This paper reports on a survey of faculty perceptions of the role of the library in online distance education. The study is second in a series of related studies exploring The Pennsylvania State University's library services to patrons at a distance. In 2004, faculty of the World Campus (Penn State's online distance education program) were…

Keeping a good balance in the classroom and in the library media center is no easy task. It is an on-going process that will continually involve reflective thinking, research, professional reading, networking among other professionals, and collaboration among teachers and fellow library media specialists. In this article, the author discusses what…

A focus group study conducted with health sciences students enrolled in graduate-level research classes at a small private comprehensive university revealed that these students preferred e-journals to print but that accessibility issues deterred their use. These findings provided valuable insights for local collection development decision-making…

School library media specialists at all levels have been investing long hours in preparing and implementing lessons. They try to coordinate these lessons with teachers, and, in the best-case scenario, they collaboratively plan and deliver the instruction. The missing piece is an indication of whether or not students have actually been learning.…

The act of reading a well-written book to students is one of the easiest writing lessons a library media specialist can give. When kids hear new or unusual words and descriptive, poignant phrases, it increases their own experimentation with writing. Using good literature to develop good writers just makes sense. There are a plethora of avenues and…

In this article, the author describes how the New Orleans Public Library (NOPL) struggled with a fraction of its former staff, limited hours, and a massive fundraising challenge after Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005. While previously 171 people staffed locations, only 40 employees plus a smaller--and shifting--cadre of…

Dalhousie is a medium-sized university, with about 15,000 FTE students, located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is one of Canada's oldest and most prestigious universities, yet, like many other public institutions, it frequently suffers from a lack of adequate funding to fulfill all the conflicting needs of the various faculties and departments. This…

This report notes that although textbook prices comprise just one component of the price of attending college, such outlays are very frustrating to students and their parents. There has been a groundswell of criticisms against publishers, bookstores, and institutions of higher education that has translated into a mandate for action to make…

The practice of using a social network to establish and enhance relationships based on some common ground--shared interests, related skills, or a common geographic location--is as old as human societies, but social networking has flourished due to the ease of connecting on the Web. This OCLC membership report explores this web of social…

The "Victorian Free Library Service Board Act" of 1946 was the culmination of a long campaign to replace the mechanics' institute model of library provision with free libraries funded by state and local government. Given that library reform required legislation by the state government, this paper is mainly concerned with the political…

From November 1992 through May 1993, a series of staff development and training workshops were presented as part of the project, "Developing Library Services for Young Adults." The workshops included: "Redirecting Young Adult Behavior" (Glenna O. Auxier & Bob Perchalski); "The Youth Services Librarian and the Law"…

Public libraries are a key access point for community-based education for lifelong learners. Libraries link independent learners, materials, programs, and other community agencies, and provide a common touchstone for all segments of the population. The public library and its mission support lifelong learning through the acquisition and…

Media services at the Des Moines Independent Community School District (Iowa) is a centrally-based department which provides a number of districtwide services in adhering to a philosophy of supporting the curriculum by providing current and sufficient materials, both print and nonprint, access to information for all students, and research skills…

This glossary defines common library terms and serves as a quick reference source for library users. Many of the new terms that have been incorporated to librarianship are consolidated in this document as well as new terms created as a result of developments in technology. Over 150 terms cover abbreviations, acronyms, technology and equipment,…

This report documents the findings from 13 workshops designed to help teachers and librarians work together to identify library services required to support the delivery of competency-training curricula. Two hundred and twenty-eight staff attended the workshops, which were held in Queensland (Australia) between March and July 1992. About 80…