Foundations for Effective School Library Media Programs

By Ken Haycock

Book Overview

How can you make your school library media program more successful? This timely book identifies current trends and thinking about library media specialists as change agents and their roles in school improvement, curriculum design, collaboration with teachers, and building information literacy. Reprinted from recent issues of Emergency Librarian, 39 enlightening and exciting articles offer stimulating discussions on learning theories, flexible scheduling, new technologies, thematic units, new partnerships, and more. Articles are organized into seven sections: foundations, the school context, role clarification, information literacy, collaborative planning and teaching, program development, and accountability. Essential professional reading, this book can also be used as a school media textbook in library schools.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 156308368X
• ISBN13: 9781563083686
• Release Date: April 1999
• Publisher: Libraries Unlimited
• Length: 331 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.5" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

Bottom Line: Read It Or Get Left Behind!

This is an impressive collection of previously published articles concerning school librarianship. All thirty-nine papers originally appeared in the journal, Emergency Librarian; one third also appeared previously in The School Library Program in the Curriculum. Each article still merits reading (or rereading) and is as relevant today as it was when first published. However, the organization of this new collection makes this experience even more worthwhile. The editor, Ken Haycock, has arranged the articles into seven parts: Foundations; School Context; Role Clarification; Information Literacy; Collaborative Planning and Teaching; Program Development; Accountability. Haycock is to be commended for conceptualizing the collection in this manner, and then for selecting such a fine assortment of articles for each of the various parts. The list of authors includes some of the most respected names in the field of school librarianship; their individual contributions to the professional literature are numerous and this resulting collective effort is very impressive. Each part is introduced by a knowledgeable editor who manages to provide readers with succinct, yet thoughtful commentaries. These introductions are as highly recommended as the selected articles as they create the necessary unifying dimension for this large collection. The fourth part of the collection is a good example of this fine editing. Information Literacy includes eight chapters or articles beginning with Christina Doyle's "classic" paper, Information Literacy in an Information Society. In his introduction to this section, Haycock weaves a fine historical account of the evolution from "library skills" to "information skills and strategies" to our more recent understanding of information processes built on student information-seeking behaviors blended with subject area standards for problem-solving, decision-making and content. The contributors' articles that follow Doyle's paper examine issues such as the need for developing learners' information literacy in the electronic learning environment, and developing school-based learning strategies. The concluding article, by David Loertscher, is a perfect conclusion for this key part of the book. All That Glitters May Not Be Gold focuses the reader on the need to develop engaging, authentic assignments, and on the need for adequate time on task for learners to evaluate and use information effectively.Although many of us have encountered most of these articles before, this new presentation is certainly recommended reading. It may not be the best title for novices in school librarianship (or for introductory level courses in the field) but it should provide essential reading for more experienced practitioners.