Home > Publications > IASL: School Libraries Worldwide - January 1997

Volume 3, Number 1, January 1997

Theme: Technology: Potentials and Pitfalls

Editorial: Common Issues, Common Problems
Dianne Oberg

Information Technology in Iceland's Elementary School Libraries: A State-of-the-Art Survey
Laurel A. Clyde
This study of information technology in Iceland's elementary school libraries was conducted as part of a 1995-1996 study of information technologies in libraries of the Nordic countries. It was based on a telephone survey of schools in three administrative regions of Iceland and on existing data. Teachers and students in Iceland have a high level of access to computers and to the national education network, ISMENNT. However, the use in elementary schools of automated library systems, CD-ROMs, online information systems, and the Internet has been slowed by factors related to the country's unique language and culture, the small population base, the lack of trained library staff, and the reported unwillingness of teachers to use new technologies.

Implementing Information Technology in Malaysian Schools: Issues and Problems
Siowck-Lee Gan
In the last decade, Malaysia has experienced a period of rapid economic growth accompanied by parallel developments in the information technology industries. In line with the national aspiration of transforming itself into a developed country by the year 2020, much effort in education has been focused on making the nation IT-literate, beginning with the schoolchildren. Since 1986, numerous IT pilot projects have been initiated in Malaysian schools. This article describes these various projects and discusses the related issues and problems, as well as their implications for successful IT implementation in the near future.

Information Technology Literacy in Schools: Let's Look After the Teachers
James Henri
If schools are to become information technology-literate communities, the needs of teachers must be addressed as a priority. It is not sufficient to leave this to chance; a planned approach to professional development is essential. Innovation in schools flows from the enthusiasm of teachers. To the extent that teachers are not enthusiastic about information technology (IT), innovation in its application to teaching and learning will not occur. The IT competencies that teachers need and the ways in which they are being addressed need to be considered.

Surviving Information Overload: Lessons from the Reading Reluctance Research
John Royce
The amount of information available has greatly increased in recent years. Research into reading reluctance, which shows that many would-be readers are overwhelmed by the sheer size of a library, is useful as a springboard for strategies for dealing with information overload, a problem when the information seeker is overwhelmed by the amount of information available. Suggestions are made as to how less able information users can be helped to develop skills and techniques that might enable them to survive and thrive in the information age.

Teacher and Librarian Partnering to Integrate Computer Technology in the Classroom
Susan E. Gibson
This article examines the role of computer technology in developing information literacy skills in elementary and secondary classrooms. Four essential stages of the research process are highlighted, including choosing a topic, accessing information, thinking critically about information, and presenting research findings. For each of these stages, the opportunities afforded through the use of computer technology are explored, as are some concerns arising from computer use. Suggestions for increasing the benefits of computer technology for both teachers and librarians are provided. By planning together and supporting each other, teachers and librarians can more effectively assist students to use computer technology beneficially for enhancing the research process and learning important information literacy skills.

Teacher-Librarians Claiming their Territory in Cyberspace: The 1996 ITEC Virtual Conference
James Henri, Lyn Hay, and Sandra Hughes
The first international Virtual Conference (VC) for teacher-librarians was held during June 1996 as part of the Schooling and the Information Highway Conference organized by the Information Technology Education Connection (ITEC). Twelve topic strands were included in the VC but the strand entitled The Internet and the Teacher-Librarian's Role in the School: Possible, Probable and Preferred Futures was dominant in the conference dialogue. The conference worked well as a professional forum and opportunity for professional development. Changes in the timing and timelines for the 1997 VC are suggested.

Library Services to Youth in Some Latin American Countries
Consuelo Figueras
The school librarianship movement began in Latin America during the 1960s, as great efforts were made by governments to improve human resources through education. However, only Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela have developed a school library system at the national level. In the other countries, school libraries are still being developed mainly by local efforts. Public libraries are the main institutions offering library services to children in most Latin American countries.

Last Updated 17 March 2003 (LAC)