Section of School Libraries and Resource Centers

Newsletter Number 34
May 1999

64th IFLA General Conference: Amsterdam 1998

The 64th IFLA conference was most successful on both the professional and the cultural level. It is always hard to select among the many interesting lectures, workshops and activities of the IFLA conference. Amsterdam added to this challenge by offering to the visitor a wealth of museums, flea markets, lovely walks along the canals and last but not least, impressive libraries. Our Section offered a particularly rich programme. Its highlight was the final drafting of the School Library Manifesto, a project many of our colleagues have worked hard and for a long time to realize.

The open session of the Section on the theme "Reading Promotion and Information Technology" was very successful with about eighty people attending. Included here are the abstracts of the papers presented. The full papers can be found in the URLs provided.

The speakers of the open session with the chair of Section. From left to right: Anne Clyde, Alexandra Papazoglou, Gleny Willars, chair of the Section, Dania Bilal and Claude Morizio

Lecture et documents éléctroniques (In French)

Claude Morizio
Institut Universitaire de formation des maîtres
Jaunay-Clan
France

La lecture des documents électroniques demande qu'on s'interroge sur les spécificités qu'elle requiert. Lire pour chercher de l'information nécessite déjà la maîtrise de différents codes, mais la lecture sur écran est de surcroît perturbée par des éléments externes au texte lu (boutons, informations sur la structuration du corpus...) et se fait verticalement, et non plus horizontalement, modifiant ainsi le rapport à l'espace.

Dans les documents sur papier, l'accès à l'information se fait le plus souvent par l'intermédiaire d'index et de tables des matières. Les fonctionnalités d'hypertexte introduites dans les documents électroniques modifient totalement la circulation dans le corpus d'information. Ils introduisent l'interactivité et l'individualisation des parcours de recherche. Mais l'immatérialité du support entraîne aussi un manque de représentation du volume d'information accessible. Avec les nouveaux supports, la consultation d'informations s'accompagne de possibilités de récupération de cette information, pour en garder la mémoire, et pour la retravailler ultérieurement. Le lecteur devient donc également scripteur, il peut même participer au débat d'idées. Le développement des technologies de l'information ne fait que réaffirmer la présence de l'écrit dans notre société. L'école doit veiller à ce que ne s'instaure pas un nouveau type d'illettrisme en mettant en place des formations adaptées pour développer des compétences en lecture plurielles.

http:// www.ifla.org/IV/ifla64/008-131f.htm

Reading skills and electronic (In English)

The reading of electronic documents leads every trainer to ponder on the specific skills that are required for its achievement.

Reading to search information already requires the mastery of different codes, but reading on screen is difficult all the more, for it is disturbed by different items (buttons, directional information...) and the text must be read on a vertical level, not horizontally as it is usually done, thus modifying the reader's spatial representations.

In printed documents, the access to information is meant through intermediate tools, like index pages or tables of contents. The hypertextual functions available in electronic books deeply change the reader's progress in the information corpus. They introduce interactivity and individual course. But the immateriality of supports causes a deficiency in evaluating the volume of information or data which is available.

In new information supports, searching information is possible together with gathering, to keep memory of it somewhere, or to work upon it later on. The reader becomes thus a writer, and can even take place in the debate.

The development of information and communication technologies reaffirm the position of the written word in our society. And the educational systems must be aware of it to prevent pupils from a new kind of illettrism by proposing adequate training sessions to help pupils to develop plural reading skills.

http:// www.ifla.org/IV/ifla64/008-131e.htm

Children's paperless projects: inspiring research via the web

Dania Bilal and Jinx Stapelton Watson,
School of Information Sciences,
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
E-mail: dania@utk.edu
E-mail: jinx-watson@utk.edu

This paper reports preliminary results of a study that investigated a group of 7th grade science students' search strategies in using Yahooligans, a World Wide Web search engine and directory designed for children, and their subsequent success and failure in retrieving relevant documents for their paperless research projects. Results showed that children's success was affected by the type of questions they searched (i.e. factual vs. research).

Their success level in retrieving relevant documents for the assigned research question was zero percent, whereas it was thirty percent (30%) for the factual question. This study has implications for student training and for World Wide Web search engine design.

http:// www.ifla.org/IV/ifla64/009-131e.htm

Internet resources for reading promotion

Laurel Anne Clyde
Department of library and Information Science
Faculty of Social Science
University of Iceland
Reykjavik, Iceland

Despite pessimistic predictions about the future of books and reading in an era of information technology, there is no real evidence that the Internet is going to lead to "the death of the book" or even a decline in reading. The reality is that the use of new information and communications technologies requires sophisticated reading skills and has so far resulted in an increase in book and magazine publishing, at least in fields related to the new technology. In addition, the small amount of research that has been done suggests that young people who use the Internet are also likely to be readers. Further, the Internet provides access to many resources that can be used for reading promotion. These resources include World Wide Web sites/pages for teachers and teacher librarians and/or parents, and sites/pages aimed at young people. Web pages for reading promotion have been created by professional organizations, public libraries, publishers, among others.

http:// www.ifla.org/IV/ifla64/010-131e.htm

School librarians, teachers and students facing together the challenge of literacy in the information society: the case of the european project CHILIAS

Alexandra Papazoglou,
Hellenic American Educational Foundation

How can children's and school libraries help students become information literate and able to function in the multilingual and multicultural environment they will live and work in? Project Chilias, funded by the European Commission within the framework of the Telematics Applications Programme -Telematics for Libraries, 1994-1998, offers, through relevant research and development, a new model for libraries interested in becoming stimulating environments for innovative learning with the use of technologies. The project with partners from Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Portugal and Spain has developed a multimedia virtual library on the web with content on selected topics, a guest-book, story-builder and information skills components. The application and its impact in the case of a library and educational community are presented here in the context of three school libraries.

http:// www.ifla.org/IV/ifla64/011-131e.htm

Also very interesting were the two workshops of the Section.

The workshop on the draft of the School Libraries Manifesto attracted about a hundred delegates who greeted with great enthusiasm the new manifesto and greatly contributed to the final draft with useful and constructive comments. Abdelazis Abid from Unesco was also present and informed about the next steps (see next entry on the Manifesto).

In the workshop on "The role of the Principal in an Information Literate School Community: an international research panel" the speakers under the coordination of Lyn Hay (Australia), presented the research findings from the questionnaires distributed to a selected sample of principals and librarians in Finland, Canada, Australia, Scotland, South Korea, Japan and France. The speakers, who were also coordinators of the research project in their countries were: Dianne Oberg (Canada), James Henri (Australia), James Herring (Scotland), Yoon-ok Han (South Korea), Setuko Koga (Japan), Collette Charrier (France), Liisa Ninikangas (Finland).

Preliminary results show that the role of the librarian in each school heavily depends on the attitude of the principal and the status he/she attributes to the librarian.

A comparative analysis of the results will be prepared by Lyn Hay and Dianne Oberg.

From left to right (front row): James Herring, Yoon-ok Han, Liisa Ninikangas, Colette Charrier and her two colleagues from France; in the back: Dianne Oberg and Lyn Hay

The School Library Manifesto

Everyone will be delighted to hear that the Intergovernmental Council of the UNESCO General Information Programme, at its meeting in December 1998, approved the text of the School Library Manifesto. The text can be shared, and is reprinted here, but has still to be finally ratified at the UNESCO General Conference in December 1999. Gwynneth Evans, Director General, National and International Programs, National Library of Canada reported on the development of the School Library Manifesto at the IFLA workshop which took place at the Conference in Amsterdam on the 17th August 1998. This report was published in IFLA Journal 25 (1999) 1. Another workshop is being planned for the IFLA Conference in Bangkok, on Thursday 26th August. The focus will be the implementation and dissemination of the content of the manifesto around the world, not only within the school library community, but also, perhaps more importantly with education policy makers and practitioners at local and national level. Active participation from as many participants as possible will make this workshop a success and the outcomes effective.

The school library provides information and ideas that are fundamental to functioning successfully in today's information and knowledge-based society. The school library equips students with life-long learning skills and develops the imagination, enabling them to live as responsible citizens.

The Mission of the School Library

The school library offers learning services, books and resources that enable all members of the school community to become critical thinkers and effective users of information in all formats and media. School Libraries link to the wider library and information network in accord with the principles in the UNESCO Public Library Manifesto.

The library staff support the use of books and other information sources, ranging from the fictional to the documentary, from print to electronic, both on-site and remote. The materials complement and enrich textbooks, teaching materials and methodologies.

It has been demonstrated that, when librarians and teachers work together, students achieve higher levels of literacy, reading, learning, problem-solving and information and communication technology skills.

School library services must be provided equally to all members of the school community, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, nationality, language, professional or social status. Specific services and materials must be provided for those who are unable to use mainstream library services and materials.

Access to services and collections should be based on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Freedoms, and should not be subject to any form of ideological, political or religious censorship, or to commercial pressures.

Funding legislation and networks

The school library is essential to every long-term strategy for literacy, education, information provision and economic, social and cultural development. As the responsibility of local, regional and national authorities, it must be supported by specific legislation and policies. School Libraries must have adequate and sustained funding for trained staff, materials, technologies and facilities. They must be free of charge.

The school library is an essential partner in the local, regional and national library and information network.

Where the school library shares facilities and/or resources with another type of library, such as a public library, the unique aims of the school library must be acknowledged and maintained.

Goals of the school library

The school library is integral to the educational process.

The following are essential to the development of literacy, information literacy, teaching, learning and culture and are core school library services:

• supporting and enhancing educational goals as outlined in the school's mission and curriculum;
• developing and sustaining in children the habit and enjoyment of reading and learning, and the use of libraries throughout their lives;
• offering opportunities for experiences in creating and using information for knowledge, understanding, imagination and enjoyment;
• supporting all students in learning and practicing skills for evaluating and using information, regardless of form, format or medium, including sensitivity to the modes of communication within the community;
• providing access to local, regional, national and global resources and opportunities that expose learners to diverse ideas, experiences and opinions;
• organizing activities that encourage cultural and social awareness and sensitivity;
• working with students, teachers, administrators and parents to achieve the mission of the school; proclaiming the concept that intellectual freedom and access to information are essential to effective and responsible citizenship and participation in a democracy;
• promoting reading and the resources and services of the school library to the whole school community and beyond.

The school library fulfills these functions by developing policies and services, selecting and acquiring resources, providing physical and intellectual access to appropriate sources of information, providing instructional facilities, and employing trained staff.

Staff

The school librarian is the professionally qualified staff member responsible for planning and managing the school library, supported by as adequate staffing as possible, working together with all members of the school community, and liaising with the public library and others.

The role of school librarians will vary according to the budget and the curriculum and teaching methodology of the schools, within the national legal and financial framework. Within specific contexts, there are general areas of knowledge that are vital if school librarians are to develop and operate effective school library services: resource, library, and information management and teaching.

In an increasingly networked environment, school librarians must be competent in planning and teaching different information-handling skills to both teachers and students. Therefore they must continue their professional training and development.

Operation and Management

To ensure effective and accountable operations:

• the policy on school library services must be formulated to define goals, priorities and services in relation to the school's curriculum;
• the school library must be organized and maintained according to professional standards;
• services must be accessible to all members of the school community and operate within the context of the local community;

co-operation with teachers, senior school management, administrators, parents, other librarians and information professionals, and community groups must be encouraged.

Books for All

Dear reader,

books, books, books - in the countries of the northern hemisphere they are something one takes for granted. In many other countries they are nonetheless still a rarity.

Children and youth, however, are at home all over the world. In most of the developing countries they make up more than half of the population. Each and every one of them wishes to make progress, wishes to learn, wishes to read. But in order to do so, they need books!

Books mean education - and education makes progress possible.

In the process of intellectual development, schools and libraries play the central role. They are the breeding grounds for democracy and building blocks for a world at peace. Such considerations led to the founding of BOOKS FOR ALL.

This important project must continue to grow!

I therefore ask you to please send donations of any size (a receipt indicating a tax deductible contribution will be sent to you) or to help at the organizational level as much as your business and personal life allow.

Thank you very much!

For those interested please contact:
BOOKS FOR ALL
Brunhildenstr. 34
D-80639 München
Germany Tel: int.-49-89-17 23 83
Fax: int. -49-89-260 78 96

The Books for All project celebrated its 25th anniversary at the IFLA conference in Amsterdam.

New Secretary General Ross Shimmon

It is our great pleasure to welcome Ross Shimmon, the new Secretary General of IFLA since April 1999.

Ross Shimmon leaves the position of Chief Executive of The Library Association (United Kingdom), a position he has held since 1992.

Throughout his career Mr. Shimmon worked at a variety of levels in professional associations in the UK and in other countries.

He was also the founder/president of EBLIDA (European Bureau of Library, Information and Documentation Association 1991-1995).

Mr Shimmon is already well-known to IFLA and knowledgeable about IFLA, having attended most IFLA Conferences since 1987 and being a member of several committees (copyright, IFLA FAIRE committee, Round Table on the Management of Library Associations).

Christine Deschamps, President of IFLA, commenting on Mr. Shimmon's appointment said: "I am confident that as IFLA enters the new millennium, the qualifications possessed by Ross Shimmon are exactly those needed by the Federation: skilled negotiator and manger; resourcefulness; commitment to high professional standards; broad experience in a membership organization; and ability to work in the international environment".

Mr. Shimmon replaces Leo Voogt who after six strenuous years as the Secretary General of IFLA resigned his post as of January 1, 1999 and accepted an invitation to become the Executive Director of the Royal Association for the Book Trade in the Netherlands.

Leo Voogt had accepted his IFLA post in 1992 and under his management as best expressed by Ms Christine Deschamps, president of IFLA, "IFLA developed a different image as a stronger player globally, with a more international outlook based on an effective presence electronically".

His leadership will be greatly missed by all of us who knew him and worked with him.

News from IASL

Setting Directions for Now and for the Future
Blanche Woolls
President, International Association of School Librarianship

At the suggestion of a member of the IASL Board, a survey was sent to all members who are on IASL_LINK, our Internet list. The questions were designed to gather suggestions of the direction that IASL should take in the immediate and more distant future.

These questions are posed at IASL meetings of the Assembly of Associations and the Annual General Meeting. Responses are then taken to the Board for their review. The Internet survey held promise of getting responses from members who were unable to attend annual meetings. Since not all IASL members are on IASL_LINK, one of the survey questions was, "What suggestions do you have for finding out the needs and gathering comments from our colleagues who are not on IASL_LINK?" The response to this question was suggesting a paper and pencil survey in the Newsletter. This will be a part of the next IASL Newsletter and the responses from the Internet query will be combined with the answers from the Newsletter.

Some points learned include: Members join IASL to grow professionally, to network with school librarians around the world, and to get the journal and the newsletter. One person thought that IASL should work to have at least one member in every country in the world.

In selecting sites for conferences, some thought it would be best to hold meetings in countries where our presence would make a political statement about the importance of school libraries. This raises the question, could a country with little interest in school libraries have the support needed for a conference such as IASL even though it is not a large delegation. Another member wanted a world-wide survey of school libraries. Perhaps IASL and the School Library Section of IFLA could work together as they did for the Caldes Conference to make this a reality.

Learning from Our Past
Dianne Oberg
Editor, School Libraries Worldwide
IASL Liaison to IFLA Section of School Libraries and Resource Centers
Member of School Libraries and Resource Centers Standing Committee
doberg@ualberta.ca

The January 1999 issue of IASL's journal, School Libraries Worldwide, features three articles on the theme, Learning from Our Past. The four other articles in this issue focus on school libraries as tools for teaching and learning.

In "The Schole Lybrarie: Images from Our Past", Laurel A. Clyde shows that not only is there comprehensive published history of school libraries, but that school libraries are inadequately covered in the general histories of education and librarianship. Those writers who do discuss the history of school libraries tend to assume that they are a more recent phenomenon than they actually are; indeed, some assume they are a twentieth century development. This article discusses school libraries as they existed in four different times and places: in the educational foundations of medieval England; in the English grammar schools of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; in the schools of nineteenth century Britain; and in the nineteenth century common schools of the United States. These four 'snapshots' of school libraries in the past show that school libraries have existed in schools since at least the eighth century. These early school libraries would have been very different from school libraries today, just as schools now are very different from their predecessors of earlier centuries.

In "A Golden Age and a Stone Age of School Libraries in Lithuania", Vita Mozuraite describes two eras of school library work in Lithuania-the last two decades of Soviet times (1970-1990) and the first years of independence (1990-1997). Those two periods are very different but we can learn much from both of them. School libraries in the period of Soviet power could be described by the words communist ideology and censorship but in the minds of school librarians it seemed like a Golden Age. Since 1990, in some respects, a Stone Age came for school libraries-a time of poverty, of a lack of new books, and of a new kind of censorship.

In "Contending Voices: Intellectual Freedom in American Public School Libraries, 1827-1940", Rebecca P. Butler describes the history of the development of the concept of intellectual freedom in American public school libraries from 1827 to 1940.From the beginnings of American public school library history, voices have been raised around the issue of intellectual freedom. However, most growth in support of the concept of intellectual freedom in American public school libraries occurred in the 1920s and 1930s. Because the terms, intellectual freedom and censorship, were seldom used in this time period, the early history of these concepts must be inferred from an examination of individual and governmental actions during this time. Selection policies and procedures, book lists and purchasing guides, articles by librarians and other interested parties, and early school library standards were the primary sources of historical evidence.

Melvyn D Rainey, in "Primary School Libraries in Fiji: A Research Report", presents the findings of a survey of primary school libraries in Fiji that found that unsuitable facilities, lack of library training, and inadequate collections were making it very difficult for staff to provide adequate library services. The survey showed that the situation was worse in rural schools than in urban ones, and most respondents expressed the need for more material support and training.

Louise Limberg, in "Model School Libraries: Tools or Threats? Reflections on a Development Project in Sweden", analyses some experiences of a school library development project in the County of Orebro, Sweden. Each one of the project schools was to create a model library of its own, tailored to the needs of and wishes of that particular school. The main conclusions indicated that school libraries may be purposeful tools for teaching and learning, but they may also be experienced as threats by teachers who prefer traditional teaching. The complex process of information seeking and use for learning purposes raised serious questions with implications for both librarians and teachers. Teaching teams as well as the principal's conceptions of library functions interacted closely with progress in pedagogical change and input of resources. Public and school libraries found common strategic interests in the development of model school libraries.

Mieko Nagakura, in "Shirabe-Gakushu: A Japanese Trial of Resource-Based Teaching in Large Classes", introduces Shirabe-Gakushu, a Japanese version of information skills instruction through resource-based teaching, as an effective and economical teaching method to establish habits of free voluntary reading, independent study, and critical thinking among school children in large classes. The theory, planning methods, procedures, and actual practices are explained in detail. Also described in the paper is a successful case of Shirabe-Gakushu implemented as an as an experimental project at Sheishin Primary School in Sagaihara City, Japan.

Genevieve Hart, in "Information Literacy Education in Disadvantaged Schools: A Case Study of Project Work at a Primary School in South Africa", reports on an ethnographic field study of project work in a Grade Seven class within a disadvantaged primary school on the Cape Flats, Cape Town, South Africa. The purpose was to explore the potential use of project work (encouraged by the new South African school curriculum with its emphasis on continuous formative assessment) for information literacy education. The study found, however, crucial gaps between official policy and classroom practice. Teachers' conceptions of teaching and learning were found to be the key to effective project work--and therefore to its value for information literacy programmes.

Individual copies of journal issues (US$15/copy) and journal subscriptions (US$25/year) are available from the IASL Secretariat iasl@rockland.com

News… news… news…

A very important and interesting conference that took place in Poitiers France (16th and 17th December 1998) focused on the changes in the educational practice and how these can relate to the school library and resource center's role.

The conference, held under the auspices of:

• Sous-direction de la Formation (Ministry of national education, research and technology)
• The Academy of Poitiers
• Le Centre National de l'Enseignement à Distance (National centre of Distance Learning)

The conference included lectures, 3 round tables and 24 workshops.

The main topics of the conference were:

• Changes of the educational practice due to the introduction of the Information and Communication technologies at schools.
• Ways of use of these tecnologies at schools
• Impact of the introduction of the Information and Communication technologies in the school project and in the direction of the schools
• Evaluation of use
• New relationships and collaborations between the educators, librarians and the direction of the school.

For those interested in the proceedings please contact:
Colette Charrier-Ligonat
Presidente FADBEN

Place Beaulieu - BP 1368

16016 - Angouleme cedex
Tel., Fax.: 33 5 45 90 52 78
E-mail: c.charrier@wanadoo.fr

Chilias project: CHIldren in Libraries: Information - Animation - Skills
http://chilias.isegi.unl.pt/chilias_int/

Project Chilias the only EU Telematics for libraries project, (DGXIII), that involved a school library and addressed the issue of how the school library can incorporate the new technologies in its everyday practice (see abstract on page 4), held its final conference in Athens, Greece on the 24th and 25th of September.

The project Chilias was chosen as one of 10 finalists in the Culture and Media category of the Global Bangemann Challenge and will receive an award from the City of Stockholm on June 9, 1999. The Global Bangemann Challenge is an IT Award Program started in early 1997 that challenges cities in the whole world to show their finest information technology projects.

For those interested in the proceedings of the conference please contact:
Alexandra Papazoglou
Tel: +30-1-67 48 152
Fax: +30-1-67 73 274
E-mail: papaz@ns.haef.gr

Creation of a School Library in Cameroon

A school, a satelite of "Village d' Enfants SOS de Mbalmayo - Cameroun", created after a convention signed between the Republic of Cameroon and SOS KINDERDORF INTERNATIONAL is asking the assistance of our section for the acquisition of books in French for children aged 6-12.

Contact Person:
Monsieur N. Innocent
Ecole Primaire SOS Hermann Gmeiner
B.P. 86 Mbalmayo
Tel. 281274
Fax. 281271

Mr. Innocent says in his letter "Nos enfants sont des nécessiteux, car ils n'ont pas de souche familiale. Par la création d'une bibliothéque au sein de notre école, nous envisageons maximiser les possibilités d' accés de ces jeunes déshérités à la culture et à la culture et à l'autonomie."

Conferences

1999

July 12-15. Focus on youth. Children's and youth information and reading needs for the 21st Century. Department of Library and Information Science, UWC
Registration Fees: R 475-00
Closing date for registration: 31 May 1999
Day Registration: R 190-00
Contact person for further information:
Mrs. Sally Witbooi (Conference Secretary)
Tel: 959-5437/2137
Fax: 959-3659
E-Mail: switbooi@uwc.ac.za

October 25-29. 6th Interlending and Document Supply International Conference. Organised jointly by the University of South Africa, the State Library and the IFLA Office for International Lending
The Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza Hotel Pretoria, South Africa.
Secretariat: South African Organising Committee,
Barbara Kellermann, The State Library,
PO Box 397, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
Tel: +27 12 321 8931
Fax: +27 12 325 5984
E-mail: kellbc@statelib.pwv.gov.za

November 10-14. Ninth National Conference and Exhibition. American Association of School Librarians Co-sponsored with the International Association of School Librarianship.
Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center
Birmingham, Alabama
American Association of School Librarians
Ninth National Conference and Exhibition
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611-2795
Conference Hotline: 800-545-2433 ext. 4383
Conference FAXline: 312-664-7459
Christopher Lee, AASL meeting planner
E-mail: clee@ala.org

2000

6-8 April 2000. IB Libraries for the future. A conference for IB librarians. Sevenoaks School, Sevenoaks Kent, United Kingdom
An excellent opportunity for professional development and a chance to meet other IB librarians from Africa, Europe and Middle East. Information skills and literature will be the main subjects for the conference. A wide variety of issues concerning IB libraries and librarians work will be brought up in clinics during the conference.
IB (A/E/M) library / information committee
For further information please contact:

Judy Lenferna de la Motte

Head of Library
Sevenoaks School, Kent TN13 1HU
Tel: 01732 - 467720
Fax: 01732 - 461862

e-mail: jal@lib.soaks.kent.sch.uk

Sirkku Berg

Scandinavian School of Brussels,
Square d'Argenteuil, 5
1410 Waterloo, Belgium
or by fax 32-2-357 06 80

or by e-mail: Sirkku.Berg@ssb.be

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
Federation Internationale des Associations de Bibliotheques Internationaler Verband der bibliothekarischen Verine und Intitutinoen
Federacion Internacional de Asociaciones de Bibliotecarios y Bibliotecas

IFLA Headquarters

Chairperson
Glenys Willars

Secretary
Alexandra Papazoglou