School library media specialists: An evolving profession in a pandemic

In March 2020, Michigan’s school library media specialists, along with the entire educational community, found themselves facing unprecedented challenges brought by the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. As learning shifted online, the roles of school library media specialists shifted as well. Three southeast Michigan school library media specialists were interviewed to obtain their perspectives regarding the adaptation to distance learning, as well as how they predicted educational practices will evolve going forward. The educational practices of learning commons, guided inquiry, co-teaching, and information literacy were found to be particularly valuable during the shift to distance learning. The increased dependence on these practices during the pandemic will likely result in increased implementation of these practices when face-to-face learning resumes.

Not Extinct! School Libraries for Learning and Leadership

Library Media Center 2000 focuses on school library services, technology, training and advocacy—restructuring information and meeting learning needs: linguistic, cultural, multimedia. Over the last three years, San Francisco library media teachers have engaged in a process of professional development opportunities, networking and communication. In a district that has experienced massive cutbacks in library media services, library media teachers have encouraged and supported each other while learning to use new technologies, and sharing areas of expertise and resources.

An Interdisciplinary Model for Assessing Learning

During the 1994-95 school year the Kansas Association of School Librarians Research Committee conducted a literature review and held a two-day summer institute to develop an interdisciplinary model for assessing learning across the curriculum. Participating were teachers, administrators, library media specialists, and Kansas State Board of Education curriculum specialists. During the 1995-96 school year the committee presented the model to teachers and library media specialists at professional meetings and workshops for reactions. The model has been revised and is being tested in Kansas schools during the 1996-97 school year. The model is based on the “Big Six” model for information problem-solving by Eisenberg and Berkowitz (1990) and is derived from an analysis of Kansas content standards for language arts, social studies, mathematics, science, reading, and library media. The model divides student assignments in these six subject areas into five parts, using terminology from the standards for each subject. Rubrics have been developed for each of the five parts of an assignment. This paper will recount development of the model, delineate elements of the model, reveal preliminary findings of the current research project which tests the model, and discuss implications for implementing the model.

The Information Literacy Movement of the School Library Media Field: A Preliminary Summary of the Research

The authors summarize the proceedings of two major conferences, the Treasure Mountain Research Retreat VI and the International Association School Librarianship conference. In addition, the authors look at the entire history of information literacy and bring together the theory development, the research, and practice in school libraries since the late 1980s. Information literacy and critical thinking ideas from the fields of education, cognitive psychology and educational technology have been included.

A Reality Check: The Challenges of Implementing Information Power in School Library Media Programs

How well are school library media programs realizing the mission, objectives and challenges set by Information Power? Teacher-librarians are struggling to realize its ideals in less than ideal circumstances. To gain a broader understanding of their work and success, this paper studies 48 good library media programs in New England Region, U.S. using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to ensure the perceived success of participating programs in conforming to the national guidelines.

Power-up School Library Media Centers: New York Library Power

The National Library Power program, funded by the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund, was designed to create public elementary and middle school library programs that improve teaching and leaming. Using the school library media program as a catalyst for school reform, the Library Power program demonstrated how to change the role of the school librarian. During its eight-year grant period, New Visions for Public Schools' professional development program taught participants how to administer a collaboratively planned, flexible access library, and address issues such as management, collection development, and technology. The authors describe its features and its applicability to other school systems.

Information Literacy: What is it? Are you Information Literate? How do you know?

No other change in our nation has offered greater challenges than the emergence of the Infommation Age. In an information society, all people should have the right to information that can enhance their lives. To reap the benefits of our global society, individuals must be information literate on a global basis. This article discusses several aspects of infonnation literacy, from characteristics of an information literate person to information literacy education, including the role of the library media specialist, to educational criteria for evaluating electronic information literacy. It is our job as educators to teach students to become critical thinkers and lifelong leamersinformation literate citizens.

The School Library Web Site: On the Information Highway or Stalled in the Carpark

Based on research conducted by the author in 1996 and 1999, this paper discusses theoretical issues and provides an overview of the purposes for which school libraries are creating and maintaining home pages or Web sites. The research has implications for those who are planning a Web page or site for their school library/media center; among other things, it provides information about what other school libraries/media centers have done and suggests some pitfalls that might be avoided It also suggests areas for further study, notably the possible development of a model that might be used for the evaluation of school library Web sites.

Assessing Pre-service Teachers' Beliefs About the Role of the Library Media Specialist

The revision of Information Power (1998) focuses on building partnerships for greater student learning. While not a radical departure from the previous edition (1988), the recent document emphasizes both greater collaboration and leadership and increased involvement with the technologies of information and learning. This study set out to determine whether teacher education programs were preparing tomorrow's teachers to expect and accept the redefined role of the school library media specialist. It involved the development and the administration of a scale to assess pre-service teachers' beliefs about the role of the school library media specialist. The results of the pilot study reported here are preliminary but suggest that while pre-service teachers distinguish three distinct sets of functions they place more emphasis on those functions associated with information access and delivery than on those related to learning and teaching. Further, pre-service teachers do not appear to understand the role areas of learning/teaching and program administration.

The United States National Library Power Program: Research, Evaluation and Implications for Professional Development and Library Education

The Library Power Program is a school improvement initiative of the DeWitt-Wallace Reader's Digest Fund that began in 1988. With a total investment exceeding US$45 million, Library Power is the largest nongovernmental funding for school library media programs in over 30 years. It operated in approximately 700 schools and served more than one million students. Library Power sought to create a national vision of public elementary and middle school library media programs through the instructional leadership of the library media specialist, and through partnerships within the district and with the community. An evaluation of the Library Power Program found that the Library Power initiative advanced the notion of a student-centered library media program in a learning community. It showed that given the right conditions, school library media programs can promote positive opportunities for excellence in teaching and learning.