The Principal's Guide to a Powerful Library Media Program: A School Library for the 21st Century

McGhee, M., & Jansen, B. (2010). The principal's guide to a powerful library media program: A school library for the 21st century (2nd ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: Linworth.
ISBN: 978-1-58683-526-2

Dr. McGhee is a professor at Lewis & Clark College in Portland where she teaches school administrators-to-be. She's been a teacher, principal, and director of professional development and has seen firsthand what can be accomplished in quality school libraries. She teamed with a well-respected practicing school librarian, Barbara Jansen, to craft a clear guide for helping school administrators understand the potential of a strong school library program. (Sound familiar? HB 2586, anyone?) What most excites me about this book is that it reinforces the message that school librarians are trying to spread, but one of the author's has never been a librarian. In other words, this is as equally written from a 'them' perspective as from an 'us' one. Perhaps school administrators will be more interested in hearing the message from a different voice. -- Jen

Publisher's Description
"This book of best practices documents how school administrators and librarians can work together to optimize their library media services.

The principal and the librarian or media specialist at every K-12 school should be a 'dynamic duo' who share the goal of creating a library media program that benefits the learning lives of both students and teachers. Achieving that objective, however, is often more difficult than imagined, eluding many best-intentioned efforts.

A campus administrator looking to improve an existing library media program or create a new one. A teacher or librarian seeking the principal's support for establishing a more effective program. A university professor requiring the foundation for a curriculum to instruct preservice librarians and campus administrators. In each of these scenarios, The Principal's Guide to a Powerful Library Media Program can provide relevant background information, clear guidance, and tangible techniques.

This unique text draws on professional literature, research, site visits, interviews, and the coauthors' collective years of experience to help principals be effective practioners, and to facilitate full comprehension of the far-reaching benefits a successful library media program has on the entire campus. The anecdotes and insights on best practices illustrate the principal's role in managing and facilitating the library media program—including hiring, budgeting, scheduling, and professional development. The methodology of 'GEAR'—Gather information, Establish goals, Apply strategy, and Reflect—is championed throughout the book.

Features
• Includes a collection of practical tools, such as a library walkabout description and form, a list of administrative enablers and inhibitors, GEAR process documentation and worksheets, administrator self-assessments in each chapter, planning paperwork for budgeting, scheduling, staffing, and feedback forms for the administrator and the library media specialist
• Each chapter concludes with a comprehensive list of additional resources
• Contains 13 helpful appendices sections

Highlights
• Combines an overview of the school administrator's role in supporting the teacher or librarian with insightful guidelines for achieving an effective library media program
• Written by two acclaimed experts in the fields of library administration, primary school education, and information-literacy curricula
• Fills a critical information gap regarding the profound importance of library programs, a topic often overlooked in the preservice preparation of most campus and district leaders"

Includes a CD-ROM of self-assessments, worksheets, and other tools found in the book.

Librarians as Learning Specialists: Meeting the Learning Imperative for the 21st Century

Zmuda, A., & Harada, V. (2008). Librarians as learning specialists: Meeting the learning imperative for the 21st century. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited. ISBN: 978-1-59158-679-1

Publisher's Description:
"How can librarians and other Learning Specialists successfully leverage their roles to meet the learning imperatives of the twenty first century?

Zmuda and Harada explore the increasing number of job descriptions in schools for learning specialists with the accompanying difficulty in effectively leveraging these roles to positively affect student learning. School librarians have been one of these learning specialists for decades. The ranks have expanded in recent years to include many other content area specialists. Grant Wiggins' foreword emphasizes the relevance of learning specialists is grounded in their ability to deliver results on mission-critical measures.

This title incorporates quotations, exemplars, and findings from experts in both mainstream and librarian-focused education literature in an inclusive approach making the text accessible and credible for any leader charged with improving the system's ability for improved student achievement.

There are an increasing number of job descriptions in schools for learning specialists - certified teachers with specialized areas of expertise whose job it is to improve student performance. While these positions are attractive ideas in theory, there are real challenges in effectively leveraging such roles to positively affect student learning. School librarians have been one of these learning specialists for decades. The ranks have expanded in recent years to include reading specialists, literacy coaches, writing coaches, technology specialists, mathematics specialists, science specialists, and teachers of English Language Learners. References included throughout the book incorporate quotations, exemplars, and findings from experts in both mainstream and librarian-focused education literature. This inclusive approach makes the text accessible and credible for any leader charged with improving the system's ability for improved student achievement. Grant Wiggins' foreword emphasizes the premise that the relevance of learning specialists is grounded in their ability to deliver results on mission-critical measures."

(Reviews)

Guide to Reference Materials for School Library Media Centers

Safford, B. R. (2010). Guide to reference materials for school library media centers (6th ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited. ISBN: 978-1-59158-277-9

Publisher's Description:
"This guide will help librarians strengthen their reference collections in all curricular areas with exciting books and powerful web-based materials.

Book publishing remains strong with digital printing processes, making reference books more visually attractive to students. Many printed materials are also published as eBooks and many of these are combined with index databases linked with web resources. But with so many available resources, how do school libraries know they are choosing the best new materials?

As the growth of eBooks and database formats accelerates, selecting reference materials for school library collections has become a complicated process. Like previous editions, Guide to Reference Materials for School Library Media Centers, Sixth Edition is designed to suggest the best material in all formats, on all subjects, and at all levels—to help school librarians find the best resources.

To compile this guide, the author reviewed materials in school, public, and community college collections, and confirmed quality by examining published reviews in standard library reviewing guides. The resulting book lists reference tools for school librarians and has major sections recommending general science, humanities, and social science reference books, eBooks, and subscription databases for K-12 library collections. Materials listed come both from publishers who specialize in K-12 materials and publishers whose market is not typically school libraries.

Features
• Items available via web delivery are marked with "web"
• Items specifically recommended for elementary schools are indicated with an "E"
• Annotations suggest which materials can be used for cross-curricular projects
• Subject and author/title indexes complement the broad category organization

Highlights
• Covers all curricular areas and many student interest areas
• Helps school librarians strengthen and update collections
• Allows librarians to compare similar sources and electronic providers
• Points out why expensive materials can be cost effective"

Copyright for Schools: A Practical Guide

Simpson, C. (2010). Copyright for schools: a practical guide (5th ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: Linworth. ISBN: 978-1-58683-393-0

Publisher's Description:
"An updated edition of the standard, comprehensive guide to copyright issues affecting schools, this book provides the watertight copyright policy and plan that's a must for every school district.

The potential for copyright violation is all around us. Hiring a DJ to play at a school dance is a likely violation if you don't have a public performance license for the music. Giving away a digital file is considered "commercial use;" also a violation. As copyright owners become more aggressive about enforcement of their intellectual property rights, schools need to understand exactly what is—and what is not—permissible.

Copyright continues to be a timely topic as technology makes determining who owns what more and more complex. Written by the leading copyright authority for libraries, Copyright for Schools: A Practical Guide, Fifth Edition is a thoroughly updated version of the industry standard on copyright matters affecting schools.

Starting with an overview of copyright law, the book goes on to cover specific topics medium by medium, including print, software, music, video, multimedia, and more. It addresses new technologies in common use in schools and school libraries and also includes new cases and interpretations, statutory citations, guidance on best practices, and real life questions and answers to typical copyright dilemmas faced by schools. On the theory that preventing legal action is always simpler than defending it, the advice throughout is designed to enable schools to take advantage of their rights under copyright law, while avoiding the "bleeding edge" that may make them targets for copyright owners.

Features
• Sample logs, record-keeping aids, notices, policies, request letters, forms, and instructional materials
• Questions and answers on representative school situations involving copyright, including hot topics like video yearbooks, wikis, and distance learning
• A reproducible copyright brochure suitable for school staff
• Examples of fair-use analysis
• Lists of copyright-cleared media and producers
• A comprehensive bibliography, including Internet links related to copyright

Highlights
• Provides a thoroughly updated version of the standard copyright reference for schools and school libraries
• Includes an extensive revision of chapters on fair use, music, and new technologies
• Explains a complex and confusing topic in ways educators can easily understand
• Shares the expertise of an attorney who regularly defends and advises schools on copyright matters"

Copyright Clarity: How Fair Use Supports Digital Learning

Hobbs, R. (2010). Copyright clarity: How fair use supports digital learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. ISBN: 978-1-4129-8159-0

This thin volume differs from many copyright books in that it emphasizes that we are not always bound by the educational use guidelines, as they are not the law and can be unnecessarily restrictive. Instead, the focus is on having the user apply the principles of fair use at the time of need. The book is a joint publication with the National Council of Teachers of English. -- Jen

Publisher's Description:
"Today, educators and students have access to a vast, rich array of online materials that can be used for instruction, but these resources often remain untapped because of confusion over copyright laws.

In this slim, jargon-free guide, media literacy expert Renee Hobbs presents simple principles for applying copyright law and the doctrine of fair use to 21st-century teaching and learning. Complete with a ready-to-go staff development workshop, this book explores:

• What is permissible in the classroom
• Fair use of digital materials such as images, music, movies, and Internet elements found on sites such as Google and YouTube
• Trends in intellectual property law and copyright practices
• Classroom projects using copyrighted materials

Copyright Clarity helps educators unlock Internet and digital media resources to classrooms while respecting the rights of copyright holders.

For supporting videos, slide presentations, and curriculum materials, see also www.mediaeducationlab.com/copyright."

Contents

Understanding FRBR: What It Is and How It Will Affect Our Retrieval Tools

Taylor, A. G. (Ed.). (2007). Understanding FRBR: What it is and how it will affect our retrieval tools. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited. ISBN: 978-1-59158-509-1

Description from Libraries Unlimited:
"What is FRBR, and why is everyone talking about it? Is it really going to revolutionize cataloguing? And if so, what form will it take? This book is written for librarians, bibliographic systems designers, library and information science faculty and students, and anyone else who is interested in learning about the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) and how following the FRBR model can improve access to information through helpful organization of the metadata records that are surrogates for information resources. Serials, art, music, moving images, maps, and archival materials are just a few of the formats covered. Not for catalogers only!" (Contents)

Redesigning Today's Public Services: Focus on Reference (DVD)

Redesigning Today's Public Services: Focus on Reference. Presenter Marie Radford, Ph. D. College of DuPage, 2010. DVD.

This is a recording of the teleconference that was broadcast by the College of DuPage as part of the Library Futures: Staying Ahead of the Curve series on November 12, 2010. Running time is 90 minutes.

Description on DVD:
"The current information landscape is a world in which change is the only constant. While the important charge for libraries to provide reference services can be traced throughout the history of the profession, the tools, methods and expectations about this core library service are hardly static. This program examines contemporary reference, taking a look at current trends, as well as making some informed predictions about the future. With innovative examples from libraries across the country, the discussion also considers approaches to the issues that will surface as the next generation of reference services evolves to meet patrons' needs."

Libraries & the Mobile Technology Landscape (DVD)

Libraries & the Mobile Technology Landscape. Presenter Joe Murphy. College of DuPage, 2010. DVD.

This is a recording of the teleconference that was broadcast by the College of DuPage as part of the Library Futures: Staying Ahead of the Curve series on September 24, 2010. Running time is 90 minutes.

Description on DVD:
"In what seems like an instant, mobile electronic devices have significantly influenced and changed many aspects of modern life: socialization, entertainment, and the way business is conducted, both in and out of the workplace. This program concentrates specifically on mobile technologies, analyzing how their prevalence is changing the way people interact with information. Joe Murphy...from Yale University, leads this fascinating and timely exploration of the mobile technologies landscape. Beyond showcasing the devices, this program focuses on how information professionals find innovative ways to put these devices to use in librarianship, both to extend and strengthen traditional library services and create deeper and far-reaching connections with patrons."

Grey Literature in Library and Information Studies (book)

Farace, D.J. & Schopfel, J. (Eds). (2010). Grey Literature in Library and Information Studies. New York: De Gruyter.

The further rise of electronic publishing has come to change the scale and diversity of grey literature facing librarians and other information practitioners. This compiled work brings together research and authorship over the past decade dealing with both the supply and demand sides of grey literature. While this book is written with students and instructors of Colleges and Schools of Library and Information Science in mind, it likewise serves as a reader for information professionals working in any and all like knowledge-based communities.
(book description)

Fang-tastic Fiction (book)

Mathews, P.O. (2011). Fang-tastic Fiction: Twenty-first Century Paranormal Reads. Chicago, IL: American Library Association. ISBN: 978-0-8389-1073-3.

“What’s good besides Twilight?”

Answer frequently asked questions such as this with the help of Mathews’ engaging tour through today’s spooky lit. Readers will be able to search "read-alike" lists for series featuring their favorite "creatures" with up-to-date, chronological lists of series titles and summaries. Librarians will be able to suggest a multitude of adventures starring angst-ridden heartthrobs, superheroes, and champions. Focused exclusively on the best of the best, this lively readers’ advisory

• Rates each series on a scale of 1 - 5 for levels of violence, sensuality, and humor
• Contains more than 200 annotated entries
• Enables book selection by type, character, series, and author
• Lists all the volumes in a favorite series together and offers numerous read-alikes

Designed to keep librarians and readers up-to-date with the hottest contemporary supernatural beings in adult literature, Fang-tastic Fiction is both fun to read and easy to use.
(book description)

Doing Social Media So It Matters (book)

Solomon, L. (2011). Doing Social Media So It Matters: A Librarian's Guide. Chicago, IL: American Library Association. ISBN: 978-0-8389-1067-2.

Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn: it’s difficult enough to keep abreast of social media Web sites, let alone understand how they fit into today’s library. This practical resource brings together current information on the topic in a concise format that’s easy to digest. Laura Solomon is a librarian with more than a decade of experience in Web development, design, and technology, and her timely guide

• Provides context on the social media phenomenon
• Offers practical advice on how libraries can choose, use, and monitor these tools effectively
• Identifies additional resources and best practices

Solomon has written a unique, to-the-point guidebook for those ready to jump into the deep end of the pool and commence or improve their library’s tweeting, posting, and friending.
(book description)

Ready-To-Go Storytimes (book & CD)

Benton, G. & Waichulaitis, T. (2003). Ready-To-Go Storytimes Fingerplays, Scripts, Patterns, Music, and More. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers. ISBN: 1-55570-449-2.

Here are all the elements you need to produce high quality programs that take advantage of the child’s natural curiosity and encourage parent participation. Assembled for the veteran or novice storyteller, this book (with accompanying music CD) contains everything you need to create interactive, 30-minute story times for children aged eighteen months to five years. Each storytime ends with an interactive song, coloring sheet, and activity handout that reinforce the theme. Among this bountiful feast of stories you will find yum yum tales, animal adventures, desert and beach stories, colorful yarns, and dress up fun. This marvelous package with music will help you provide a total performance every time you use it.
(book description)

I’m a Little Teapot (book)

Cobb, J. (2996). I'm a Little Teapot! Presenting Preschool Storytime. Vancouver, British Columbia: Black Sheep Press. ISBN: 978-0-9698666-0-2.

I’m a Little Teapot contains all the resources you need for a successful and creative storytime collected in one book: a selection of only the best books and rhymes to use, and the complete text for all the songs and fingerplays.

• 63 themes, including holidays,
• booklists of more than 1,000 picture books appropriate for preschool and primary children,
• the complete text and instructions for more than 500 fingerplays, rhymes and songs,
• additional resources recommended for storytellers,
• a bibliography,
• an index,
• 256 pages,
• charming illustrations.

(book description)

Chronology of Librarianship 1960-2000

Wilhite, Jeffrey M. A Chronology of Librarianship 1960-2000. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2009. 020.904 Wilhi ISBN: 978-0-8108-5255-6

This book covers all areas of library literature that inform the history of librarianship and ranges over multiple continents. Its broad scope lends itself to wide use by scholars and students of library history and library literature. The chronology is presented in a dictionary format and separated into decades. It is complemented by a comprehensive bibliography and both subject and name indexes, which are cross-listed for ease of use.

ALA Guide to Sociology and Psychology Reference

ALA Guide to Sociology and Psychology Reference American Library Association. Chicago : American Library Association, c2011

Including versions of traditional indexes, periodicals and scholarly journals, online statistical data sets, and websites maintained by a variety of institutions, associations, and advocacy groups, this reference resource thoroughly covers sociology and psychology reference options.

View a full listing of resources covered.

The State of Scholarly Publishing: Challenges and Opportunities

The State of Scholarly Publishing: Challenges and Opportunities Albert N. Greco, editor. New Brunswick, N.J. : Transaction Publishers, c2009

From the back cover: For decades, university presses and other scholarly and professional publishers in the United States played a pivotal role in the transmission of scholarly knowledge. Their books and journals became the "gold standard" in many academic fields for tenure, promotion, and merit pay. Their basic business model was successful, since this diverse collection of presses had a unique value proposition. They dominated the scholarly publishing field with preeminent sales in three major markets or channels of distribution: libraries and institutions; college and graduate school adoptions; and general readers (i.e., sales to general retailers).

Yet this insulated world changed abruptly in the late 1990s. What happened? This book contains a superb series of articles originally published in The Journal of Scholarly Publishing, by some of the best experts on scholarly communication in the western hemisphere, Europe, Asia, and Africa. These authors analye in depth the diverse and exciting challenges and opportunities scholars, universities, and publishers face in what is a period of unusual turbulence in scholarly publishing.

The topics given attention include: copyrights, the transformation of scholarly publishing from a print format to a digital one, open access, scholarly publishing in emerging nations, problems confronting journals, and information on how certain academic disciplines are coping with the transformation of scholarly publishing. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the scholarly publishing industrys past, its current focus, or future plans and developments.

Past CSLP Summer Reading Manuals (books)

The following past Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) summer reading manuals are available to check out the State Library.

• On Your Mark, Get Set... READ! (2016 children's and early literacy)
• Get in the Game--READ (2016 teen)
• Exercise Your Mind, Read (2016 adult)
• Every Hero Has A Story (2015 children's and early literacy)
• Unmask! (2015 teen)
• Escape the Ordinary (2015 adult)
• Fizz, Boom, Read (2014 children's and early literacy)
• Spark A Reaction (2014 teen)
• Literary Elements (2014 adult)
• Dig Into Reading (2013 children's and early literacy)
• Beneath the Surface (2013 teen)
• Groundbreaking Reads (2013 adult)
• Dream Big Read (2012 children’s)
• Own the Night (2012 teen)
• Between the Covers (2012 adult)
• One World Many Stories (2011 children’s)
• You Are Here (2011 teen)
• Novel Destinations (2011 adult)
• Be Creative @ your library (2009 children’s)
• Express Yourself @ your library (2009 teen)
• Master the Art of Reading (2009 adult)
• Catch the Reading Bug! (2008 children's)
• Metamorphosis @ your library (2008 teen)
• Get a Clue @ your library (2007 children's)
• YNK@ your library (2007 teen)
• Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales (2006 children's)
• Creature Feature (2006 teen)

 Manuals include chapters on:

• Planning (including reproducible sign-up sheets, reading records, call for volunteer letters/forms, etc. often in both English and Spanish)
• Promoting (including reproducible flyers, clip-art, slogans, etc. often in both English and Spanish)
• Activity/program ideas by theme (including book and movie lists, songs/rhymes, reproducible activity sheets, etc.)

For those of you familiar with the manuals there are a few differences you should know about:

• Children's, teen, and adult manuals circulate separately instead of all together as one item.
• The CDs/DVDs of the clip-art by the featured artists and digital files of the manual are not included due to copyright restrictions.

Cool Teen Programs: For Under $100 (book)

Lillian, J. (2009). Cool Teen Programs: For Under $100. Chicago, IL: American Library Association

Producing engaging, innovative programs for teens on a tight budget is a challenge that many librarians face. With Cool Teen Programs for under $100, YALSA offers an inspired new guide providing a wealth of fun, creative programming ideas sure to entice teens into the library, all easily replicable and easy on the bottom line.

Colleagues from the U.S. and Canada contributed more than twenty-five successful programs, all expertly edited by Jenine Lillian, an instructor at the University of Washington School for Information and teen services consultant.

Programs include twists on typical teen fare, such as crafts, food, and technology, as well as those that boost teen creativity, encourage teens to engage their brains, and bring in teens in underserved populations, such as teen parents or immigrants.

In addition to programs, this book includes helpful chapters on budgeting for teen services and marketing tips that you can put into practice at any budget.

Cool Teen Programs for under $100 will give you all you need to plan and host teen-approved, cost-effective programming for any library, no matter the size or type.
(book description)