With the increasing ranks of cell phone ownership is an increase in text messaging, or texting. During 2008, more than 2.5 trillion text messages were sent worldwide--that's an average of more than 400 messages for every person on the planet. Although many of the messages teenagers text each day are perhaps nothing more than "how r u?" or "c u…

In this article, the author provides an overview of and her reflections on the new American Association of School Librarians (AASL) program guidelines, "Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs" (2009). At just sixty-four pages, this publication is easy to browse and ready for investigation. As to be expected from…

Reading4Life @ your library[R] (R4L) significantly extends the role of school librarians in the areas of classroom-library collaboration, reading instruction during the inquiry process, and evidence-based practice. With this position paper, AASL clearly places a greater value than it has in the past on the instructional partnership role of the…

"Moodle[TM]," an acronym for Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment, is an open source software package that teachers can use to produce Internet-based courses and Web sites. "Open source" basically means that it is copyrighted, but it can be used at no cost as long as the user agrees to provide the source to others. "Moodle[TM]" can…

How can a school librarian share instruction and information with students and colleagues in the virtual world? Library Web pages make resources available 24/7. New tools available to schools can also give new options in making a Web presence known. This article suggests a plan for school librarians on how they can manage their libraries' online…

This article features an open letter written by the author to her school library media colleagues, applauding those who are providing informative and interesting staff development activities for teachers, administrators, and their library media peers. She reminds her colleagues about their role in staff development and not to underestimate the…

How can library media specialists encourage kids to read outside the curriculum and maintain this reading beyond elementary school? What does it take to get children involved in recreational reading and turn their focus to books? At Sycamore Elementary School in Avon, Indiana, library media specialists have organized reading programs which have…

In this article, the author presents a list of her favorite romantic young adult novels to tempt the hearts of the tweens and teens. They are arranged in their appropriate Cupid-inspired categories.

Political advocacy continues to gain ground in the state of Washington after the landmark Washington state legislative support of emergency funding ($4.09 million) for library media centers during the 2008 legislative session. This stepped-up political advocacy is due to the efforts of the Washington Library Media Association Advocacy members…

This paper documents the "inspection visit" program which existed at the University of Illinois library school between 1895 and 1948 whereby library school students would take extended "field trips" to nearby or even distant libraries. Topics include issues concerned with the visits themselves, their role in the library school…

This survey was conducted in 1992 to determine the state of affairs in preparing professionals to work in the library and information services (LIS) field. The paper examines programs in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Guam, and Hawaii. Information is given about the nature and length of college or university level degree programs and the…

This report presents the results of joint initiatives and endeavors by Unesco and the non-governmental organizations involved in the archiving of audiovisual (AV) material. The current situation regarding the education and training of personnel for film, television, and sound archives is examined and the need for the professional education and…

Based on a 1982 study trip to the Socialist Republic (SR) of Macedonia in Yugoslavia, this report describes the need for professional library education in Macedonia and presents recommendations for the establishment of a master's degree program in information studies at the University of Skopje. Sections cover the trip itinerary; professional…

Placement and salary statistics from the School of Library and Information Management at Emporia State University (ESU) in Kansas were compared with national figures for the period 1974 through 1981. National statistics were taken from the "Placement and Salaries" studies of recent graduates of American Library Association (ALA)…

Papers on the role and services of African libraries and the education of African librarians, which were presented at the 1983 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) conference, include: (1) "The Information Sector in the Economic Development of Africa: The Potential Role for Libraries," in which Benzies Y. Boadi…