Despite the funding challenges nearly all school libraries face, many media specialists are optimistic about the role of technology in the school library, according to "School Library Journal's" ("SLJ") 2011 Technology Survey. But in spite of the general optimism, others point to some significant obstacles: technological innovations are often…

Every day in school libraries nationwide, students' privacy rights are under attack, but many principals, teachers, parents, and community members do not know much about these rights. Even though school librarians are among the strongest proponents of privacy, the subject is rarely discussed, probably because state and federal laws can be…

Things are changing. For starters, ebooks, apps, and the web are now a part of students' daily lives. So how do school librarians determine the best way to turn their library space into a learning center that is right for today's rapidly changing digital world? In this article, the author suggests five design considerations that school librarians…

The face of reading is changing, and it is happening at a much faster rate than most people had imagined. Where is it all going? What factors are driving the most significant developments? And what role do librarians play in this rapidly evolving world? These are some of the key questions that stakeholders--including educators, publishers,…

The author asks some of the top kids' book creators to choose their favorite children's book about the black experience. The title could be for kids of any age--from a picture book or graphic novel to a chapter book or collection of poems. It could be new or old, fiction or nonfiction. This article presents some of "School Library Journal"'s…

These days it seems like school librarians are under attack, if not already an endangered species. After eight years of the No Child Left Behind Act--which, paradoxically, chipped away at many library positions--recent state and local budget shortfalls have led to rounds and rounds of layoffs for school librarians. While things are tough in the…

In this article, the author reports on how three women saved their school libraries and created an advocacy model for all. The dynamic trio: Lisa Layera Brunkan, the great researcher with exceptional people skills, Susan McBurney, the master organizer with a Ph.D. in linguistics, and Denette Hill, the numbers lady with fantastic business acumen,…

School Library Journal's 2007 Leadership Summit, "Where's the Evidence? Understanding the Impact of School Libraries," focused on the topic of evidence-based practice. Evidence-based school librarianship is a systematic approach that engages research-derived evidence, school librarian-observed evidence, and user-reported evidence in the processes…

"School Library Journal's" ("SLJ's") Job Satisfaction Survey, conducted online in spring 2008, asked school and public librarians about their salaries, pay raises, and opportunities for advancement; level of job satisfaction; major causes of dissatisfaction; on-the-job challenges; and how well they were prepared for their positions, among other…

Microsoft and Google have very different business models. Microsoft believes that if they build it, people will come--and buy their products. Google's approach is different: if they build it, people will integrate it into their lives. People use Microsoft's product on Microsoft's terms, but people use Google products on "their" terms. In this…

Of the more than 5000 books reviewed in "School Library Journal's" ("SLJ's") pages in 2008, the 67 books listed in this article stood out as having distinctive voices, singular vision, and/or innovative approaches. They include books for toddlers and preschoolers, terrific picture books and easy readers, and some highly original novels. Fantasy,…

This article lists 30 titles, published between September 2007 and November 2008 (with reviews published in 2008), which the "School Library Journal's" ("SLJ's") Adult Books for High School Students Committee decided to recognize as the best for high school readers. The list includes realistic and historical novels as well as some genre-blending…

Librarians love books. They love the feel, the smell, and the look of the page. However, physical volumes have kept the author from reaching the ideas and stories that he wants. An impenetrable pile of pages in linear order, books are difficult to decode, search, and rearrange, and one of the worst information management systems he has…

According to the 2003 National School Climate Survey, a biannual study by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, an organization which ensures safe schools for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) students, only 50 percent of students say they have access to community LGBT Web sites, such as Parents, Families, and Friends of…

Minneapolis is a book lover's paradise. There are dozens of neighborhood bookstores, a sleek new $125 million Minneapolis Central Library, and Open Book, the nation's first facility devoted to the literary arts. No wonder it was dubbed America's most literate city last year. But one of the best-kept secrets is that Minneapolis and nearby Mankato…