This book is written for practicing elementary library media specialists and their teaching partners. It is intended to be a guide in the endeavor to satisfy the 1998 Information Power mandate. In addition to a roundup of opinions, research, and philosophy from the library literature--and from working media professionals--about collaboration, which is essential to the understanding of the mandate, there are useful and practical suggestions for its implementation and its impact. Chapter One is a history of cooperation and collaboration in school libraries over the past decade. Chapter Two examines the definitions and benefits of collaboration and the studies that have proven its value, quantitatively. Chapter Three discusses the factors necessary for success and the keys to overcoming roadblocks, including the stories of many practicing library media specialists who have struggled and succeeded with scheduling problems, resistant teaching partners, and challenging school cultures. Chapter Four contains a common template for use in planning collaborative units. Contains and index. (AUTH/AD)