Discusses four areas in school library media programs that media specialists are expected to develop. Topics include promoting information literacy among students; knowing how to evaluate and use various information technologies; consulting with teachers to strengthen student learning and outcomes; and serving on school-based management…

Presents techniques that in the author's experience have helped middle-school students produce better, more original work. Alternative formats to the traditional report project, clear assignment criteria, a grading rubric, and instruction in visual communication are all valuable. A model with which teachers can reduce plagiarism and promote…

Guides librarians in evaluating "filtering" software which schools may purchase for restricting access to potentially inappropriate Internet sites. This article discusses the workings of filtering programs and practical and ethical questions such as: how sites are restricted, who decides, and whether transactions are monitored.…

Discusses the value of school library automation, and suggests that an automated school library is the right of every child and teacher. Examines the role of the teacher librarian in the current environment; advantages of Online Public Access Catalogs (OPACs); and trends towards greater convergence in information technology applications in the…

Describes how to incorporate a game into teaching the Dewey decimal system to elementary students in grades three, four, and five. Provides ideas for a nine-week session that includes five weeks of instruction on the Dewey decimal system, card catalog, and Boolean searching; and four weeks of competition. (LRW)

Describes the experiences of a school library media specialist on the school board. Topics include how to make presentations to the school board; how media centers can request extra funding; and the importance of good communication with the community and with the other board members. (LRW)

Reports results of a 1998 survey of 364 middle school and high school teacher-librarians that provides insight into the status of professional collections within schools. Discusses findings on availability, importance, description, location, size, usage, currency, and problems. Concludes with recommendations for developing and promoting…

Information Power is the latest edition of library media program guidelines to be developed, and it is from these guidelines that school library media programs should be evaluated. This research examines the extent that library media programs in special settings, such as schools for the hearing impaired, met the guidelines as established in…

Suggests how to implement information literacy standards at all education levels. Discusses two sets of information literacy standards for K-12 and postsecondary education, K-12/academic library cooperation, comparing Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards with American Association of School…

Explains collection mapping for library media collections. Discusses purposes for creating collection maps, including helping with selection and weeding decisions, showing how the collection supports the curriculum, and making budget decisions; and methods of data collection, including evaluating a collaboratively taught unit with the classroom…

Describes methods of correcting MARC records in online public access catalogs in school libraries. Highlights include in-house methods; professional resources; conforming to library cataloging standards; vendor services, including Web-based services; software specifically developed for record cleanup; and outsourcing. (LRW)

Describes an elementary school's reading-incentive program, based on a travel theme, that was developed to promote greater understanding of diverse cultures, to increase knowledge of world geography, and to encourage independent reading. Topics include motivation, parent involvement, public-library help, and increased use of the library's…

Discusses the American Association of School Librarian's technology initiative, ICONnect. Components include the following: online courses on Internet use in schools; curriculum connections, providing links to resources and projects; KidsConnect, a question-answering/help/referral service for K-12; ICPrize, rewarding collaborative teams of…

Focuses on collaboration for authentic learning. Describes an assignment that was collaboratively planned, constructed and implemented by one high school's teacher-librarian and chemistry teacher. Discusses outcomes of the assignment; assessing authenticity; higher-order thinking; depth of knowledge; and connectedness to the world beyond the…

Describes the development of a reading incentive program at a school library for grades four through nine. Discusses a reading list provided by the librarian that students choose from; writing a summary of the book read in student journals; teacher participation that improves relationships with students; and motivation. (LRW)