The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is committed to bringing together museums and libraries across the country for conversations dedicated to developing a better understanding of the roles of libraries and museums as providers of public service to communities. The Future of Libraries and Museums in the 21st Century Planning…

Libraries are integrating Web 2.0 services into work practices, positioning themselves in online social environments, and deploying enhanced search and discovery tools. Collections conversely are not progressing to the same degree. Like many public services today, library budgets are stained. User-pay options are appearing in library systems,…

Library media specialists hear about Web 2.0 in numerous professional journals and during conference workshops. They know that using this aspect of the Internet is second nature to many of their students, and therefore they feel a need to become knowledgeable about this means of information sharing. What better way to learn about blogs, wikis, or…

Co-author of the popular titles "Booktalking Bonanza" and "The Early Literacy Kit", Betsy Diamant-Cohen brings together 18 examples of successful outreach partnerships that children's librarians and administrators can adapt to their own situations. Contributors from the U.S and Canada explain how they partnered with schools,…

During the 1890s, the library media specialty was established through "a School Library Section as an integral part of the National Education Association" (Cole 90). In the ensuing decades, this role has expanded and changed; it demands a balancing act between the more traditional roles surrounding books and reading, and the newer expectations and…

Even though distance education has a long and diverse history, dating back to 1840, in the last ten-to-fifteen years it has been completely transformed by the emergence of Web-based technology. This technology has had an enormous impact on all aspects of distance education (or distance learning as it is increasingly called). In addition to…

Regional library consortia and other groups throughout the U.S. are forming collaborative networks of librarians at all levels in order to prepare students to develop the necessary information literacy skills to be successful in college and beyond. This article focuses on an initiative of the Rochester (New York) Regional Library Council (RRLC).…

Designed to assist with the management of e-resources, electronic resource management (ERM) systems are time- and fund-consuming to purchase and maintain. Questions of system compatibility, data population, and workflow design/redesign can be difficult to answer; sometimes those answers are not what we'd prefer to hear. The two primary functions…

A technology plan provides a blueprint against which to measure new technologies and applications, assess future needs, and allocate resources to balance technology with the needs of users and staff. This book is a comprehensive and practical guide for librarians preparing a technology plan. The book is divided into five planning steps, each of…

This book is a compilation of over 400 hints and ideas written by practicing school library media and technology specialists. Ideas are drawn from the "ShopTalk" column in "Library Talk: The Magazine for Elementary School Library Media and Technology Specialists." The book is organized in the following eight sections: (1) Putting Your Best Image…

Small libraries don't have the resources to adopt every new technology. It is important that small libraries operate strategically, adopting only those technologies that are the most beneficial to their patrons.

Illustrates how the "Big Six Skills" model of information problem solving (Task Definition, Information Seeking Strategies, Location and Access, Use of Information, Synthesis, and Evaluation) is a perfect match to the influx of technology in student research. Outlines two typical assignments that focus the Big Six perspective on the…

This book uses planning forms and examples to help media specialists and teachers focus on ways to effectively and purposefully add technology. The 22 collaborations connect with standards-based education in language arts, math, science, and social studies. Ideas for whole-class projects are also included. Each unit example begins with a completed…

This book is a compilation of almost 800 hints and ideas written by practicing school library media and technology specialists. Ideas are drawn from the "Tips" column in "The Book Report: The Magazine for Secondary School Library Media and Technology Specialists." The book is organized in the following nine sections: (1) ...And They Will Come; (2)…

This presentation will focus on the use of a custom developed Innovation Component Configuration Map (ICCM) to measure technology integration practices of faculty in Schools, Colleges, and Departments of Education (SCDEs). This study investigated the relationship between the level of technology integration fidelity (high, moderate or low) by SCDE…