Today's new media tools are incredibly powerful communication vehicles that allow organizations to connect and engage with many different audiences. With more than seven million users, Twitter is growing at an annual rate of 1,382 percent, Facebook boasts over 250 million active members, and aspiring writers have started more than 133 million…

Generating excitement about poetry is often a challenge with high school patrons. While some teens have discovered the cathartic and aesthetic qualities of poetry, many have never experienced the joy of poetry. A course the author took in 2003 at The University of Georgia with Dr. JoBeth Allen, "Poetry in the Classroom," ignited a…

It seems that fear of Web 2.0 is in full force. There are two concerns that resulted in a national panic concerning Internet Web 2.0 tools: pedophiles luring children via the Internet and corruption of youths through exposure to hard-core pornography or other vile material. Administrators, no doubt, are thinking in terms of saving themselves from…

Founded in 1982, Banned Books Week is celebrated annually during the last week in September and will be observed from September 26-October 3 in 2009. The event acknowledges Americans' right to read the books of their choice regardless of whether the ideas, language, or images are controversial. This annual observance of banned books is a good…

On January 19, 2009, the day before his historic inauguration, President Obama and his wife, Michelle, commemorated Martin Luther King Day by volunteering for various community service projects around the Washington, DC, area. A record number of Americans also participated in the King Day of Service, joining in over 13,000 projects, more than…

Though few students realize it, many things in today's culture exist because of mythology. This article argues that library media specialists and teachers can teach mythology but it must be applied to the 21st century and shown its relevance in today's world. The article demonstrates that mythology studies are alive and well when the new AASL…

Book displays have always been an important part of the library field. However, despite all the time and effort, children do not read them. In this article, the author stresses the need to stop promoting reading. Instead, she encourages library media specialists to help children find reading material they will be eager to read.

This article is Part 3 of a three part summary of selected articles from the journals of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) over a period of thirty-five years from 1972 to 2007. This three-part series in the April, May, and June (2009) issues of "School Library Media Activities Monthly" ("SLMAM") illustrate the evolution in…

Public school districts often block access to online social media tools. While considered a preventive measure to ensure student safety and limit district liability, this policy strips school librarians and their collaborating teachers of opportunities to instruct students in using social media tools creatively and responsibly. Using one school…

Much has changed since the last SLJ spending survey was conducted in 2002--and much of it for the better. For starters, most local budgets have remained steady over the last three years. However, funds for library resources and services dipped as a result of federal and state policies and mandates. Nevertheless, a quarter of those who responded to…

The Library Career Training Program, Title II-B of the Higher Education Act (HEA), provides grants to institutions of higher education and library organizations or agencies to train persons in librarianship through fellowships, institutes, and traineeships and to establish, develop, and expand programs of library and information science. This…

This paper presents data obtained from a questionnaire mailed to 45 library directors of academic libraries in the southeastern United States, as well as discussions of trends and their implications for the future of academic librarianship in the region. Emphasis is placed on knowledge gained via degrees in library science and the applicability of…

This report describes a study visit to Czechoslovakia by the Director of Liaison and Training Services at the College of Librarianship, Wales, in order to investigate Czech training and education of library staff at all levels, including library assistants. It is noted that visit objectives included the investigation of practical training…

The two papers in this document on social science libraries were presented at the 1984 IFLA general conference. In "Library and Continuing Education with Implications for Developing Countries: A Research Essay," David R. Bender (United States) examines factors impacting upon the skills necessary for effective librarianship in the social…

The institute involved 31 participants (21 working librarians and 10 students) in a two-semester program which began in August, 1971. The rationale behind the program was that the problems of providing library service to a pluralistic society are problems of inter-group and cross-cultural communication. Some of the unique features of the institute…