Discusses the need for a commitment to the recruitment and training of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups into library and information science graduate programs. Highlights include collaborative efforts between library educators and practitioners, changing demographic trends, educational attainment of minority groups, curriculum changes,…

Describes a study of library and information science faculty done to determine the need for replacements resulting from retirements and other withdrawals. The prediction of a serious depletion of faculty resources in library schools before 2001 is based on information gathered on age, gender, experience, and retirement plans. (14 references) (EAM)

Five articles consider archival education in the United States. Topics include a proposed graduate program in archival studies and its relationship to the profession's history; the integration of theory, methodology, and practice; educational effectiveness of current curricula; the challenge of electronic records management; and the importance of…

Discussion of the lack of research productivity by library practitioners focuses on a survey of American and Canadian library schools that was conducted to examine basic research methods courses offered as part of the M.L.S. degree. Oral and written communication skills, statistical instruction, and use of computer-based statistical software are…

There have been significant changes in the nature of scientific and technical librarianship in the past four decades, reflected both in the structure and organization of literature and the education and professional training of librarians. These changes are reflected in library school curricula and in the skills and abilities needed by…

Presents results of the 1997 placements and salaries survey, including status of graduates, placements and salaries by region, total graduates and placements by school, placements by organization type, average starting salaries for 1985-97, salaries by job assignment, placements and salaries of graduates by school, and comparison of salaries by…

Describes results of a survey of American Library Association-accredited schools of library and information science in the United States and Canada that was conducted to determine the prevalence of and attitudes toward coursework on providing library services to students in off-campus and distance education programs. (Contains 26 references.) (LRW)

In this article, the author thinks about the changes that have taken place in school libraries during the past 25 years that she has shared with Linworth Publishing. She remembers the first copy of "The Book Report" that arrived in the mail as a sample. As a high school librarian with several years experience, she found this new magazine an…

School library media specialists (SLMSs) and teachers have the professional responsibility to select instructional materials. What happens when someone objects to a material? Although parents are responsible for deciding whether a specific instructional material is appropriate for their student, they do not have the responsibility for deciding…

In this lighthearted essay, the author, a library media specialist at Bowie High School in Texas, shares the lessons she learned from her experience dressing up as "the Bookinator" for her school's superhero day.

School library media specialists, along with other librarians, are often reluctant for students to use Wikipedia in their school work. This chapter argues against this perspective, citing the values of the free online encyclopedia, and suggesting strategies for exploiting its weaknesses to help students develop critical thinking skills. [For the…

The ability to question lies at the heart of human curiosity and is a necessary component of cognition. The author stresses that forming questions is essential to human thought and communication. As such, forming questions is a foundational process that cuts across curricular areas and is embedded in content standards across the nation, including…

In the author's early days of school librarianship, it did not take long for him to realize that this was not the time to first think of how to involve parents in support of his selections for the library. A lot of good advice exists that suggests ways for parents to be involved that will help support intellectual freedom, as well as lessons…

The controversy involving the challenge and possible banning of books has existed since the first person set pen to paper. These challenges have historically been based upon political and religious differences, but as time has passed, have become increasingly more to do with sex, race and culture. With these issues facing libraries, the role of…

The rapid growth of information over the last 30 or 40 years has made it impossible for educators to prepare students for the future without teaching them how to be effective information managers. The American Library Association refers to those students who manage information effectively as "information literate." Information literacy instruction…