Asserts that while economic development increasingly demands greater technological sophistication, community colleges are faced with growing numbers of developmentally challenged students. Suggests that learning communities may effectively resolve this paradox. Focuses on one small community college in Louisiana, where a learning community is in…

Considers ways to use electronic books (E-books) to involve students in literature. Highlights include E-book technology; costs; digital content; acquiring versus accessing information in libraries; title availability; storage capacity; sources of E-book content, especially Web sites; downloading software and E-books; sources for current,…

Considers the roles of teachers and school librarians in comparison to J. K. Rowling's muggles and wizards in the Harry Potter books. Presents a technology assessment tool that asks teachers what skills they would like the library to provide to support curriculum, including reference, technology, literacy, and collaborative learning, and provides…

Describes how the media center at Mt. Bethel Elementary School (Marietta, Georgia) was redesigned to make better use of electronic resources. Discusses the initial preparations and the remodelling process. Outlines the four components of managing change--vision, planning, funding and implementation. (AEF)

Media Services at the University of California at Santa Cruz has developed standard media packages defining the audiovisual and presentation support available in a classroom. Describes the process of developing classroom equipment standards, three classroom packages, and a movable cart used to enhance the smaller packages. Lists the equipment for…

Describes changes brought about by a Library Power initiative at an inner city magnet school in Chattanooga (Tennessee). Highlights include: Library Power beliefs; collaborative planning between the library media specialist and teachers; the new role of the library media specialist as an information specialist, teacher, and instructional…

Discusses challenges to the library media specialist, particularly the collection developer, in developing a global perspective, analyzing the impact of new technologies on the collection, and promoting understanding of the connectedness of information within the collection. Strategies for promoting global education are suggested. (31 references)…

Discusses "Information Power: Guidelines for School Media Programs" in terms of its ability to provide direction in establishing a needed commonality among school library media preparatory programs. The implications for a national framework for curriculum reconstruction, course revisions, and course content are explored. (five references) (CLB)

Reviews new guidelines for school library media centers which present an expanded definition of the role of the media specialist. The main points are discussed, including a mission statement and its challenges; developing increased proficiency in instructional technologies; and forging partnerships with principals, teachers, and students. The…

Discusses the possible benefits of basing library media programs on the information need exhibited in different developmental stages of childhood and adolescence. Four developmental stages are identified, and the appropriate library services for the information needs of each are discussed. (12 references) (CLB)

Describes the first White House Conference on Library and Information Services and assesses its impact on youth services in school and public libraries. It is concluded that the conference had little influence on youth services and ways in which youth librarians can take a more active role in the upcoming second conference are discussed. (two…

The plaintiff in Pico v. Island Trees, a 1982 landmark Supreme Court case that declared local public school boards cannot ban books merely because they dislike the ideas expressed in them, describes that censorship battle. The major components of the court decision are discussed, and strategies for combatting censorship in school libraries are…

Discusses how libraries can help children and teenagers meet their needs for the future and the current status of the nation's library service to youth. A checklist for assessing library service at the state and local levels is provided, and national proposals recommended for action at the Second White House Conference on Library and Information…

Briefly describes the elements of HyperCard and discusses its potential as an easy authoring tool for library media specialists to use in creating professional quality, computer-based instructional materials. Suggestions for the development of presentations, tutorials, information exploration exercises, and desktop instruction using HyperCard are…

Outlines the history and curriculum of Stuyvesant High School, and describes both the intellectually gifted student body and the role played by the school's library media center. Topics discussed include the library facility; its collections; library instruction; reference services; and plans for the future. (CLB)