriate and useful public service role that technical services…

At reference desks across the nation, statistics in traditional reference service have been declining in most categories while requests for individual instruction and training in electronic research are showing a dramatic increase. Library technology has created a change in the activity at reference and information desks along with a need for more…

In order to bridge the gap between available research and literature of best practice in reading and school library media program practice, the author developed an information literacy series for everyone. This article presents resources for best reading and school library media program practice. (Contains 2 resources.)

Every single young person who has grown up in America is only one major event or catastrophe away from falling over the edge into what most people would call "at-risk." The term "at-risk" refers to a wide range of factors that make it more difficult for a person to meet the developmental tasks of their age group. For students, a major…

This article describes a role for the academic library in the campus outcomes assessment process and reports on a study to determine the impact of the Ohio State University (OSU) Libraries' instructional program on several required general education courses. Although university curriculum documents prescribe research-related learning objectives…