School Libraries Worldwide

Current Call for Papers

School Libraries Worldwide is the official professional and research journal of the International Association of School Librarianship. It is published twice yearly, in January and July. Editor: Dianne Oberg, University of Alberta, Canada.

New Literacies, New Learners, and New Libraries
July 2008 (Volume 14, Number 2)
Theme Editors: Marlene Asselin and Ray Doiron

Effective teaching today must reflect expanding concepts of literacy that encompass the diverse backgrounds of today’s students and the new technologies of information and communication. Given the information-rich world in which “Millennials” live, work and play, how can school library programs and classroom reading programs work together to support traditional instructional goals such as a love of reading and learning the disciplines, and new literacy goals such as proficiency in accessing and evaluating Internet-based information? This themed issue introduces the “new” learners of this Net Generation; explores what literacy means in their global, networked lives, and suggests some practical strategies to help students not only become adept users of technology, but more importantly, ethically and socially responsible information users and knowledge creators.

Three questions form the framework for this themed issue:

1) Who are the learners of the Net Generation?
Evidence suggests that those young people born after 1985 have a distinctive personal identity and a multi-modal approach to learning that differ from their parents and teachers. Their skills in embracing new technologies and their multitasking, multi-modal learning abilities are combining with their global social consciousness and desire to work in socially networked contexts to create a unique challenge for schools and school libraries where traditional approaches to teaching/learning dominate.

2) What are the literacies these learners will need to achieve success in the information-rich, global world in which we live?
The one stable feature of literacy across time and place is that it is constantly evolving. What counted as literacy a generation ago has changed dramatically and will continue to change even faster as technology advances and new technologies emerge. Grounded in the pervasive role of critical literacy, we explore the multiple literacies which are influencing the teaching/learning environment created in school libraries.

3) How can school libraries respond to these ‘new’ learners and play a significant role in developing these ‘new’ literacies?
School libraries are in a period of significant transformation. New emphasis is being placed on our traditional roles in promoting and developing a love for reading; new technologies are forcing us to explore new ways of providing resources, connecting to the classroom curriculum and teaching information literacy; and our learners are expecting in-school literacy experiences to capitalize on the out-of-school literacies and experiences they are having. What then are some examples of how school libraries are meeting these new challenges?

Deadline for submission: January 1, 2008
Authors interested in contributing to this issue should contact Marlene Asselin or Ray Doiron

Contact Information: Submissions and suggestions for the journal should be sent to:
Dr. Dianne Oberg, Editor
School Libraries Worldwide
Department of Elementary Education
551 Education South, University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada T6G 2G5
Fax: 1 (780) 492-7622
E-mail: Dianne Oberg.

Guidelines for Contributors are available from the Editor. They are published in each issue of the journal and also available on the IASL website.

Last Updated 31 August 2007 (KSB)