School Libraries Matter: Views from the Research - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 161069161X ISBN 13: 9781610691611

Publisher: Libraries Unlimited, 2013

Synopsis

As school districts across the United States increasingly question the need for trained librarians, this collection of research-based evidence helps make the case for a state-licensed librarian in every school.

While serving on the AASL legislation committee, Mirah Dow recognized the urgent need to utilize research-based evidence to prove school librarians are much more than an educational luxury. This collection is the result. It brings together school library research studies and findings from the past decade and draws connections to how they can be applied to situations and questions that occur in practice. Taken as a whole, the research underscores that state-licensed, school librarians are a necessity for 21st-century students.

Chapters center on important research studies from the past decade that examine data and locate school libraries within operational contexts. Methodologies are explained and findings summarized, while notes clarify practical applications for school librarians. Because each chapter includes a connection to broad realms of theoretical influence in the social sciences, the work will also be relevant to educators and public policymakers, arming them to better communicate research-based links between investments in school libraries and student learning outcomes.

About this title

About the Author

Mirah J. Dow is associate professor in the School of Library and Information Management at Emporia State University, Emporia, KS.

Reviews

Realizing the need for research-based evidence to prove the value of school librarians, this resource compiles research studies and findings from the past 10 years. The introduction gives an overview of the methods used and briefly describes each of the 10 chapters. The chapters themselves each contain an introduction, research question, methodology, findings and conclusion, and allow readers easy access to the information. Covering topics such as the impact of school libraries on academic achievement, information practices of upper-income high school students, school administration, technology, and school librarian leadership, this is an invaluable reference book for career librarians or those just entering the field. The research is a vital tool that can be used as an advocacy tool and help administrators and funders understand the essential role of libraries and library professionals in 21st-century schools.—Denise Moore, O'Gorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls, SD

Edition details

• Publisher: Libraries Unlimited
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 161069161X
• ISBN 13: 9781610691611
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 200
• Editor: Dow Mirah J.