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…

Leadership and advocacy often resemble a dance more than a straight-line march toward a goal. At times the leader advocate must work the process and lead the dance; at other times, the leader must stand back and let the process work, always ready to add a step or two to the dance when necessary. In this article, the author describes how librarians…

This article compares three self-developed subject guides and one commercial online subject guide (LibGuides) to provide information to other institutions which have a plan or are in the process of developing a plan to implement similar services to support online, distance and traditional education. This is a comparison of the current subject…

Librarianship has experienced a few growing pains over the past several years as its relationship with technology matures into a productive partnership. Being overzealous to adopt new technology can sometimes lead to more setbacks than advances in the profession. However, a recent wave of research has been discussing the benefits of integrating…

Regional accreditation organizations increasingly include student learning outcomes for information literacy in their standards and other documents, often emphasizing the importance of collaboration between librarians and faculty. Through content analysis of published articles and listserv postings, this study analyzes how librarians acknowledge…

In this first of two articles on making the most of fixed schedules in library media centers, the author discusses the fixed library media center schedule at her school, which allows for some flexibility to help the library media specialist support authentic student learning through collaboration with teachers. She discusses the administrative and…

Libraries and library faculty play a significant role in supporting college curriculum and helping students succeed academically. In particular, libraries are the primary location both physically and remotely for supporting faculty and students in their research and information needs. Over the years, this role of libraries and library faculty has…

As colleges of education prepare to meet NCATE standards they will find technically savvy allies and willing partners at their campus libraries. The information literacy and technology targets in the standards of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) parallel the information literacy standards developed by the…

Collaborating with teachers is a critical part of the library media center program. It is one of the most effective ways librarians can positively impact the learning of students and build relationships with teachers. Collaborative teaching is the best way for librarians to become an active part of the educational process. In this article, the…

In January 2009, the American Library Association (ALA) completed a ten-year reexamination of the core competences needed by professional librarians graduating from ALA-accredited institutions. The ALA's "Core Competences of Librarianship" encompass the basic knowledge expected of all graduates in all specializations. The core beliefs and policies…

Library media specialists typically are expected to collaborate with everyone. Because the teacher holds the proverbial key to the classroom door, he or she also has the access to the students. If there is no access to students, there is no opportunity to cause student learning. Real collaboration is, in contrast, based on a mutual understanding…

Students learn best from well-designed instruction. To what extent can a school district design a curriculum that supports inquiry learning? How can a district implement consistent inquiry practices in forty schools? In this article, the author discusses Newport News Public School District's journey to inquiry which began in 2004 with a…

In 2006, technology directors from independent schools across the country had banded together and created "Principles of Good Practice" for technology in independent schools. These principles "define high standards and ethical behavior in key areas of independent school operations" (NAIS 2006). This author decided that it was time for the National…

The Anatolian University Libraries Consortium (ANKOS) was created in 2001 with only a few members subscribed to nine e-journal collections and bibliographic databases. This Turkish library consortium had developed from one state and three private universities joining together for the purchase of two databases in 1999. Over time, the numbers of…

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) "Standards for the 21st-Century Learner" were released just as the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) was refreshing its National Educational Technology Standards for Students in late 2007. These standards outline what students will know and be able to do with educational…