Some people learn better through viewing and listening, and some people simply do not like to read. In this society, there seems to be a move away from text, or, at least text as people have defined in the past. Moreover, mobile devices such as laptops, PDAs, and cell phones make video and audio incredibly easy to imbibe. So how do libraries…

Twenty doctoral students from the School of Library and Information Sciences at the University of North Texas met in the summer of 2005 to complete a seminar and online course on "Online Information Services." The class offered the perfect research settings with 10 practicing school librarians and 10 practitioners from other areas of the library…

The announcement of the mandate for Constitution and Citizenship Day shortly before September, 2005, probably led to groans of dismay. Not another "must-do" for teachers and schools already stressed by federal and state requirements for standardized tests, increasingly rigid curricula, and scrutiny from the public and officials. But the…

Why choose librarianship as a career? Seventeen percent of public librarians responding to this question in LJ's Job Satisfaction Survey began their answers with the words "I love...." And not for nothing: 70% reported being either "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with their jobs vs. the 31% who said they were "somewhat satisfied" or "not satisfied…

Over the last few years, there has been a wealth of materials written and presented on next-generation library catalogs. These next-generation interfaces strive to turn "standard" integrated library systems (ILSs) into more nimble and robust search platforms that offer more user-friendly 2.0 enhancements for users. Rather than abandoning…

New teachers are eager to begin their careers with the information learned from their teacher preparation programs. Too many times, the classroom library is a second thought to the establishment of classroom rules and the implementation of curriculum. Rather than an instructional tool for literacy and classroom community, the library can become a…

Effective and easily accessible student support services are essential to the success of adult learners. A student-centered approach is especially important in the design and delivery of online courses, professional certificates, and degree programs for early childhood professionals. A student-first approach is essential for non-traditional adult…

As new models of scholarly communication emerge, librarians and libraries have responded by developing and supporting new methods of storing and providing access to information and by creating new publishing support services. This article will examine the roles of libraries and librarians in developing and supporting open access publishing…

In this time of change in our society, children's needs, preferences, and interactions with the world are changing. These changes have sent education policymakers scrambling to two extremes. The first extreme, a focus on testing and basic skills, seeks to ensure that all children leave school with equal knowledge and preparation for the workplace.…

The intersection of public institutions managing large amounts of information and knowledge and new information and communication technologies has brought forward exciting and innovative changes to the ways information and knowledge have been traditionally managed. This paper provides a brief snapshot of some of the key issues facing the library…

Many secrets can be told by the physical surroundings of library media centers. Whether the center is kid-friendly is one of the first obvious tell-tale signs. When a library center has Arthur & D.W., Clifford, Pooh & Eeyore, shells, special rocks, etc. hidden by the circulation center or in the back in boxes, it's time to revolt. The movie Free…

Key themes in the development of adult and community learning over the past 10 years have included widening participation, inclusive learning and partnership working. In her 2007 book, "Reminiscence and Lifelong Learning," the author used the example of reminiscence work to illustrate how drawing on learners' memories of past experiences can…

In this article, the author traces her journey from fulfilling her evolving job duties to an increased sense of awareness that advocacy was an integral part of her work. The author started her career by doing the best she could do for the library media program she managed, and evolved to become an advocate for school libraries in general. Through…

"Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries" has long been an important tool for librarians making collection development decisions. This study examines the holdings and usage for books reviewed in "Choice," books designated by "Choice" as Outstanding Academic Titles, and the general collections of the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries.

Corporate librarians hold the key to determining new ways to work within their environments. They must drive the process to change the view of the company library as a liability--as overhead, as a cost center, as part of the problem--to the library as a solution center, a necessary investment. For the sixth consecutive year, corporate libraries…