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.

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.

Creating Love for Reading via Inclusion of African Talking Drums in School Library Media Centre Activities

The African drum is an important instrument of communication in traditional African societies which serves as the voice of the whole community and it communicates desired information. Children that do not come to the school library media center can be attracted through the inclusion of African drums in her activities. This paper discusses ways through which children could be attracted to the school library media centers for her readership campaign programs through the use of the African talking drums. African drums can be used through role plays, songs, dances and dramas of literature such that children would get interested in reading accessible books in their library. The paper talks about who plays the drum and the indigenous African stories that include the use of drums as a medium of communicating story themes. The paper also highlights some activities carried out by a school library media center in Nigeria (with graphic details) on how some of these drums were utilized. Pictorial examples and presentation of the African drums would be presented during discussions. The African Drum should be seen as a significant technique that could be used in attracting children back to read in the school library media center.

Teaching Support of Tapei Senior High School Libraries

The school library is the center for collecting, organizing and using information resources, and is therefore an indispensable part of school teaching activities. Teachers could better choose teaching materials, develop curriculum, and evaluate programs with school librarian support. Library literatures show that teacher and media specialist collaboration can effectively enhance student learning. This study investigates the ideal school library media center model in Taipei. Using Document analysis, website visitation, and in-depth interviews to collect data. Nine cases are chosen for study. Findings show that teaching support services provided in most cases come under the “coordination” and “cooperation” stage, according to the Pollard and Montiel-Overall taxonomy framework, and very few senior high school libraries provide “collaboration” stage services. This study discusses difficulties encountered in library management and successful factors of promoting teaching support services to a further stage, as well as innovative services. Finally, suggestions are made for future consideration.

Read and Learn @ the Library

This paper will present the Miriam College Lower and Middle Schools’ Library Media Center reading program entitled Read and Learn@the Library. The presentation will focus on the different library activities for the students across Grades 1 to 8. The purpose of the presentation is to share the different reading programs of the library that promotes reading and students’ love for books. The activities presented encouraged the students that reading is enjoyable and worthwhile. The reading program infuse some playful elements that makes reading and learning more fun and engaging among students. This also supports network between teachers, librarians, and storywriters and solicit their active assistance in promoting good reading habits of the students.

Transitioning from Curriculum Materials Center to School Library Media Center in Pre-service Teacher Education

Pre-service teachers use Curriculum Materials Centers (CMCs) to find resources to use in assignments for college-level pre-service coursework and to use in practice teaching with PK-12 students. CMCs that visually and environmentally resemble school library media centers can transition pre-service CMC users into classroom teachers who use school library media centers for personal professional growth and to enrich their teaching. This article presents a case study of one CMC to illustrate this transition.