In this article, the author features ideas and strategies for outreach that librarians can do to promote one's library media program and the good work it does. She stresses that by working together and reaching out, librarians can help foster visibility and support for school library media programs and professionals alike nationwide. Here, she…

Media specialists are never done learning technology. They can't truly learn in isolation and they are not ever settled in their roles as collaborator and teacher. Selecting literature and managing collections is an "old school" role. Just like language evolves, just like the town grange has evolved from a listserv, forum, to a wiki, media…

Teachers often find themselves lamenting the loss of emergent readers to video games, television, and, most recently, the TTYL (talk/type to you later) culture of text messaging and Internet social networking. Trying to impart the joy of a good read to middle school students feels like pushing religion onto the perfectly content worshipers of…

Members of the school library media profession are fortunate to have new direction from two organizations that seek to define the type of educational experiences that will best benefit students as they prepare to continue to learn, live, and work in the 21st century. Both organizations, American Association of School Librarians (AASL) and the…

It is common belief that most people can distinguish between right and wrong actions and usually make decisions to do the right thing. As educators, library media specialists are called upon to make decisions every day. Those decisions chart the course for that particular day and the future, for themselves and for those they work with. In this…

School media specialists hold the key to ensuring successful research projects that bring the world, and its vast amount of information, into a manageable perspective. More than ever, professionals in school libraries have the responsibility of guiding students to become information literate citizens in this new century. An important contribution…

The American Association of School Librarians "Standards for the 21st Century Learner" (2007) expresses nine fundamental common beliefs. One of these beliefs is that "ethical behavior in the use of information must be taught" (AASL 2007, 1). It is important for library media specialists to understand that teaching ethical behavior is much more…

In this article, the author reflects on the accomplishments made by American Association of School Librarians (AASL) this year. Some of the AASL's accomplishments include: (1) the launch of its first-ever Digital Institute; (2) the release of the first-year results of the "School Libraries Count!" longitudinal study and the initiation of the…

In this article, the author discusses how a librarian of a school can be a source of support for first year teachers. Not only can the library media specialist provide the new teacher with a variety of resources, but also with a unique perspective. Just as the administrative assistant and financial director help the new teacher understand the…

PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) was inaugurated in 2001 as a follow-up to International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement's 1991 Reading Literacy Study. Conducted every five years, PIRLS assesses the reading achievement of young students in their fourth year of schooling--an important transition…

To avoid duplication of effort, and to prevent a waste of the resources of research institutions and the time and energy of research personnel, coordination of scientific research in the field of library science within countries and on an international basis is necessary. An important step toward the creation of a world-wide system of control and…

These five articles report on library and information science employment sources on the Internet; librarians' placement and salary trends, including library school graduates, gender differences, and minorities; a list of accredited Mater's programs; a list of library scholarship sources; and a list of library scholarship and award recipients. (LRW)

Seven articles discuss the competencies needed by library and information science school graduates. Surveys of needed competencies are compared, a model of the information activities of a research library of the future is proposed, staffing and educational requirements are discussed, and a need for new philosophies of user services is suggested.…

Considers the future of academic libraries in five main areas: (1) funding; (2) buildings and space, including storage options for print and nonprint materials; (3) library materials, including electronic journals and monographs, video, computer software, government information, resource sharing, and workstations; (4) staff, including the roles of…

A study was conducted at the University of Southern Mississippi School of Library Science to quantitatively determine whether courses adequately addressed program goals and objectives. Results showed that service goals and librarianship were reasonably addressed, but research and management goals were addressed in few courses. The statement of…