This book of best practices documents how school administrators and librarians can work together to optimize their library media services. A campus administrator looking to improve an existing library media program or create a new one. A teacher or librarian seeking the principal's support for establishing a more effective program. A university professor requiring the foundation for a curriculum to instruct preservice librarians and campus administrators. In each of these scenarios, The Principal's Guide to a Powerful Library Media Program can provide relevant background information, clear guidance, and tangible techniques. This unique text draws on professional literature, research, site visits, interviews, and the coauthors' collective years of experience to help principals be effective practioners, and to facilitate full comprehension of the far-reaching benefits a successful library media program has on the entire campus. The anecdotes and insights on best practices illustrate the principal's role in managing and facilitating the library media program--including hiring, budgeting, scheduling, and professional development. The methodology of "GEAR"--Gather information, Establish goals, Apply strategy, and Reflect--is championed throughout the book. Includes a collection of practical tools, such as a library walkabout description and form, a list of administrative enablers and inhibitors, GEAR process documentation and worksheets, administrator self-assessments in each chapter, planning paperwork for budgeting, scheduling, staffing, and feedback forms for the administrator and the library media specialist Each chapter concludes with a comprehensive list of additional resources Contains 13 helpful appendices sections

Offers school principals practical advice and strategies to help them develop an effective library media program, with an overview of the best library media practices and strategies for dealing with challenges.

Shows how exemplary school library programs contribute to student achievement, explores effective library media practices, and offers tips on budgeting, scheduling, and professional development.

You can take a proactive role in shaping instruction and respond to your users' needs and requests with this thoroughly revised and expanded guide. You'll learn how to develop and implement an effective library media program by integrating it into the total education environment. Part One covers all aspects of the school environment: students, curriculum and instruction, principals, school district administration, and the community. Part Two shows you how to integratethe school library media program throughout these environments using interaction and collaboration. New in this edition are discussions of special education, post-high school transitions, shared school/public libraries, and more, along with a discussion of recent developments in elementary education, including standards, assessments, and the No Child Left Behind Act.

The most recent set of national guidelines for the development of school library media programs, which was published in 1988, identifies underlying changes in the roles of the school library media specialist as well as in the program itself. Viewing the library media specialist as an initiator of curricular activities rather than a purveyor of support services, these guidelines emphasize leadership, partnership, planning, curricular needs, collection development, and equity of access to information. This discussion guide has been developed to help educators at all levels to plan meetings and conduct effective discussion sessions with persons who have become familiar with "Information Power" in its entirety, in order to evaluate local school library media programs in light of the recent revisions. The first of three sections identifies the principal concepts presented in "Information Power" and provides an overview of each of its eight chapters. Procedures by which discussion sections may be effectively organized to promote the successful exchange of knowledge and views are recommended in the second section. The final section identifies specific constituencies for discussion groups and suggests discussion questions for each of the groups--i.e., library media specialists, administrators and boards of education, classroom teachers, college and university faculty, state department of education personnel, and members of the community at large--as well as questions for mixed constituency groups and questions basic to all discussion sessions. (GL)

Presents strategies for a student-centered library program, suggesting methods librarians can use to learn to work together with principals and teachers to build a curriculum, incorporate state and national standards, and implement technology.