School libraries face a challenging future. Substantive claims are being made that they are no longer viable because of the access to vast quantities of information on the Internet and because they are costly infrastructures to maintain because of the increasing cost of print materials as well as the cost of personnel. Research show that students…

Evidence-based practice is the collection, interpretation, and use of data, such as collection statistics or assessment results, that measure the effectiveness of a library media program. In this article, the authors will present various forms of evidence and show that any library media specialist can use data to make informed decisions that…

One never gets a second chance to make a first impression. During these tough economic times it's important to promote the school library media center's program and collection as integral parts of the learning process. The changing landscape of librarianship demands a wide selection of approaches to promote library resources. Ideas, strategies,…

Recruitment of potential college students to the field of librarianship and promotion of the library education department of Kutztown State College were the dual goals of a two-part project undertaken by the faculty and students of that department. The first approach consisted of slide-talk presentations made by Kutztown library students to local…

This essay presents a professional librarian's opinion on a many-sided subject. Highlights include lack of attention to school library media specialists and their needs by library schools and the role of the school library media specialist in the educational process. Ten readers' responses are included. Eleven references are listed. (EJS)

Describes graduate programs in instructional technology, educational media and communications, school library media, and closely allied programs in the United States. Entries provide name and address, chairperson, types of degrees offered, special features of the program, admission requirements, degree requirements, number of faculty, number of…

Presents the fortieth annual report of placements and salaries of graduates of American Library Association-accredited library school programs from 42 of the 52 eligible institutions. Eleven tables profile placements and salaries by library type and geographical region and present comparison summaries of high, low, and average salaries. (MAB)

Describes graduate programs in Instructional Technology, Educational Media and Communications, School Library Media, and closely allied programs in the United States. Entries provide name and address, chairperson, types of degrees offered, special features of the program, admission requirements, degree requirements, number of faculty, number of…

Today, the world is looking for people with innovative spirits, who seek and take on new challenges, develop rich thinking processes, and visualize unique possibilities. There is a need for individuals with flexible critical and creative thinking throughout all vocations and professions. There is a need for people who are geared toward…

Graphic novels are the perfect meeting place of words and pictures and as such offer an excellent way of getting visually-oriented students to read. Teacher-librarians picked up on this a long time ago and have been adding graphic novels to their collection in ever increasing numbers. In this article, the author discusses how teachers and…

Dispositions make up the affective side of the library media profession. They work in concert with the content, skills, and knowledge base used to meet the needs of students and faculty. At first the author had difficulty with the term :dispositions" when it appeared in "AASL's Standards for the 21st-Century Learner". Through further analysis she…

When American Association of School Librarians' (AASL) "Standards for the 21st Century Learner" were released in late 2007, librarians rushed to incorporate them in curricula at the local and state level and in existing lessons. After an initial frenzy of simply replacing old learning objectives with new ones, the field settled into the task of…

When the authors met through a mutual colleague, Gail Dickinson at Old Dominion University, Karen and Shana set about to examine issues that do not normally interest sociologists--the number of days school libraries are closed and whether or not library schedules (fixed or flexed) impact student achievement. However, Shana, a sociologist who…

There are differing ideas, even among leaders in the field of library media, about what the focus of a definitive library media program should be. The one key concept, however, that emerges is that leadership is integral to the success of the library media specialist and the library media program. Successful advocating for the library media…

Specific curriculum is taught at every grade level and it is the job of library media specialists to know subject area content. Library media specialists should develop collections to meet the content associated with curriculum standards. To ensure that these collections meet school needs, collection mapping with specific curriculum related to…