IASL Research Abstracts: 117

Findings: A review of school library services in one district found several practices that were challenged by political realities. These dilemmas include the role of the teacher-librarian and its relationship to information technologies and the role of the district and school in funding.

Abstract: Once a leader in the provision of effective school library services, the Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada) School Board has seen its intellectual and material assets diminish with growing confusion about the role of the teacher-librarian, particularly with regard to information technologies. The investigator reviewed the current status of school library resource centres, including staffing, resources and use, to identify "revenue-neutral" improvements based on research evidence and best practice. In the course of the review, several dilemmas emerged that challenged conventional wisdom regarding the delivery of school library services. These dilemmas are the focus of the paper. See:

Haycock, K. (2002). Strategic directions and newer dilemmas for teacher-librarians and school library resource centres. In D. Singh, A. Abdullah, S. Fonseka and B. de Rozario (Eds.) School libraries for a knowledge society (pp. 141-151). Seattle: International Association of School Librarianship.

Subject Categories: 5, 17, 22