One Common Challenge--Two Different Solutions: Stories from Two School Libraries

American Association of School Librarians. Available from: American Library Association. 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611. Tel: 1-800-545-2433; Web site: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/knowledgequest/knowledgequest.cfm

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6

School Libraries; Library Services; Library Materials; Library Development; Librarian Attitudes; Classification; Change Strategies; Access to Information; Literary Genres; Middle Schools; Literacy; Reading Improvement; Fiction

1094-9046

Traditionally, school librarians have had two main strategies for impacting the literacy development of students in their schools. One way is through reading promotion efforts: book talks, book displays, or online book trailers, and literacy events such as book fairs, contests, and reading incentive programs. The other way has been through teaching or coteaching reading comprehension and information literacy skills through standalone or collaborative lessons and units of study. Today, school librarians are considering other strategies to address the challenges associated with adolescent literacy. One of those strategies is to genre-fy the fiction section of the school library. Rather than shelving all fiction by the author's last name, this organization scheme--with the goal of increasing students' easy access to books--involves reorganizing the library based on the book's genre. Another strategy is re-visioning the library as an "Information Commons" (Harland 2011). In the stories presented herein, two Texas middle school librarians Jana Hunt and Colleen Graves share their solutions for rising to meet this challenge. Author Judi Moreillon interviewed each librarian and developed the vignettes presented in the article. [This article was written with Jana Hunt and Colleen Graves.]

ERIC

4

2014

EJ1040165