Discusses student research, information literacy and research skills, and the role of inquiry in the research process. Presents a case study of a middle school science fair project that examined what students should accomplish in their research and what the role of stakeholders is, including teachers, parents, and school library media specialists.…

Describes Brock's Information Intermediary Process Model, which focuses on the role of the library media specialist as information intermediary. Highlights include information seeking and use; use of the model by teachers and librarians as well as their collaborative roles; guidelines for use of the model; and problem solving and use of time. (LRW)

The Youth Services Director of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, NC, has involved the community in encouraging children to read with summer reading programs, story-telling festivals, author and illustrator visits to schools, family reading programs for babies through kindergartners, and a year-round middle school reading…

Describes the Victorian Women Writers Project, a full-text poetry database created and published on the World Wide Web by Indiana University Libraries. Electronic formats such as graphical, character-based, and proprietary files are discussed, along with standards for formatting, including ASCII, HTML, and Text Encoding Initiatives. Decisions must…

Explores trends in learning and learning environments, and makes projections regarding the future role of teachers and school library media specialists. Discusses nonlinear environments, student-centered instruction, school Intranets, the Internet, curriculum design, learning facilitation, teachers as coaches, collaboration, information literacy,…

British and American information science textbooks present keyword and controlled vocabulary searching in different ways, and put differing emphases on the use of variant spellings and word variations. This reflects the differing ways that information professionals prepare online search strategies. Differences may reflect occupational trends,…

Presents longitudinal case studies of four students in high school and after completion of college to compare their perceptions of the information search process in libraries. Library user studies are discussed, a model of the search process is described, and implications for the design of information systems are suggested. (36 references) (LRW)

Offers suggestions relating to the general characteristics of young readers to aid library media specialists in effective teaching and communication. Topics discussed include physical access, dependence, and activity levels; the use of games and dramatic play; children's interests; conceptual development; and emotional needs and behaviors. (CLB)

Describes a survey that asked 45 library school faculty to identify the criteria that characterize high quality masters programs. The findings discussed include differences in opinions of faculty in doctoral and non-doctoral granting schools, and attitudes toward teaching quality and responsiveness to current issues as appropriate criteria. (13…

Discusses the need for library science to examine users' search behaviors in the context of social cognition and creative problem solving. Topics covered include the psychology of search behavior, problem solving approaches to library instruction in online searching, and problem solving protocols. (29 references) (CLB)

Discusses the emerging interest in media education, or media literacy, and its impact on the role of the school library media specialist. Highlights include the school reform and restructuring movement; the impact of technology on literacy; the role in civic education and in health education; and media education support organizations. (Contains 17…

Discussion of precision in information retrieval highlights a prototype online catalog, ILSA (Improving Library Subject Access), developed at Indiana University of Pennsylvania that uses subject clusters and classification. Topics addressed include problems with keyword searching, controlled vocabulary, and thesauri; natural language mapping…

Examines the process of constructing a new school library. Highlights include organizing the planning team, working with the architect, planning the environment and the details, and preparing for the grand opening. (AEF)

A study was conducted at Edith Cowan University on providing information literacy education to remote students through communication technology. Highlights include educational theory, information literacy, and the role of the library; attitudes to external study and library use; attitudes and access to technology; confidence levels in information…

Presents the "big six," problem solving strategies of highly effective students in all grade levels and subject areas. Outlines steps parents and media specialists can follow to help students with their homework. Sidebars present the big six skills and information seeking activities and a big six assignment organizer for grades three…