Presents a "conversation" with Penny Colman (adapted from her remarks at a panel discussion at a recent convention). Considers that nonfiction is dominated by male writers, especially for young adults and adults, and by true stories that feature boys and men. Discusses her exploration of the world of nonfiction by women. (SG)

Presents suggestions regarding graphics books that focus on superheroes, mysteries and crime, real life issues, and history that are aimed especially at teens who resist reading and are not confident in their reading abilities. Describes five useful resources for teachers and media specialists interested in graphic novels. (SG)

Suggests that staged readings are an effective way to introduce students to plays encompassing a wide range of subjects, styles, and writers. Discusses the spectrum of staged readings and describes producing staged readings with students. Concludes that staged readings allow students to work with several complete scripts in a relatively short…

Details how soils, topography, and other natural and built features can make the siting of competitive and leisure aquatic facilities difficult. (EV)

Discusses commercially available electronic books (e-books) and implications for librarians. Highlights include factors that influence its dissemination and use, including type of library, access methods, and the vendor; copyright; digital rights management; e-book hardware, including PDAs (personal digital assistances); comparing content vendors;…

Discusses the apprenticeship approach to teaching reading. Finds two useful insights to be drawn from traditional apprenticeship: (1) the movement from observation, through coaching, to practice can act as a model for reading instruction; and (2) the importance of the social context in which learning takes place. (MG)

Describes differences between print and online reference sources in terms of the structure of the sources and the process of searching. Factors that affect the decision of which type of source to use are identified and grouped into seven categories: availability; cost; convenience; bibliographic; subject specification; inaccessibility through…

Describes 13 nonfiction works and the reactions of students to those works. Argues that nonfiction can entice readers into narratives of lives and events as intriguing as any work of fiction. (RS)

The SeLective Attention Model (SLAM) performs visual selective attention tasks and demonstrates that object selection and attribute selection are both necessary and sufficient for visual selection. The SLAM is described, particularly with regard to its ability to represent an individual subject performing filtering tasks. (TJH)

Examined interviewees' assessments of job applicants (N=346) in terms of both general and firm-specific employability (fit). Found assessments of general employability differed from firm-specific assessments; there was a firm-specific component to interviewers' evaluations of job applicants; and interpersonal skills, goal orientation, and physical…

College students grouped by scores on the Bem Sex Role Inventory rated 74 toys on their appropriateness for girls or boys, their educational value, and whether they required activity or cooperation. Male subjects sex-typed toys more than females, though responses overall were traditional. Gender role (BSRI) proved unrelated to sex-typed ratings.…

Discusses the Americans with Disabilities Act, which bans discrimination against the disabled by private-sector employers. Describes the hiring practices and experiences of several companies that have employed disabled people. (JOW)

Explores the opportunities offered to children and adults in books with an island survival theme. Examines persistent questions about the nature of children's literature. (MG)

While the use of a search committee may be a more representative method, it may not be the most effective method for selecting a new president. The use of both a search consultant and a search committee permits the delegation of the "search" to the consultant and the "selection" to the committee. (MLW)

Reviews the problem of rising periodical subscriptions costs for libraries, and argues that subscribers must take a stand by refusing to subsidize greedy publishers. Guidelines for increasing the effectiveness of serials budgets by decreasing the number of subscriptions are suggested. (CLB)