Discusses the shape of the ARL (Association of Research Libraries) age distribution due to the unprecedented increase in the number of library positions in the 1960s and the subsequent reduction in the rate of hire. Considers the limited mobility of many ARL librarians and the age at entry of new hires. (Author/LRW)

Sixty-three university students completed the Human Spirituality Scale and the Counselor Description Questionnaire to investigate the effect of participants' spirituality on their choice of a counselor. Quantitative analyses indicate that level of spirituality had no statistically significant effect on counselor preference; however, qualitative…

Selections for this list of the nation's best companies for minorities were made based on the company's commitment to diversity at every level, paying particular attention to the upper ranks of the companies. In these companies, ethnic minorities make up 22 percent of the officials and managers. (JOW)

Reviews five established features of traditional picture books. Discusses new artistic conventions that have emerged in newer picture books, including: complexity of visual image, increase in multiple viewing perspectives, disintegrating the surface plane, a change in concept of the page, and a loss of narrative linearity. Provides selection…

Offers brief descriptions of 20 outstanding nonfiction for children, including the 1999 Orbis Pictus Award winner, and four Orbis Pictus honor books as well as a number of other outstanding nonfiction titles dealing mainly with history and biography. (SR)

Discusses the common mistakes in school design and construction and how to avoid them. Mistake avoidance in mastering planning, site acquisition, drawing changes, budgeting, school design process, construction management, and the architect's role are highlighted. (GR)

Discusses how libraries can gather data on the use of their Web sites. Highlights include Web server log files, including the common log file, referrer log file, and agent log file; log file limitations; privacy concerns; and choosing log analysis software, both free and commercial. (LRW)

Reports results from managers working in four countries, reporting the richness of five media, equivocality of 11 situations, preferred media for each situation, and cultural values. Finds richness and equivocality measures reliable and unidimensional, and media preferences for face-to-face and telephone communication channels for each situation…

According to data from 67% of a sample of 800 employers in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, and Los Angeles, skill demands are associated with lower employment of blacks and higher employment of women. Most skill requirements had significant effects on hourly wages, accounting for some of the wage differences between black and white men. (SK)

Investigates principal-selection decisions made by teachers serving on school councils, using a between-within split-plot factorial design. Teachers preferred candidates with whom they shared a dominant work value. Elementary- and middle-school teachers preferred candidates oriented toward instructional leadership. High-school teachers preferred…

Describes the changing role of the school janitor in today's more sophisticated and automated educational facility and what principals should consider when selecting, training, and progressively developing custodial staff members. Administrator resource information is highlighted. (GR)

A study of four people enrolled in General National Vocational Qualifications courses shows that career and educational choices are constrained by culture and by issues of status and prestige. Simply giving choices does not address social inequalities, market forces, or status differentials, making GNVQs less empowering than intended. (SK)

Contends that historical fiction is popular with young readers and has much to offer them. Provides frameworks for selecting and teaching such novels and for linking them to classics from the same historical period. (RS)

Presents brief annotations of 39 children's books organized around the theme of "impressions": images, illusions (tenuous lines between fantasy and reality), close-ups (in-depth looks at a topic), landscapes (the natural world and settings tied to the land), tintypes (historical settings), and portraits. (SR)

Recruiters must be prepared for the up-and-down cycles of the job market. A consistent recruitment program with management support is important. Describes aspects of recruitment efforts at Arthur Anderson--Americas, where early identification of candidates and behavioral-based interviews are utilized. (MKA)