Reviews four articles from the "Phi Delta Kappan" that describe the educational context impacting the school library media profession. Topics covered include the educational system from the viewpoint of the National Commission on Excellence in Education report "A Nation at Risk"; strengths and weaknesses of American education;…

Discusses the growing problem of violence in schools and communities. Emphasizes the need for school library media programs to provide information related to concerns about violence. Provides an annotated bibliography of solution-oriented print and web-related resources, programs to increase mutual respect among students and school staff, and…

Discussion of ways to improve student focuses on the simple concept of letting students read whatever they choose, including comic books or so-called trashy books. Barriers to this approach are discussed, including the difficulty in breaking away from past practices and academic research that is unhelpful to practitioners. (LRW)

Discusses learning activities on the Internet, and the need to protect students from pornography while also providing for intellectual freedom. Notes the importance of developing a selection policy, involving the community in censorship versus selection discussions, and talking with children and their parents. Provides a list of Web sites for…

Discusses the role of the school library media specialist in developing and providing programs of prevention and intervention for students experiencing problems with drugs, rape, divorce, suicide, neglect, and other crises. Resources from the ERIC database are listed, and the Child Abuse and Neglect database is described. (LRW)

Discusses problems confronting school library media centers, including a lack of telephones for computer network access, a lack of professional personnel, and a lack of flexible scheduling. It is suggested that leadership roles, as well as membership in local and national organizations, are necessary to address these issues. (LRW)