School librarians throughout the country struggle to determine how to enact meaningful change that will strengthen their programs. They seek ways to increase collaboration with classroom teachers, to prepare their collections to meet the needs of the new Common Core State Standards, and to offer highly effective programs that prepare students to…

In this article, the author shares a story that one would tell his/her colleagues at a district professional-development meeting in his/her efforts to inspire them to move from good to great. He considers the careers of three school librarians in one school district--Amy, Brady, and Cindy--who ended up becoming strong, resourceful leaders for…

This article is an adaptation of a speech, "Leading the Transformation of Education for the 21st-Century," given by Allison Zmuda at the American Library Association National Conference in Washington D.C. on June 26, 2010, for the American Association of School Librarian's President's Program. In her speech, Allison poses a challenge to…

The perfect politician, the ideal political ally to a library, is often but not always an elected official. He or she is always an effective champion of "reasonable financial support," i.e., "the amount...which a thoroughly competent librarian can spend wisely." That is what J.T. Wyer, director of the New York State Library, said in his "What the…

This book is for community leaders, librarians, library committees, volunteers, aid workers and others who are interested in the practical aspect of starting and maintaining a successful library. Throughout the developing world, countless dedicated people respond to the pressing need for information in their communities by helping to start a…

Tom Rink may be the only librarian who is also a police officer. After years of the Tulsa police force, he was ready for a change. When a career exploration course showed he was ideally suited to be a librarian, he was amused. The son of two librarians, he had never even considered it. He did enjoy researching, writing, and exploring all kinds of…

The Association of Christian Librarians is an interdenominational organization of 300 members made up of Christian librarians sharing interests in library service in Christian higher education. From its birth at a 1957 conference of 17 librarians, the association has grown to over 300 members. The association strives to promote, develop, and…

Presents viewpoints of four library professionals on the role of American libraries in the development of third world libraries. Topics discussed include the role of libraries in democracies; financial and human resource needs; the role of library associations; and staff exchange programs, including the American Library Association's Library…

Presents an interview with the Executive Director of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Highlights include attracting members to the AASL, the multifaceted role of Executive Director, education, previous positions and accomplishments, goals for YALSA, intellectual freedom,…

Conclusions drawn from brief visits to library schools in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the Slovak Republic in 1992 and 1993 are presented. Visits were made to 10 schools, appropriate ministries, and major libraries and information centers. The visits were largely supported by the Trans European Mobility Programme for…

This article is a condensed version of a presentation from the 1991 Public Library Association (PLA) conference that addressed the need for appropriate responses by libraries to changing ethnic and racial populations. Topics discussed include racism, cultural competence in the library profession, adjusting library services, effective leadership,…

Papers from the opening session of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) conference are presented. "New Beginnings" (Robert Wedgeworth) opens the conference and pays tribute to S. R. Ranganathan, in whose memory the conference was dedicated, and William Warner Bishop, also a past president of IFLA.…

This publication brings together for the first time in a single volume the status of public library standards in the United States. Based on a master's thesis submitted to the Department of Library Science at The Catholic University of America by Mrs. Marian Magg, the study has been brought up to date and also expanded. This bulletin provides not…

Arguing that Africana librarianship developed in response to changes in the traditional image of Africa and that it influenced that image in turn, this paper focuses on the individuals who shaped Africana librarianship in the United States. The topics discussed include the earliest American examples of Africana librarianship as witnessed in the…

The Library/Book Fellows program began in 1986 with a grant from the U.S. Information Agency. The purposes of the program are to: (1) increase international understanding through the establishment of professional and personal relationships and the accomplishment of mutual goals, and (2) to enable U.S. librarians and publishers to enrich and…