The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation has partnered with Baltimore Education Research Consortium (BERC) to complete a series of reports examining the implementation and impact of the Baltimore Elementary and Middle School Library Project (Library Project). This report on the first year of the project examines the experiences of the…

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role state departments of education, a professional organization and a leading internet organization play in providing recommendations and guidelines in the construction of new high school libraries. Four state agencies were identified and specific square footage formulas noted as well as information…

Reports on an evaluation of Library Power, a national project to improve school library media services in elementary and middle school media centers. Major findings are reported related to impact on student learning, facilities and collection development, professional development and collaboration, and administrative support. (MES)

Both a description of the development of the community library in Olney, Texas, and an evaluation of its services are provided in this report on the merger of the town's three school libraries and one public library. The four libraries, which were all small, inadequate, underbudgeted, and understaffed, were run as a single unit from 1974 until…

From 1974 to 1979, the town of Olney, Texas, operated a single library which combined the functions, but not the collections, of their elementary, junior, and senior high schools, and public libraries. In June of 1979, they dedicated a new building which merged the collections of these libraries. Data for this evaluation and assessment of the…

Discusses the need for ongoing evaluation within high school libraries to ensure adequate library services, which, in turn, enhance the total educational program. The evaluation of library facilities, collections, and staff is discussed, and an annotated bibliography of evaluation tools is provided. (6 references) (CLB)

Discusses criteria for evaluating school library information services. Highlights include types of services; physical facilities; library usage; circulation statistics; changes due to technology; fill rate, or the percentage of successful searches for library materials; OPAC (online public access catalog) reports; observation; and examining…

A recurring issue in the library field is the possible merger of public and school libraries into one joint venture with a single administration. In anticipation of increased emphasis on library consolidation in the future, a brief analysis of North Dakota's current library situation reveals that it is characterized by inconsistent service, scarce…

This research report addresses the scope of school library and information services programs as demonstrated in secondary schools in St. Lucia, West Indies. Most schools were found seriously lacking in all three areas: Independent Learning Skills; Literacy/Literary and Cultural Appreciation; and Organization and Administration. Library staff…

This inventory of the resources and needs of the nation's public libraries, academic libraries, and public school library media centers presents an impoverished picture: these libraries are grossly underfunded. As a result they lack the staff, materials, space, and hours of service to meet citizens' needs. To bring the libraries up to minimum…

This long-range plan for library services in Wisconsin is divided into five major divisions. The first covers characteristics of Wisconsin affecting library services and includes a population profile, an examination of economic indicators, and a review of trends in education. A section on the Division of Library Services highlights facets of the…

This document presents the executive summary of an evaluation of Library Power, a program of the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund to enhance and elevate the role of libraries in public schools. The report begins with an examination of Library Power's core components (collection development, facilities refurbishing, flexible scheduling,…

A task force on school library media issues was appointed in Wisconsin to describe the current program status in the state; identify those factors that are preventing the fulfillment of the library media program's mission--that every student in public elementary and secondary schools in Wisconsin has a right to a comprehensive program of library…

The school library has long been recognized as an integral part of any school system. It plays a vital role in the total instructional program at all grade levels, and provides students and teachers with access to the world of knowledge. The school library is not only a source of materials necessary to support the basic curriculum of the school,…