Independent School Libraries

Hand, Dorcas, ed. Independent School Libraries: Perspectives on Excellence. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2010.
ISBN: 978-1-59158-803-0

Publisher's Description

The first book published about independent school libraries since 1985, this work offers both the independent school library community and the broader school library community a wealth of insights into excellence in library practice.

Freed of many of the restrictions that govern public schools, librarians in independent schools have a unique opportunity to develop new ideas and methods. Among these are the "information commons" where technology, media services, and traditional library services intersect, providing students with the resources they need to do their best work. What other learnings do these library laboratories provide?

Independent School Libraries: Perspectives on Excellence offers readers insights into best practices in library services for school communities, using examples drawn from independent schools of various sizes, descriptions, and locations across the United States. Two overview essays introduce a statistical analysis of independent schools. Each of the remaining essays provides perspective on a different aspect of library practice, including staffing, advocacy, assessment, technology, collaboration, programs beyond the curriculum, intellectual freedom and privacy, budgeting, accreditation, disaster planning, and more.

Because independent school librarians work across divisions and without a mandate to adhere to state or national standards, they have the freedom to explore and refine best practice in a school library setting. Fortunately, the ideas and methods they have developed, many of which are on display here, can be applied in any school library.

Features
• 21 essays from major experts in the field, representing single-sex and coed schools, K-12 and K-8 schools, religious and secular schools, large and small schools
• Statistical analysis of data collected about independent schools
• A bibliography with each essay
• Foreword by Pauline Anderson, librarian emeritus, Choate-Rosemary Hall School, Wallingford, CT

Highlights
• Includes a unique statistical analysis, revealing new insights into common practice among independent school libraries
• Looks to the future without losing track of the historical importance of libraries to their academic communities
• Supports and demonstrates advocacy, a theme that recurs throughout the book

Technology for the School Librarian

 

Scheeren, William O. Technology for the School Librarian: Theory and Practice. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2010.
ISBN: 978-1-59158-900-6

Publisher's Description

What does a school librarian need to know about technology? Technology for the School Librarian: Theory and Practice is an introduction to all aspects of technology in the school library and provides a starting point for further study of this wide-ranging—and critically important—field.

The only book that addresses both the theoretical and the practical aspects of the subject, Technology for the School Librarian is organized into 13 chapters describing the most vital topics in technology for school librarians. Within these chapters, school librarians (whether practicing or prospective) will be introduced to the practical aspects of technology in the school library and presented with a theoretical framework that will allow them to continue their research and learning. Case studies facilitate understanding, as do the study questions included with each chapter.

Features
• Lists features that should be included in a school library web page
• Provides a chronology tracing the development of technology in school libraries
• Offers an illustration of network topologies
• Includes questions for research/further study in each chapter

Highlights
• Provides an introduction to all aspects of technology in the school library
• Is the only book that addresses both the theoretical and the practical aspects of technology in the school library
• Acts as a starting point for those who recognize the value of technology in the school library and want to move forward
• Includes a series of case studies that will both test and challenge students 

Research-Based Reading Strategies in the Library for Adolescent Learners

 

Bernadowski, Carianne, and Patricia L. Kolencik. Research-Based Reading Strategies in the Library for Adolescent Learners. Columbus, OH: Linworth, 2009. ISBN: 978-1-58683-347-3

Publisher's Description

It is estimated that approximately 8.7 million 4th-12th grade students struggle to meet proficiency standards in reading and writing. This book provides the precise information school library media specialists need to make a difference in the school-wide effort to develop literacy and information literacy skills and to improve reading comprehension and vocabulary skills.

Research-Based Reading Strategies in the Library for Adolescent Learners is a one-stop resource for librarians who face the difficult task of trying to offer appropriate reading instruction, need guidance on how to devote more time to reading instruction, need researched-based reading activities to meet modern standards, and are interested in collaborating with classroom teachers to meet the content demands of the curriculum.

Designed to assist school librarians and classroom teachers as they collaborate to help students improve reading comprehension and vocabulary skills, this book presents nine research-based, best-practice reading strategies for middle and high school use. These approaches blend the strategies with critical information literacy skills, helping teachers address the Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning, the Standards for the English Language Arts, and the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner. For each strategy, the book presents nuts-and-bolts information, connection to the standards, current research findings, assessment tools, and more.

Features
• Includes nine researched-based reading and vocabulary strategies for secondary education
• Provides 27 ready-to-use reproducible templates, charts, tables, and graphic organizers
• Offers assessment tools
• Presents an appendix of Web. 2.0 resources for both classroom teachers and librarians
• A bibliography includes both books and websites at the end of each chapter, enabling teachers and librarians to find additional information about the reading strategy presented

Highlights
• Discusses a selection of essential researched-based reading comprehension strategies and vocabulary strategies for use in the school library and the classroom
• Provides effective approaches to blending reading strategies with critical information literacy skills, thus addressing the Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning, the Standards for the English Language Arts, and the Standards for the 21st Century Learner
• Offers “Collaborative Connections” that describe a shared planning and teaching process to allow the librarian and the classroom teacher to partner to teach each of the reading strategies
• Includes a section on extending the strategy for diverse students and students with special needs in each chapter

The Extreme Searcher's Internet Handbook

 

Hock, Randolph. The Extreme Searcher's Internet Handbook: A Guide for the Serious Searcher. 4th ed. Medford, NJ: CyberAge Books, 2013. ISBN: 978-193729-002-3

Did you start your library career before the days of the Internet? Are you a good Internet searcher looking to improve your strategies? Do you have trouble finding images online? Videos? Podcasts? Info on the deep web? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this book -- parts or in its entirety -- should be useful. -- Jen

 

Book Description

An essential guide for anyone who conducts research on the internet—including librarians, teachers, students, business professionals, and writers—this fully revised handbook details what users must know to take full advantage of internet search tools and resources. From the latest online tools to the new and enhanced services offered by standbys such as Google, the major search engines and their myriad of possibilities are thoroughly discussed. This revamped fourth edition also features chapters on fact-checking sites and popular social networking sites as well as a collection of up-to-date screenshots for visual reference. For those with little to moderate searching experience, friendly, easy-to-follow guidelines to the world of Web research are provided, while experienced searchers will discover new perspectives on content and techniques.

Administering the School Library Media Center

 

Morris, Betty J. Administering the School Library Media Center. 5th ed. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2010.
ISBN: 978-1-59158-685-2  

Publisher's Description

School library administration presents a complicated challenge to professionals in the field, requiring constant adjustment to accommodate the proliferation of new technologies, as well as the latest standards and legislation focused on assessment of student learning. Every library media specialist needs an authoritative guide through this ongoing revolution in education.

This reference text provides a complete instructional overview of the workings of the library media center—from the basics of administration, budgeting, facilities management, organization, selection of materials, and staffing to explanations on how to promote information literacy and the value of digital tools like blogs, wikis, and podcasting.

Since the publication of the fourth edition of Administering the School Library Media Center in 2004, many changes have altered the landscape of school library administration: the implementation of NCLB legislation and the revision of AASL standards, just to mention two. The book is divided into 14 chapters, each devoted to a major topic in school library media management. This latest edition gives media specialists a roadmap for designing a school library that is functional and intellectually stimulating, while leading sources provide guidance for further research.