Professional Reading Reviews

Volume 30, Number 3, February 2003

With Ken Haycock

Reviews:

Windows into instructional collaboration: Information Power in the real world. / Shirley Weisman

The best of School libraries in Canada, Vols. 1-20. / Compiled and edited by Ray Doiron.

Action research: A practical guide for transforming your school library. / Judith A. Sykes.

The handy 5: Planning and assessing integrated information skills instruction. / Kansas Association of School Librarians Research Committee Edited by Robert Grover, Carol Fox and Jacqueline McMahon Lakin.

Learning for the future: Developing information services in schools. 2nd edition. / Australia School Library Association / Australia Library and Information Association

Plus: New titles worth a look

Windows into instructional collaboration: Information Power in the real world.
Shirley Weisman

Reviewed by Ken Haycock

Collaboration and leadership are the essence of effective teacher-librarianship and indeed the critical ingredients for impacting student achievement. Nevertheless, our professional literature is replete with exhortations to collaborate and sample units that result than the methods to become effective at it. Weisman, chair of the Curriculum Consultation Committee of the California School Library Association, adds a piece to the puzzle by providing case study descriptions of our colleagues in action. Many familiar names—Debbie Abilock, Lesley Farmer, Peter Milbury, Richard Moore, Sandy Schukett—are practising TLs in middle schools and high schools in California. Each vignette provides the context (information about the students, staff, facilities, resources and policies), the TL’s story, and how they plan for results. Each has a different emphasis: some are more initiating of collaboration than others; some more technologically rich than others. Each is struggling, like every TL, to make a difference in the lives of students and teachers.

Weisman concludes by reviewing recent research in TL effectiveness and tying sample stories and examples to designs for learning and achievement. Reflecting on these examples is an effective means for professional growth and development. It is also a useful model for graduate students to interview practising TLs and prepare case studies of real-life experience matched to the research literature. (Hi Willow Research and Publishing, 2001. 156 pp. Distributed by LMC Source. $25. 0-931510-82-1.)

Bottom Line: Observe your colleagues and see yourself.

The best of School libraries in Canada, Vols. 1-20.
Compiled and edited by Ray Doiron.

Reviewed by Ken Haycock

School libraries in Canada is the official journal of the Canadian School Library Association (CSLA) and thus the equivalent to Knowledge quest in the U.S. and Access in Australia. Dr. Ray Doiron, a past president of the CSLA and university professor, has selected more than 25 outstanding articles which he considers still relevant today and reflective of the themes covered in the journal: roles and responsibilities; collaboration; administrative support; information literacy; children’s literature; technology; research; education for teacher-librarianship; the future. The collection is rounded out with a history of the Association and its accomplishments and the inaugural speeches of incoming presidents over the previous 20 years (CSLA was founded in 1961; the journal began with a name change in 1980). As with any compilation, an element of subjectivity is expected but Doiron has done a fine job of mirroring the content and spirit of the Association, its journal and the relevant issues.

Readers familiar with the Canadian scene will recognize many of the names of contributors but will not be so familiar with the material as the journal had a limited circulation until recently. Typical of the Canadian approach, contributors are from Australia and the U.S. as well as Canada. If one were to quibble, one might also point out that too typical of TLs, the future of school libraries section is written by people outside the field. All in all, a solid foundation reflecting the past twenty years of development. All royalties will be used to support projects of the Association. (Canadian School Library Association, 2001. 251 pp. Distributed by the Canadian Library Association. $24.95. 1-55212-771-0.)

Bottom Line: The best of Canadian school library leadership.

Action research: A practical guide for transforming your school library.
Judith A. Sykes.

Reviewed by Anne Clyde

The title of this book is a little misleading: it is not so much a “practical guide” to action research as a record of a personal “journey into and findings about action research exploring the future of school libraries” (p.xv). Told in the first person, it is the story of a long-term project, with information about the school context, the issues to be addressed, the professional and research literature that informed the process, the action research plan, the results and the conclusions. Interspersed with the narrative are “tips” for people who are considering undertaking action research and examples of data collection instruments.

However, the larger part of the book (66 pages of 126 pages of text) is given over to printouts of a PowerPoint presentation (also supplied on CD-ROM). The presentation is designed to “be shared with [the] school community, school board, university class, or other interest group to build background and explore issues around the future of school libraries” (p.59). The slides generally relate specifically to the topic of Sykes’ action research rather than to strategies for action research per se, though they could be used as models or templates for other projects. (Libraries Unlimited, 2002. 135 pp. $31.00. 1-56308-875-4.)

Bottom Line: Interesting and useful as an example of action research.

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The handy 5: Planning and assessing integrated information skills instruction.
Kansas Association of School Librarians Research Committee Edited by Robert Grover, Carol Fox and Jacqueline McMahon Lakin.

Reviewed by Ken Haycock

One might well ask whether we need another information process model (or inquiry model, or research model, or information problem-solving model, or library use model, or…) and how far we can boil down complex, recursive strategies to the “Critical Nine,” the “Big 6,” the “Super 4” and now the “Handy 5.” But this one is different and warrants your attention.

Most of these models are essentially the same, based to a considerable extent on Bloom’s taxonomy of learning objectives and early British Library research on information use in secondary schools in the 1970s (and rarely credited here for its seminal work). Indeed, the Handy 5 will look familiar: Assignment; Plan of Action; Doing the Job; Product Evaluation; Process Evaluation. What is different, however, is how the team that produced the Handy 5 modeled effective implementation of these models.

First, the Kansas Association of School Librarians has a research committee. Would that every association did. The committee reviewed existing models and links to achievement. They sponsored a two-day institute with subject area consultants at the state Department of Education, from which they developed the draft. They linked the model to specific subject-area standards for student learning to ensure connections and integration with subject instruction. Following review and refinement they offered six regional workshops for further feedback and revision. They then tested the model in a sample of Kansas schools with support from a research grant. They recognized that planning and assessment were pivot “bookends” to any successful model.

The result is a made-in-Kansas model (although useful anywhere), developed with subject-area leaders as well as teacher-librarians, and tied to state standards for learning. The critical “buy-in” is too often missing when off-the-shelf solutions are initiated by TLs without teacher commitment. Perhaps more importantly, there is a common language accepted by teachers and TLs, not to mention the Department of Education.

Many, many practical tools and techniques are included as samples for planning and for student work. Although the focus of this review is not on the model, one might have hoped that the assignment focus would move forward from the common “What is the student to do?” (and using the male pronoun exclusively) to “What is the student to learn?” as the first step.

The Handy 5 is an exceptional model of how to develop information process tools with teachers based on research, planning and assessment, rather than trying to sell teachers on one approach. That it was developed at the state level is a model of association leadership. All royalties will accrue to the Kansas Association of School Librarians. (Scarecrow, 2001. 165 pp. $22.50. 0-8108-3918-0.)

Bottom Line: Handy for schools and districts; handy for associations.

Worth a Look

The best of LM_NET Select 2001
Peter Milbury, Michael Eisenberg and Michelle Walker
This compilation of some of the major discussions in 2001 on the 15,000-member teacher-librarian discussion list is organized into several categories, from information literacy to book challenges. Messages are published unedited, with subjects, e-mail addresses, dates and signatures as they appeared on LM_NET Select. Many are HITS – a collection of responses to a question posted to the list, though discussion threads are also featured. No index. Includes CD-ROM of the 2001 LM_NET Select archives.
(Linworth, 2002. 187 pp. $44.95. 1-858683-114-3)

Character education: A book guide for teacher, librarians, and parents
Sharron L. McElmeer
More than 300 titles are explored in 17 chapters, each dealing with a different character trait, such as caring, confidence, perseverance and teamwork. Each annotated entry includes publication information, genre, discussion/activity notes, related traits or curriculum themes and suggested collaborative readings bringing the total of titles listed to more than 450. Grades K-5. Indexed.
(Library Unlimited, 2002. 228 pp. $32.50. 1-56308-884-3)

Educational media and technology yearbook 2002 Vol. 27
Edited by Mary Ann Fitzgerald, Michael Orey and Robert Branch
More than 20 articles are gathered in seven sections dealing with technology, trends and issues and more. Also includes classified and alphabetical lists of organizations and graduate programs relating to teacher-librarianship, and a topical bibliography of related resources. Indexed.
(Library Unlimited, 2002. 403 pp. $80.00. 1-56308-910-6)

Gotcha again! More nonfiction booktalks to get kids excited about reading
Kathleen Baxter and Marcia Kochel
Lists about 300 titles, most of them recently published, of interest to students in Grades K-8. The book is thematically organized into seven chapters, from Great Adventures to American Journeys. Booktalks are given in a narrative format, allowing for presenting several books on a theme. Separately indexed by author and title.
(Libraries Unlimited, 2002. 165 pp. $30.00. 1-56308-940-8)

Hit list for children 2: Frequently challenged books
Beverley Becker and Susan Stan
Twenty-four authors of 42 titles that have been challenged are listed in this follow-up edition. Each title is annotated and includes examples of challenges, citations of reviews and articles about the book or author, awards, and a list of sources which recommend the book. Includes classics such as A wrinkle in time as well as more recent titles which have generated controversy, such as the Harry Potter series and Naylor’s Alice series. Includes appendix on what ALA can do to help librarians combat censorship.
(ALA Editions, 2002. 66 pp. $25.00. 0-8389-0830-6)

The indispensable teacher’s guide to computer skills, 2nd ed.
Doug Johnson
Designed for those who plan, administer and evaluate in-service programs on technology and computer skills (including the Internet). Includes guidance for determining staff development goals and resources for achieving those goals, based on the National Educational Technology standards for teachers, students and administrators.
(Linworth, 2002. 195 pp. $59.75. 1-58683-109-7)

Learning through literacy: Adapting novels by Roald Dahl for students in self-contained or inclusive classrooms
Kathleen Brady and Eileen Phelan
Written for teachers of special education students in Grades 3-5, with activities meeting NCTE and IRA content standards. Activities are designed to develop critical thinking skills, increase vocabulary and enjoy grade-appropriate literature. Five titles are featured (The magic finger, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Twits, George’s marvelous medicine and The Witches), each with several reproducible activity sheets.
(Linworth, 2002. 114 pp. $36.95. 1-58683-010-4)

Newbery and Caldecott Awards: A guide to the Medal and Honor books 2002
Association for Library Service to Children
Annotated list of all winners and honor books since the awards’ inception. Includes introduction discussing the medals and criteria used in judging, an essay on the power of illustration in children’s literature by John Warren Stewig, a list of the Caldecott winners giving media used for illustration and a glossary of illustration terms. Indexed separately by author/illustrator and by title.
(ALA Editions, 2002. 173 pp. $19.00. 0-8389-3528-1)

Now read this II: A guide to mainstream fiction, 1990-2001
Nancy Pearl
Provides access to more than 500 titles (400 new to this edition), many of them award-winners and notable books, primarily adult fiction with some young adult titles. Grouped in four sections (setting, story, characters and language), each entry includes a summary, a list of subjects and recommended reading for those who liked the book. Appendices on creating book clubs, book awards and introducing mainstream readers to genre fiction. Includes three indexes totaling 125 pages: author/title and subject for this edition and author/title from the first.
(Libraries Unlimited, 2002. 300 pp. $55.00. 1-56308-867-3)

Tantalizing tidbits for teens: Quick booktalks for the busy high school library media specialist
Ruth Cox
More than 150 booktalks are given for award-winning young adult literature. Organized alphabetically by author, each entry includes a short annotation, a booktalk that can be done in under two minutes and a brief discussion of curriculum connections. In addition, publication and purchase information, subjects, genres, recommended grades levels and pointers to lists where the title is recommended are given. Includes discussion of awards, booklists and booktalking techniques. Thoroughly indexed by author, title, subject, genre and curriculum connection.
(Linworth, 2002. 130 pp. $36.95. 1-58683-017-1)

Technologies for education: A practical guide, 4th ed.
Anne Barron, Gary Orwig, Karen Ivers and Nick Lilavois
Practical examination of the technologies used in K-12 education, divided into nine chapters covering topics ranging from digital audio and video to assistive technologies such as touch screens and voice-recognition software. Each chapter begins with a scenario explaining how the technology can be used in an educational setting, and includes a summary, glossary and resource list. Indexed.
(Libraries Unlimited, 2002. 234 pp. $48.00. 1-56308-779-0)

The world of work through children’s literature: An integrated approach
Carol Butzow and John Butzow
Twenty-three titles appropriate for Grades 1-6 are organized into three categories (local economy, work skills and work communities). Each title is presented as a separate unit, including brief summary, theme, activities for various grades and reproducible activity sheets. Includes index and answer keys.
(Teacher Ideas Press, 2002. 168 pp. $30.00. 1-56308-814-2)