Three multivariate analyses, all controlling for the effects of poverty, confirm the importance of the library. Replicating McQuillan's analysis of 1992 NAEP scores, this study finds that access to books in school and public libraries was a significant predictor of 2007 fourth grade NAEP reading scores, as well as the difference between grade 4…

This study examined the perceptions of Connecticut librarians at the secondary and post-secondary education levels regarding Information Literacy (IL) resources and instruction at the two levels; the competencies of their high school seniors and university/college first-year students; their familiarity with their respective institutions' IL…

School librarians need a simple action plan for overcoming the barriers to adopting School Library 2.0. This book provides one, and describes how fully integrating technology would dramatically benefit 21st-century schools. Despite the substantial efforts that have been made to bring schools into the 21st century, research indicates that the…

This dissertation is a dual-site ethnographic case study of the lived information literacy experiences of students in their junior year of high school relative to their school library and librarians. What began as an investigation of an apparent gap in understanding between the views of teens and school librarians regarding "information…

In 2005, a record breaking 26 named tropical storms including 13 hurricanes ravaged the Gulf Coast of the United States. In response to the devastation of hundreds of schools, the Laura Bush Foundation swiftly created The Gulf Coast School Library Recovery Initiative to help school libraries become fully functional and to offer the needed print…

As more and more schools implement professional learning communities (PLCs), school librarians often ask: What is the role of school librarians in PLCs? What should they be doing to contribute? What are their colleagues in other schools doing? In this article the authors explore these questions by first describing eight potential roles for school…

Librarians say they view the common core, with its emphasis on explanation, complex text, and cross-disciplinary synthesis, as an unprecedented opportunity for them to really strut their stuff. Adopted by all but four states, the standards have prompted coordinating discussions among the library-association divisions that represent librarians in…

In the Northwest Independent School District (ISD) located in north Texas, collaboration is "not" optional; it is expected from all teachers. The driving force behind this effort is the district's vision: "the best and most sought-after school district where every student is future ready: Ready for college, Ready for the global…

School librarianship is affected by the widespread challenges affecting schools and changing notions of school libraries' relevancy. The purpose of this study was to ascertain how these societal trends influenced educators' decisions to be school librarians. In this second phase of a longitudinal qualitative study, five school library program…

As knowledge brokers, librarians are living in interesting times for themselves and libraries. It causes them to wonder sometimes if the traditional tools like the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system can cope with the onslaught of information. The categories provided do not always seem adequate for the knowledge-discovery habits of…

There is no national policy for school libraries which compels school governing bodies and principals to have a library in their schools. It is thus not surprising that in 2011, only 21% of state schools had libraries, only 7% had stocked libraries and 79% of schools had no library at all (Department of Basic Education (DBE) Republic of South…

In March and April 1968, the author was a guest of the U.S. Information Service on a two week trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan. During this stay, 30 libraries in five cities were visited. This paper describes this trip and relates the library happenings in these countries. It was obvious that Pakistan librarianship had advanced beyond the…

Discussion of portfolios as authentic assessment measures focuses on a review of schools requiring portfolios for Master of Library Science programs that identified commonalities among programs. Analyzed documents at Web sites to determine that at least 14 ALA-accredited programs use portfolio assessment for evaluation of student performance,…

Describes the Machine Readable Cataloging Format (MARC) and discusses the issue of accountability for maintaining cataloging standards. Groups that influence the use of MARC records are then examined, including the Library of Congress; publishers; vendors of cataloging services, including bibliographic utilities; professional agencies; district…

Describes a study that was conducted to determine the relationship between journals in which library and information science faculty who specialize in library media centers publish most frequently and those they regard as most prestigious. Publication in journals highly regarded by deans is discussed, and faculty productivity is considered.…