Securing public access workstations should be a significant part of any library's network and information-security strategy because of the sensitive information patrons enter on these workstations. As the IT manager for the Johnson County Library in Kansas City, Kan., this author is challenged to make sure that thousands of patrons get the access…

From accountability to scientifically based research to adequate yearly progress, the No Child Left Behind Act has had educators scrambling to understand and comply with its daunting regulations. Although President Bush's education reform law is written with teachers in mind, media specialists have an equally important role to play in improving…

Discusses the lack of communication between school principals and school library media specialists, the lack of information principals have regarding media specialists' roles and responsibilities, and the use of the executive briefing to open up effective channels of communication. Explains correlations between "Information Power"…

Describes advantages for school library media specialists to be school board members. Highlights include budget allocations for media centers in new schools; meeting with various lawmakers to advocate for school library interests; explaining the rationale for new technology; working with administrators; and being a change agent. (LRW)

This paper describes the many difficulties of a newly founded satellite branch library to evolve into an independent college library within sixteen years. Changing roles and priorities are discussed, as well as the influence of the accrediting agency on this small California community college library. (Contains 3 notes.)

Reported here are the results of a research project that examined the role of UK public libraries in addressing adult literacy including approaches and issues. Eight public libraries were selected as case studies and adult literacy provision was investigated using staff interviews. The interviews provided support for the role of public libraries…

In this article, the author states that the answer to the question--"How do we respond to the dreams of teachers?''--can be found in school libraries, where professional librarians are prepared to build supportive alliances with teachers. Although school library programs around the nation vary, they all share core values of service to their users,…

In recent years academic librarians have sought to partner with other organizations of higher education to establish areas of mutual interest and to work together to further these areas. Richard Ekman, as president of the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), has involved librarians in various CIC programs. This past year, under Richard's…

Digital and textual objects are coming under a new kind of scrutiny as scholars are becoming more interested in physical artifacts and their relation to their social and cultural environment. This study of material culture suggests a need to explore the nature of digital materiality, as well as the broader historical context in which electronic…

During the last 10 years, many libraries have transformed their young adult areas into more efficient, innovative, and inspirational spaces. Many teens have suddenly found the library warm and inviting--a place that encouraged independence, learning, socialization, and creativity. As more people learn about the positive impact of dynamic teen…

Libraries transform communities by providing well-organized information resources and services. Conversely, communities can also transform libraries if librarians appreciate the rich diversity of the communities' information needs, acting as bridges between communities as well as enabling and facilitating community-building. The roles of…

Place is material, conceptual and symbolic. Physically, the Library at Townsville College of Advanced Education was central, visible and distinctive. Internally, it provided a dramatically different environment from other college buildings. It functioned as the (metaphorical) "hub" of the external studies programme and, when the college…

Information literacy (IL) was introduced as an important consideration when the American Library Association (ALA) Presidential Committee on Information Literacy (1989) touted the "Information Age" as the key catalyst for changes in how citizens view and interact with information. In the mid-1990s, with information technology taking center stage…

Encouraging literacy and academic success among English language learners (ELLs) is becoming an increasingly common challenge for educators. In the course of the authors work of training teachers or providing training for implementation of materials, they have found that the resources of the school library media center are invaluable for helping…

Rapidly developing online information technologies provide dramatically new capabilities and opportunities, and place new responsibilities on all involved to recreate networks for scholarly communication. Collaborations between all segments of the information network are made possible and necessary as we attempt to find a balanced and mutually…