Professional Reading ReviewsCollaboration

Volume 28, No. 4, April, 2001

With Ken Haycock

Linking Wisconsin's school libraries & classroom: A guide for integrating information & technology literacy.

Barbara Steffan, Ed.

Reviewed by Gwen Ingham gwen_ingham@ecunet.org

If your school or school district is interested in developing opportunities for information literate students, this guide is for you. On first glance it appears to be another overwhelming document but a more careful look reveals a vast collection of unit aides for the teacher and teacher-librarian to use as they collaborate through an information literacy program.

Appropriately labeled The Link, the loose-leaf format is divided into three main sections. The first section is a collection of papers that discuss the basic elements of information literacy. This background knowledge is written concisely by scholars and practitioners in the field. Areas such as the role of the library media specialist (teacher-librarian), collaboration, resource-based learning, information process models, assessment strategies and program evaluation are discussed with references for further reading included with each paper.

The second section is the actual Wisconsin Model of Academic Standards for Information and Technology Literacy on the Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning). The standards are organized into four subsections: A. Media and Technology; B. Information Inquiry; C. Independent Learning; D. The Learning Community. Each of the subsections divides the outcomes into age specific outcomes. There are three benchmarks here: A. By the end of Grade 4; B. By the end of Grade 8; C. By the end of Grade 12.

The third and largest section of the guide is the most significant in its application. There are more than 100 unit plans prepared by practicing TLs and linked to specific outcomes at all levels. The unit plans are well organized describing objectives, roles, resources and strategies for evaluation. There are also graphic organizers, student activity templates and additional resources accompanying the plans. (Wisconsin Association of School Librarians, 2000. 506 pp. $45.00. No ISBN).

Bottom line: Critical link to success.

The technology connection

Kathleen Schrock, ed.

Reviewed by Carolyn Giambra cgiambra@lbd.wmsvcsd.wnyric.org

The authors of this valuable collection of 109 articles that have appeared in Technology Connection, Library Talk, and The Book Report magazines over the past five years are heavyweights as school library media practitioners. The editor herself has quite a well-founded reputation as a practitioner and writer. The book is loosely organized by themes, using building renovation metaphors for designing, contracting, laying the foundation, constructing, inspecting, and entertaining in the library resource center. An index would have made the purposeful use of this collection easier, in place of browsing the article titles and flipping through the pages. Use of this anthology in graduate courses would provide a transition from theory to practice, while current practitioners will benefit from reviewing some best practices, designed to cultivate change. Linworth, 2000. 256 pp. $39.95. 1-58683-008-2.

Bottom line: Supplemental purchase for students and practitioners.

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Worth a Look

100 most popular picture book authors and illustrators: Biographical sketches and bibliographies
Sharron McElmeel
Includes long-time and newer favorites. Author information can be read aloud, or used by students for reports. Author entries sorted alphabetically. Indexed by author and titles. (Libraries Unlimited, 2000. 578 pp. $49.00. 1-56308-647-6)

The busy educators guide to the World Wide Web 2nd edition
Marjan Glavac
Annotated lists of web sites for lessons, tips and strategies for teachers wanting to integrate the Internet into their classroom instruction, classified by subject and grade levels. Includes index. (NIMA Systems, 2000. 181 pp. $14.95. 0-9683310-1-7)

Children and libraries: Getting it right
Virginia Walter
A childrens library specialist and advocates call to action for public libraries to consider children as vital participants in the community, serious readers, and technology users. Discusses emerging trends and offers alternative visions for library service to children. (American Library Association, 2001. 155 pp. $32.00. 0-8389-0795-4)

Classic writings on instructional technology, Vol. 2
Edited by Donald Ely and Tjeerd Plomp
Provides a convenient collection of seminal papers in the field. Bibliography is revised and updated. (Libraries Unlimited, 2001. 267 pp. $60.00. 1-56308-854-1)

Designing a school library media center for the future
Rolf Erikson and Carolyn Markuson
Guidance on designing and planning a new school library and avoiding renovation pitfalls. Addresses ergonomic and technology needs of children, working with architects, and planning for access and technology in designing interior space. (American Library Association, 2001. 109 pp. $39.00. 0-8389-0790-3)

Educational computing in the schools: Technology, communication, and literacy
Edited by Jay Blanchard
Collection of essays about the impact technology has on education and literacy, and the challenges faced by educators. Discusses issues of access and the connection between technology, tools, and learning. (Haworth Press, 1999. 119 pp. $19.95. 0-7890-0814-9)

Family values through childrens literature: Grades K-3
Patricia Roberts
Organized by value topic, from acceptance to sharing. Annotated bibliography of literature, with questions and activities. Appendix of lessons reflecting family values based on chapters from Laura Ingalls Wilders Little House on the Prairie. (Scarecrow Press, 2000. 181 pp. $32.50. 0-8108-3682-3)

Hold them in your heart: Successful strategies for library services to at-risk teens
JoAnn Mondowney
Includes case study of the San Francisco Bay Area Public Library, strategies for getting support, assessing needs, planning and evaluating services, and finding funding. Bibliography and appendix of organizations that serve youth. (Neal-Schuman, 2001. 139 pp. $45.00. 1-55570-393-3)

Library service to Spanish speaking patrons: A practical guide
Sharon Moller
Organizes information and resources into preschool/early elementary, the middle grades, and the teenage years. Reviews successful programs, and gives annotated lists of Spanish resources. (Libraries Unlimited, 2001. 207 pp. $28.00. 1-56308-719-7)

Managing conversations with hostile adults: Strategies for teachers
Georgia Kosmoski and Dennis Pollack
Based on interviews with 250 teachers and school professionals. Topics introduced with true stories, and how each situation handled. Includes chapter on the 15 most commonly used strategies. (Corwin Press, 2000. 110 pp. $21.95. 0-8039-6811-6)

New virtual field trips: Revised edition
Gail Cooper and Garry Cooper
Chapters organize annotated web sites by curricular area, e.g. Virtual Time Machine and Mathematics and Logic, and cross-curricular topics, e.g. People You Should Know and Tour the World. Grades K-12. Detailed table of contents and index. (Libraries Unlimited, 2001. 155 pp. $27.50. 1-56308-887-8)

Newbery and Caldecott Medal books 1986-2000: A comprehensive guide to the winners
The Horn Book and Association for Library Service to Children
Organized chronologically by year, each entry features cover art, reviews from both The Horn Book and Booklist, transcripts of the acceptance speeches, and author information. (American Library Association, 2001. 368 pp. $38.00. 0-8389-3505-2)

Novel ideas for young readers! Projects and activities
Katherine Kuta and Susan Zernial
Desk reference of classroom-tested activities, primarily for use with novels, some adaptable for non-fiction. Geared to Grades 1-6, projects are divided into writing and visual activities, from choosing a character as a friend to creating a commercial. (Teachers Ideas Press, 2000. 149 pp. $24.50. 1-56308-791-x)

Planning your future: A guide for professional women
Janet Skarbek
Results of study of young professionals, listing eight factors that increase earnings, six factors impacting happiness, and changes women would make if they were starting again. Chapters on discrimination, re-entering the job market, and pregnancy and breastfeeding. (Professional Womens Institute, 2001. 270 pp. $19.95. 0-9702344-7-3)

Techniques for student research: A comprehensive guide to using the library
Nancy Lane, Margaret Chisholm and Carolyn Mateer
Strategies for when and how to use both print and electronic resources. Covers search strategies for finding information, including using indexes and bibliographies. Unique appendix provides hints for overcoming common problems in retrieving information. Aimed at post-secondary students, it may be useful for advanced high school students. (Neal-Schuman, 2000. 275 pp. $35.00. 1-55570-367-4)

Using Internet primary sources to teach critical thinking skills in geography
Martha Sharma and Gary Elbow
List 75 annotated primary source web sites. Provides clear instructions on using the sites for classroom lessons and activities in critical thinking for middle and high school students. (Greenwood Press, 2000. 165 pp. $39.95. 0-313-30899-3)