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.

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.

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.

The Impact of Technology on School Library Media Centers in Two Florida School Districts

In the last two decades technology has had a tremendous impact on school library media centers and personnel. The purposes of this study are to investigate the effects of technology on (1) school library media programs, (2) collections, (3) jobs of media personnel, and (4) student learning in media centers, and to determine if media staffing influences such effects. Twenty-- three media personnel in two Florida school districts with different media staffing procedures were administered open-ended questionnaires. In both districts technology had positive effects on provision of information resources in many formats to accommodate a variety of student learning styles, management of the media center, and creation of enthusiasm and interest in learning. It appeared that differences in district staffing and funding affected feelings about the impact of technology on jobs and the media collection.

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.

Increasing Science Literacy through Collaboration between Teachers and School Library Media Specialists

This paper presents current research, and complementary perspectives on how and why interdisciplinary collaboration efforts contribute to positive outcomes for student science achievement. Undergraduate students, practising science teachers, and school library media specialists are included in this discussion.

School Libraries Serving Disadvantaged Populations in the USA

School library media specialists in the United States were surveyed to determine their perceptions of the most critical needs in their school libraries. The purpose of the survey was to develop information to be shared with grant-making agencies and foundations to provide suggestions in determining how money might be appropriated for spending. Results of the survey may also be used to compare the priorities of the general population of school library media specialists with those of specific subsets, such as those serving disadvantaged populations.

Librarians' Perceptions of the Greatest Needs in School Libraries

School library media specialists in the United States were surveyed to determine their perceptions of the most critical needs in their school libraries. The purpose of the survey was to develop information to be shared with grant-making agencies and foundations to provide suggestions in determining how money might be appropriated for spending. Results of the survey may also be used to compare the priorities of the general population of school library media specialists with those of specific subsets, such as those serving disadvantaged populations.