School librarians need evaluation forms that fit their unique roles and responsibilities and acknowledge both the similarities and differences between classroom teachers and school librarians. The incorporation of American Association of School Librarians' (AASL's) "Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Programs"--a resource that sets…

In January 2007, the author wrote an article titled "Prevent a Disaster in Your Library: Advertise." In 2011, with the ongoing economic crisis that has caused so many school budget cuts, it is clear that advertising is no longer enough to save school librarians' positions. Librarians need to become even more aggressive as they market their…

In the world of children's literature, analyses of the distribution and representation of gender, biological sex, and gendered behavior in picturebooks often focused on Caldecott Award-winning literature. As the most prestigious award for American children's picturebooks, titles that receive this honor have a profound influence on the field of…

The invitation to write an updating commentary on my 1984 paper came as a considerable surprise. As I have been retired for nineteen years during which time I have consciously distanced myself from my profession, partly in the interests of my successors who have had no need for intrusions by an echo of the past, and partly because I have been able…

There is more than snow in Minnesota: Summer brings the Aquatennial with sandcastle competitions, milk-carton-boat races and a torchlight parade, and the St. Paul Winter Carnival has ice carving and snow sculptures and another torchlight parade. But natives and visitors alike note that their favorite season is autumn, which in Minnesota brings…

Like many teacher librarians, this author is often blessed with the opportunity to mentor preservice teacher librarians. There are "apps" she would like to "load" onto every student teacher-librarian's "screen," if he or she is to have true credibility in leading a school through an information and communication landscape that is continually in…

No one believes that bullying is a problem isolated to teens and tweens. Children tease one another from a very young age; they discover power by rejecting someone or by taking another's toys. Adults are hardly immune. By addressing bullying behavior early on, at every grade level, and in a variety of ways, educators have a better chance of…

School library media specialists wear many hats within their school libraries, classrooms, and districts. Whether these roles are formally acknowledged or not, library media specialists (LMSs) are functioning as co-teachers, curriculum designers, website managers, technology troubleshooters, administrators, and in-service staff development…

In 2008, the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation began the social studies textbook adoption process. Concurrently, the Indiana State Board of Education wrote a memo encouraging schools to look at digital resources; BCSC did not hesitate. This article describes why BCSC chose to move to a digital format at the secondary level, the process…

This article examines some of the factors affecting the current economic status of academic librarians, as well as the history of changes in that economic picture. Issues discussed include the ranking of beginning academic librarian salaries in comparison to others in the profession, historical differences between academic librarian salaries and…

"Building Inquiry Partnerships" was a yearlong professional development course conducted in 2005-2006. The course emphasized an inquiry approach to learning, improving skills in instructional design, and nurturing librarian-teacher partnerships. This article describes the goals, design, and implementation of the course and summarizes the…

It is a time for a new model for teaching students to find, evaluate, and use information by drawing on critical pedagogy theory in the education literature. This critical information literacy model views the information world as a dynamic place where authors create knowledge for many reasons; it seeks to understand students as information users,…

The researchers surveyed English and Speech & Theater faculty members at Queensborough Community College on their perceptions of and attitudes toward plagiarism. The researchers used the Queensborough Community College Academic Integrity Policy as the basis for their analysis. Based on the responses received, it was determined that 50% of the…

There is abundant evidence that schools with strong reading programs have successful students. But building strong reading skills is a complex task, particularly by the time students reach the middle grades. A survey was conducted that involved all Indiana middle grades schools in May 2009. Two types of data analysis were utilized in preparing the…

Educators seek to develop 21st century skills in the classroom by incorporating educational materials other than textbooks into their lessons, such as digitally available activities, videos, and visualizations. A problem that educators face is that no review process similar to the formal adoption processes used for K-12 textbooks or the…