Focuses on effective data gathering in school libraries. Discusses the connection between program goals and statistical information; budget data; using spreadsheets to track and compare costs; circulation data and trends; copyright assessment of materials; material-quality evaluation; lab usage data; computer information; data on services and…

Describes the development of a science-based computer simulation for sixth graders on global warming that integrated research, writing, speaking, science lab, and computer skills. Highlights include teacher/librarian collaboration; problem-based learning; building knowledge; design and planning; creating Web pages; gathering, organizing, and…

Summarizes the storage capacity, advantages, disadvantages, hardware configurations, and costs of CD-ROMs. Several available titles are described, including "Books in Print," literature study guides, the works of Shakespeare, a historical almanac of "Time Magazine" articles, a scientific dictionary and encyclopedia, and a…

Describes the value of an electronic database to record information for school library materials being considered for addition to the collection. Discusses marking titles from journals, entering the information into the database, sorting options, fields to include, and transferring records to other databases when materials are received and…

Discussion of ready reference and current events collections in high school libraries focuses on a comparison of two CD-ROM services, EBSCO Topic Search and the SIRS Researcher. Considers licensing; access; search strategies; viewing articles; currency; printing; added value features; and advantages of CD-ROMs. (LRW)

The first article discusses CD-ROM pricing and provides a list of databases and magazines available on CD-ROM. The second provides guidelines for purchasing a CD-ROM workstation. The third describes the use of ERIC on CD-ROM as a research tool for high school students. The fourth describes the benefits of using online searching to teach research…

Explains collection mapping for library media collections. Discusses purposes for creating collection maps, including helping with selection and weeding decisions, showing how the collection supports the curriculum, and making budget decisions; and methods of data collection, including evaluating a collaboratively taught unit with the classroom…

Describes hardware, software, and peripherals that were installed to network a stand-alone CD-ROM workstation in the library of a small K-12 school with similar computers in the computer laboratory. Experiences with two CD-ROM products--a full-text database of social science articles and an electronic version of World Book Encyclopedia--are…

Provides guidelines for selection of a local area network for a high school library and discusses network and equipment costs and computer requirements, including recommendations regarding monitors, printers, compact disk players, mouse devices, and computer architecture. A second article reviews new technology exhibited at a recent computer…

Three articles discuss (1) networking of school and public libraries in Grosse Pointe, Michigan; (2) the Access Pennsylvania project that provides a CD-ROM union catalog of high school, public, academic, and special library collections in Pennsylvania; and (3) teaching online searching with Dialog's Classmate service in a high school library. (MES)

CD-ROM periodical indexes are becoming increasingly tailored for specific age ranges and are also providing access to full text. Two charts separate several full-text CD-ROM products by intended audience (middle school versus secondary school students) and compare costs and features. Tips are provided on assessing institutional needs and…