The answers to questions and comments that continually arise in school libraries are found in the essential documents. The different ways of planning and writing essential documents as well as their promotion and application are described.

As teacher and instructional partner, one will need skills in instructional design. The three main types of instructional design are curriculum planning, unit planning, and lesson planning. Curriculum planning, the big picture, looks at the entire set of skills and knowledge for the district, the school, or a specific grade level. Unit planning…

According to early childhood education scholar and leading expert on this topic, Lilian G. Katz, dispositions are a "pattern of behavior exhibited frequently... in the absence of coercion... constituting a habit of mind under some conscious and voluntary control... intentional and oriented to broad goals" that can be taught and caught through…

The authors' professional standards used to be pretty straightforward and specific. Not exactly works of literary creativity, but they served the purpose of giving them structure and direction, and let their principals know what they actually did all day. Then came along a new buzzword called "dispositions." They heard it for the first time when…

This article offers 12 steps to jumpstart a new school librarian's career. Being the information specialist will be both challenging and rewarding as one undertakes a myriad of activities. These 12 steps will help a new school librarian's first year successful.

In this article, the authors present the outcomes of a project they implemented to increase library use by their adolescent males, a population at their school that avoided the library like the plague. They conducted a survey to know what their male students wished they would find in their media center. Their students suggested manga as a genre,…

A central goal of most library media programs is to inspire lifelong readers, who recognize and value the cognitive, affective, and even physical experiences they obtain through reading. Unfortunately, national surveys have reported that reading for pleasure is on the decline, especially among children and young adults. Many young people are…

In this article, the author thinks about the changes that have taken place in school libraries during the past 25 years that she has shared with Linworth Publishing. She remembers the first copy of "The Book Report" that arrived in the mail as a sample. As a high school librarian with several years experience, she found this new magazine an…

In this lighthearted essay, the author, a library media specialist at Bowie High School in Texas, shares the lessons she learned from her experience dressing up as "the Bookinator" for her school's superhero day.

In the author's early days of school librarianship, it did not take long for him to realize that this was not the time to first think of how to involve parents in support of his selections for the library. A lot of good advice exists that suggests ways for parents to be involved that will help support intellectual freedom, as well as lessons…

Norfolk Detention School is an alternative school for juveniles under the age of 18 who are awaiting adjudication by the court and those who are awaiting transfer to another facility. This article describes the author's experience as a library media specialist in this juvenile detention school. She describes how she has promoted and encouraged…

Collaborating with teachers is a critical part of the library media center program. It is one of the most effective ways librarians can positively impact the learning of students and build relationships with teachers. Collaborative teaching is the best way for librarians to become an active part of the educational process. In this article, the…

Collaboration in the library need not always follow the standard pattern of "one" library media specialist working with "one" core teacher. Why not toss an art or drama instructor into the mix and watch the fun and excitement intensify? In this day of testing and curriculum standards, creative projects involving several staff members are too often…

Librarians promote student learning through technology, literacy, and collaboration with teachers. Each element provides ample opportunities to offer leadership and to learn as a member of the learning community. The librarian demonstrates leadership within the professional learning community (PLC) by providing professional development for…

Bringing a "real live" author into the school can be a great fun for both kids and staff. However, it can also be a disaster. In this article, the author offers ideas on how to host a school visit. Library media specialists can help ensure a successful visit by preparing in advance: define the goals, communicate the expectations, provide…