The report—the first in a Pew/Berkman series that’ll explore youth privacy issues—features information from interviews with focus groups that were conducted by Berkman’s Youth and Media team and a national phone survey of parents and their teens that examines the use of social networking sites.

The findings are based on a phone survey of 802 parents and their 802 teens ages 12 to 17, conducted between July 26 and September 30, 2012. Interviews were done in English and Spanish and on landline and cell phones. The research team also conducted 16 focus group interviews with roughly 120 students. The report is fully downloadable, and may also be searched online.

Meet the latest tech superheroes: school librarians. According to School Library Journal’s 2012 School Technology Survey, media specialists are leading the charge to bring new media, mobile devices, social apps, and web-based technologies into our nation’s classrooms.

So far, the results have been pretty impressive: 87 percent of school librarians report that they’re in charge of their library’s technology, with 60 percent adding that they’ve also introduced it into the classroom. Furthermore, 44 percent now serve on their school’s tech team, and in these budget-troubled times, when many library positions are on the line, that role may mean increased job security. In fact, 55 percent of the elementary, middle, and high school librarians that responded to our survey say that their tech skills have increased their value in administrators’ eyes.

What are many librarians’ biggest challenges? Not surprisingly, money and time—from the funds necessary to upgrade existing technology to the time needed to teach students how to use these tools. Case in point? Erica Braverman, a media specialist at Lindenwold School 5, an elementary school in New Jersey, says it’s tough to find time to make sure kids know how to use the latest technology competently. “Students need to learn how to use technology before they can effectively create with it,” writes Braverman. “It’s like learning to drive a car: if they don’t receive the proper instruction on how to drive, they will crash! We don’t want any Web-based crashes! But the time to teach students how to use the tools is limited, and classroom teachers have so much to teach as it is, it’s very challenging.”

Another trend we spotted? The number of schools creating one-to-one programs, in which each student is issued a tablet, a laptop, or some other digital device, has risen from 21 percent in 2011 to 27 percent in 2012. The use of tablets has especially soared, with 26 percent of librarians using them with students and teachers in 2012—more than double the 10 percent that reported using them in 2011. “We are in phase one of a one-to-one initiative putting netbooks in every student’s hands,” explains Laura Schachet, a media specialist at Webber Middle School in Fort Collins, CO. “They also make videos using flip cameras in a Web 2.0 class.”

Kids are also taking advantage of free Web-based resources, including Animoto, Google Docs, and Wordle; video equipment and software; digital subscriptions; and interactive whiteboards; plus photo equipment and software. And in the coming year, media specialists expect to see even more tablets, ereaders, apps, and ebooks on campus.

The use of ebooks, in particular, continues to climb, with 47 percent of media specialists saying they’re currently using them, up from 31 percent last year. Students are also reading digital books on a variety of devices—whether that’s the 63 percent who are perusing titles on library computers, the 17 percent who are reading on tablets, or the 21 percent who are fans of dedicated ereaders.

Mobile devices are also playing a larger role in learning, as 23 percent of schools are now allowing students to use their own devices in school—compared to a measly 13 percent in 2011. And in high schools, where students are more often encouraged to whip out their smartphones, the use of mobile devices has spiked from 29 percent of schools in 2011 to 49 percent today.

Nearly half of all schools have turned to social apps for classroom learning. The top app? Edmodo, a site that enables students and educators to network, share, and collaborate online. Launched in 2010, the platform is now used by 18 percent of school librarians to support teaching and student learning, followed by Google+, Delicious, and GoodReads. Where’s Facebook? Dead last, with a mere seven percent of respondents using the social network with their kids.

School librarians are also having an easier time gaining access to websites and apps. Sixty-nine percent have successfully negotiated with their administrators and school district to unblock YouTube, 66 percent have gotten the green light on blogging sites, and 30 percent managed to get Twitter unlocked. Only eight percent of media specialists report that their school’s filtering program “is severely restrictive.”

With purse strings still tight in most places, 78 percent of school librarians have opted for free apps—almost double the 42 percent who were using them in 2011. They are “the number-one tool used by librarians with students and teachers,” according to our survey, and an additional four percent of media specialists plan to incorporate tools such as Google Docs, Glogster, and Prezi into their lessons next year.

Not only do many media specialists find these apps budget-friendly, but also many, like Sabrena Wetzel, a librarian at Chicago’s Josephine Locke Elementary School, have noticed that their students have fun using them. “I used an online continent site to review where we wanted to send Flat Stanley, and…they had to figure out the continents,” writes Wetzel, who uses popular stories and technology to help her second graders learn about geography. “They really enjoyed it.”

And that may be the best outcome of all.

Upper Merion High School Librarian Sharon Nardelli assists ninth-graders with research. Photos by Stuart Goldenberg

Story update October 26, 10:11 AM.

Access to a full-time school librarian increases student test scores, closes the achievement gap, and improves writing skills, according to a new study of Pennsylvania public schools conducted by the Colorado-based RSL Research Group.

The results of the first comprehensive study of Pennsylvania school libraries in a decade was presented at an October 25 press conference, kicking off School Library Journal’s annual Leadership Summit.

Garnet Valley Elementary School Librarian Tracy Nelson reviews research techniques with a pair of 5th-grade students.

The research, focusing on students in grades 3 to 11, was also the first to examine student writing, according to a press release. Outcomes were analyzed in relation to five factors: staffing, collections, digital resources and technology infrastructure, library access, and funding.

Debra Kachel, Pennsylvania School Librarians Association Legislative Chairperson, advised librarians to take the necessary steps to further the cause, making themselves visible to administrators, the chamber of commerce, the teacher’s union, school board members, and the community at large. “It’s time to stop talking to ourselves,” she said, and instead “create champions” by reaching out to state legislators in the Senate and the House of Representatives. Dr. Mary Kay Biagini, who analyzed the data, reminded those present to utilize the language that principals will listen to: “Here’s empirical evidence that you can use. Every administrator is looking to raise those scores.”

In this struggle to get heard by school and government, persistence is key. When denied the opportunity to present the study’s finding and the project’s goals at a three separate associations of school administrators, school board and curriculum organizations, the group’s head researcher, Dr. Keith Currey Lance, suggested that PSLA be present at the event as an exhibitor, which gave them access to a large group of administrators.

Also at the press conference, Eileen Kern, PSLA’s current president, said that the state’s urban school districts are the most lacking in resources and staff. Out of the 458 school buildings in those cities, only 135 of them are equipped with a librarian. “It’s about equitable access. We have to answer to the students. They are our future and we can’t leave them behind.”

Unity within the profession and with parents and teachers was also an element emphasized by the partnership. Ludy Soderman, director of the Multilingual Family Support Office in the Philadelphia school district, stirringly stated, speaking to librarians: “You are too polite. This is too urgent. The numbers will continue to decline and the kids will continue to fall through the cracks. Time to get into the streets. We need parents’ involvement. Let’s not wait months to dialogue. We have to raise our voice together.”

Sandra Selzno from the Education Law Center, concluded the briefing with a startling observation: In the state of Pennsylvania, “access to libraries is mandated in private schools and prisons—but not in our public schools.”

The findings were part of a year-long project led by the Education Law Center, the Health Sciences Library Consortium, and the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association. The collaboration was established when dire budget cuts made to Pennsylvania’s school funding in 2007 spurred several organizations to form a coalition that addressed the issue. At the briefing, Selzno encouraged school media specialists to seek out and create non-traditional partnerships.

Hempfield School District Library Department Supervisor Cathi Furman assists a pair of Hempfield High School seniors with a writing assignment.

Some key points from the study:

“Students who have access to a full-time, certified librarian scored higher on the PSSA Reading Test than those students who do not have such access. This finding is true for all students, regardless of their socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and/or disability status.”

“For several student groups that tend to experience achievement gaps—economically disadvantaged, Hispanic, Black, and those with IEPs (Individualized Education Programs)—Reading and Writing results are markedly better when those students attend a school with a librarian and library support staff, according to the research. In fact, they benefit more proportionally than the general student population.”

“Nearly twice as many high school students who have access to a full-time, certified librarian scored Advanced on the PSSA Writing test as those students without access to a full-time, certified librarian, according to the report.”

“Considering all students, those students with access to a full-time, certified librarian are almost three times as likely to have “Advanced” scores on the PSSA Writing Test as those students without access to a full-time, certified librarian.”

More information can be found at the project website.

Although kids today say they enjoy reading just as much as their peers did in 2005, they’re actually reading far less each day because they’re busy doing other things, says a new study by the National Literacy Trust, a UK-based literacy charity.

The report found that in 2005, four young people in 10 read daily outside of class, but at the end of 2011, only three young people in 10 enjoyed leisure reading. However, the number of children and young people who enjoy reading “very much” or “quite a lot” has remained static since 2005, with 50 percent today versus 51 percent in 2005.

“Young people’s lives are busier than ever before, with many activities and interest vying for their time,” says Christina Clark, author of “Children’s and Young People’s Reading Today” by email.

Just 57 percent of students picked up magazines in 2011, down from 77 percent in 2005. Comic reading also slid from 64 percent in 2005 to 50 percent in 2011. More than half (54 percent) of the 21,000 eight to 16-year-olds surveyed at the end of 2011 say they prefer watching TV to reading, and 17 percent said they would be embarrassed if their friends saw them reading.

However, the study found that when students read outside of class time—a growing number pick up more digital formats, with 7.8 percent of students reading ebooks in 2011, compared to 5.6 percent in 2010. Blogs, too, were up from 16.1 percent in 2010 to 17.5 percent in 2011, and social networking sites edged up slightly from 48.8 percent in 2010 to 49.9 percent in 2011.

Teens and adults in the U.S. also are turning online to read—with 42 percent of readers 16 and older flipping through ebooks, 29 percent reading on their phones, and 23 percent reading on tablet computers, according to a Pew Research Center study, “The rise of e-reading,” released in April.

While both studies didn’t specifically cover libraries or librarians, Jack Martin, president of the Young Adult Library Services Association and director of the New York Public Library’s Public Programs/Lifelong Learning division, says librarians can use their findings to ask themselves how they define reading —and if they discount ways in which kids engage with text. Reading websites and online manga are as legitimate as reading school books, Martin says.

“We need to help kids get over the stigma of not recognizing themselves as readers,” adds Martin. “Because they are readers—online and on their phone, and we have to recognize that and empower them to read more.”

In fact, children’s enjoyment of reading increased slightly from 2010 to 2011, with 68.1 percent of students aged eight to 11-years-old reporting that they found reading pleasurable in 2010, compared to 73 percent in 2011. And yet, less than half of older kids found reading fun, compared to young children, a finding that the report’s researchers called “truly staggering.”

Just 34.4 percent of children ages 14 to 16 reported that they “enjoy reading very much or quite a lot in 2010,” compared to the 73 percent of young students ages 8 to 11-years-old who answered the same.

School and public librarians who work with young kids may need to rethink what they define as reading and remind themselves that anytime they engaging with text—whether that’s on a gaming site or with Moby Dick—reading is happening.

“If kids are actually told they’re reading online, they might actually pick up that novel parents and teachers have been trying to get them to read,” says Martin. “It’s a matter of parents and educators to figure out what means, and they define it.”

Photo courtesy of Jupiterimages

Imagine that while interviewing for a library job you’re asked, “What would storytime specifically for African-American families look like to you?” That’s what happened to Kirby McCurtis. “I thought it was an especially interesting and challenging question,” says Kirby, who aced the interview and is now Multnomah County Library’s (MCL) newest African-American librarian. “It stayed with me even after the second interview. Now that I am working here, I have the opportunity to answer it every Saturday. It’s very exciting!”

A couple of years ago, our library received an LSTA grant to explore strategies to attract and better serve African-American families. Naturally, we relied on the local black community to lead the way. Focus groups with parents and interviews with key leaders revealed a desire for more books and services that would highlight the richness of African-American culture and experiences. One specific recommendation was to develop and promote an explicitly black-culture-focused storytime to help families feel welcome at the library.

At first, the idea of offering a storytime specifically for African-American children seemed regressive. But why? We know that every child needs to feel that his culture is respected and valued. In fact, 15 years ago, when the National Association for the Education of Young Children revised its guidelines for effective teaching and learning practices, it included a child’s cultural identity in the mix. We also hoped that offering a black storytime would foster children’s knowledge and pride in their cultural identity and demonstrate that MCL holds African-American culture in high regard.

Black storytime is a natural extension of some of the tailored storytimes we already offer in English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, and Chinese. Kirby agrees: “I view this storytime no differently than a non-English language storytime. I know ‘black’ is not a language, but the African Diaspora is too vast to have just one language, so instead, we are being all inclusive by organizing the storytime around the black experience in America. And, of course, black storytimes are open to all.”

Kirby is a recent transplant to Portland, OR, so she was unsure what kind of reception the new storytime would receive. “The reactions have been mixed,” she says, “but the biggest surprises for me were the questions from MCL staff: “Why have a storytime just for African-American kids? And, why is it called black storytime?” This surprises me because we are all in the business of literacy, and the difference in literacy rates between black and white youth in America is no secret. How can an effort to improve and support black children’s literacy be viewed as a bad thing?

The name “black storytime” troubled a few patrons, too. “We bounced around a few different names but they were unnecessarily complex and confusing,” explains Kirby. “Calling it ‘black storytime’ is simple and straightforward. It speaks to the people we want to bring into the library, and it is inclusive to all people who are black, not just African Americans.”

How’s the new program doing? It’s “off to a rousing start,” shares Kirby. “We have consistent attendance of 18 to 20 kids each week, including nonblack families, and all seem to be having a great time, no matter what race they are. I am very deliberate about the book selection, introducing families to stories that appeal and speak to the black experience. If kids see characters that look like themselves, I hope they will be more encouraged to read and explore books with the adults in their lives.” Kirby focuses on other aspects of African-American culture too, such as its music, strong oral tradition, and the respect shown to elders.

“At the end of each storytime, parents thank me for the great program,” she says. “I want them to see the library as a community space and resource, so I take a few minutes to ask what else they would like to see at the library. Black storytime is just our launch pad for other programming and services to the black community at MCL.” Kirby concludes, “I feel hopeful about our efforts to reach the black community, because I’ve seen already that the kids are excited to come to the library on Saturdays!”

Along the way you’ll discover why it’s practically useless to use email when communicating with teens,  and—great news!—“two thirds of online teens age 17 (67%) say they decided not to post something online because they thought it may reflect badly on them in the future.” Perhaps we’re finally getting through to them about being good digital citizens…

“Clearly, if libraries are serious about attracting younger patrons, games are a medium to be embraced strategically,” says “Patron Profiles: Media Consumption and Library Use,” the final installment of a four-part national study by our sister publication, Library Journal. “If libraries are going to remain relevant in the world of rich media content, they must offer a wide range of digital content products.”

Although the survey’s 2,020 respondents were 18-years-old and above, a section of the report focusing on patron use of video games offers some interesting insight into the behavior and preferences of library users that can help librarians improve or plan their programming.

“Digital games get a lot of attention in Libraryland, especially when it comes to teen programming,” the report goes on to say, but among households with children, only 54 percent were aware that libraries lend them. Of those families, 20 percent indicated a strong desire that libraries offer digital games, while 33 percent had a moderate desire. Of all those surveyed, 65.7 percent said they didn’t know their library lent games.

With only 15 percent of respondents saying they were aware that libraries offered video games, it’s not surprising they ranked dead last on the list of places to obtain them, with only 6 percent of gamers saying they turn to the library as a primary resource. Retailers such as Target and Walmart led the pack, followed by gaming stores, online purchases, and getting them from family and friends. Downloading gaming apps and buying them on eBay even ranked higher than the library as top sources.

But the demand is there. Respondents between the ages of 31-40 were most interested in borrowing children’s games from the library, with 43.8 percent of them saying they would. Meanwhile, an almost equal amount of patrons under age 31 (23.2 percent) and those between ages 41-50 (23.8 percent) say they’re interested in borrowing children’s games.

When it came to games for teens, 27.7 percent of all respondents between the ages of 31-40; 30.5 percent of those 31 years old and under; and 19.9 percent of those between the ages of 41-50 say they’d be interested in checking them out. There was less interest in educational games, with 28 percent of those between 31-40, 23 percent of those between 41-50, and 16.5 percent of those 31 and under saying they would check them out. And, the report says, younger age groups outpace the average by a “significant percentage” when checking out games.

Overall, only about one-third of survey respondents knew libraries loaned video games, which can be explained by the fact that the mean age of those surveyed was about 54, generally a bit older than families with gaming tweens and teens.

If librarians want to compete with other sources and stay relevant, they must understand the demographics of their patrons and monitor any changes in borrowing activity, especially across various media, the report concludes.

“If you aren’t doing so already, offering or programming gaming for families, kids, and teens can entice younger patrons or parents with children,” the report says. “Consider the social aspects of this activity, and enhance the library as a place that creates community in all formats.”

The report goes on to say that young families may be particularly interested in educational apps and games. “Display the library’s curation mastery by developing lists to go home with or offering iPads or tablets preloaded with good apps for a variety of age levels,” the report explains.

“This issue of Patron Profiles is rich with insight into how patrons currently tap media in their libraries,” said Rebecca T. Miller, series editor and SLJ editor-in-chief. “It also points to sleeping opportunity and confronting challenges for libraries as the culture embraces more diverse media and as formats shift.”

Also, the report recommends that librarians include media creation—such as videos taken on Flip cameras—into their programming, especially for teens. “Load the results on to YouTube, and share them on your website and via social networks. Tweet out the links!” the report says.

Although patrons of all ages borrow CDs, younger ones don’t want to wait for them. “This might be an opportunity to offer buy-it-now options for this demographic—especially in the age of the decline in bookstores and other brick and-mortar media outlets,” the report adds. “This may also point to younger patrons’ familiarity with free or affordable streaming services,” such as Pandora and Spotify.

“Patron Profiles: Media Consumption and Library Use” is the fourth installment of volume one in an ongoing research project. Read Library Journal’s full coverage of the report.

The report analyzed the prevalence of cursing in 40 YA books that appeared on The New York Times Best Sellers List for Children’s Books on two separate weeks in 2008. Coyne found that most books, or 88 percent, had at least one incident of offensive language, and on average, teen novels contained 38 instances of cursing, which translated to almost seven instances of profanity per hour spent reading. In fact, bestselling YA novels contain twice the rate of cursing of most video games, the report adds.

The “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” series have fairly tame language, compared to Sara Shepard’s Pretty Little Liars (HarperTeen), which has an above-average amount of profanity, with 80 curse words in the 298-page book. A few, like Jeanne Birdsall’s The Penderwicks on Gardam Street (Knopf, 2008), contained none, while Cecily von Ziegesar‘s Gossip Girls, The Carlyles #1 (Little, Brown, 2008) serves up 175 instances of swearing. The YA book with the most profanity? Nic Sheff’s Tweak: Growing up on Methamphetamine (Athenaeum, 2008), a disturbing memoir about the author’s personal struggle with drugs and alcohol.

Coyne was most concerned that characters with the most offensive potty mouths were often portrayed in a superior light. “We tend to imitate behavior done by characters with desirable characteristics,” Coyne said in an interview. “The characters that swore were rich, popular, and beautiful.”

Coyne decided to conduct the study, “A Helluva Read’: Profanity in Adolescent Literature,” because of the abundant research on video game and movie content but not on her favorite form of media—books.

While there’s no denying that profanity exists in YA novels, many authors says it’s an integral part today’s teen culture and to exclude it would offer young readers a sanitized version of the real world that many couldn’t relate to.

“It’s the way kids talk,” says Beth Ann Bauman, the author of two YA coming-of-age novels, Jersey Angel (2012) and Rosie and Skate (2009, both Random), whose characters use some swear words.

“What I did include, I needed to accurately reflect the characters,” says Bauman, who adds that critics of using curse words in teen books makes her “cranky” because “if you’re trying to get kids to read, the reason it’s there is it’s actually the way kids are. You have to reflect kids’ world in the truest way you can.”

A Mormon and mother of three children between the ages of one and seven, Coyne acknowledges that “kids definitely swear” and says an author has the prerogative to include curse words “if she wants.” Mormons are advised against using profanity and try to avoid movies, music, and reading material that contain swearing.

While Coyne doesn’t advocate rating books aimed at teens, she does favor a “content warning” so parents can feel empowered by knowing what’s in the novel. Coyne denies that these type of warnings are a form of censorship and contends that parents today are left adrift when it comes to assessing appropriate books for their older kids.

Others disagree, like Beth Yoke, executive director of the Young Adult Library Services Association, who explains that these warnings pose a danger to first amendment rights. Coyne’s suggestion that book have labels, like video games and movies, is a “short-sighted approach to connecting young people and books, and is always a cause for concern among the many individuals and organizations that value and defend first amendment rights,” Yoke says.

It’s not just profanity in YA books that’s stirring up controversy. Blogger Kate Hart recently conducted her own informal survey of 624 teen book covers and found that 90 percent feature a white character, while only 1.2 percent features African Americans.

As for the role of librarians to guide adolescents to the appropriate book content, Coyne says she’s more concerned about bookstores. “I trust my school librarian,” says Coyne, who adds there’s a lack of information being offered at bookstores “when it comes to teen books and cursing.”

Yoke wonders whether librarians need to get the word out that they play a very important advisory role. “Everyone needs to know that librarians are there to help find the right book for the right teen, and they won’t know unless we tell them.”

While enhanced ebooks engage young children with their interactive elements, print or basic ebooks may be more effective for encouraging literacy, according to a new study by the Joan Ganz Cooney Center.

The findings, released May 29, are from a “QuickReport” on the experience of 32 pairs of parents reading a print book and ebook on an iPad together with their children, ages 3 to 6. Small sampling notwithstanding, the results do support earlier studies that establish distinct differences in the print and digital experience, particularly with enhanced ebooks. And further investigation is indicated, according to the report.

Noted in the QuickStudy:

• Children who read enhanced ebooks recalled significantly fewer details than subjects who read the same story in print. The features of the enhanced ebook may divert the attention of both parents and children from the narrative, which may have affected the kids’ ability to recall the story, concluded researchers.
• Reading a print or basic ebook with their parents prompted similar content-related actions by children—including labeling, pointing, and verbal elaboration of the story—which can support language development. On the other hand, the enhanced ebook drew activity—e.g. “device-focused talk”—unrelated to the book’s content.

So what’s a parent or teacher to do? Opt for print or basic ebooks to build literacy, recommends the QuickStudy researchers. But it’s hard to beat the sheer appeal of enhanced works, notes the report, which can go far in encouraging the very young, especially those reluctant to engage books at all.

Photograph by sean dreilinger

HOOSE, Phillip. Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95. Farrar, 2012. ISBN 9780374304683. JLG Level: NM : Nonfiction Middle & HS (Grades 7-11)

Flying over 325,000 miles, Moonbird could have flown to the moon and halfway back in his (at least) 20 years of life. Scientists banded this red knot shorebird in 1995. Joining a flock from Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, this red knot travels more than 9,000 miles to the Arctic to breed and then flies back―18,000 miles each year. These birds can fly for days without food or water. Scientists are fascinated by their strength and determination as their food supply and natural habitats continue to be threatened. The red knot population has declined by 80 percent.

Hoose’s well-researched account of these birds and their amazing story is documented with pictures, interviews, and maps. The narrative style complements the facts and makes it more accessible to readers.

MARRIN, Albert. Black Gold: The Story of Oil in Our Lives.  Knopf, 2012. ISBN 9780375966736. JLG Level: NM : Nonfiction Middle & HS (Grades 7-11)

Using a narrative voice, Marrin gives a history of coal and oil, before examining how oil affects our everyday lives. Readers will be able to digest facts and figures, while learning about the wars and struggles over the discovery and uses of oil. Many facts are punctuated with graphs, charts, and reproductions. Broaching subjects such as terrorism and the environment, readers will have much to discuss as the depletion of these resources continues.

An index, notes, and a glossary accompany the text.

MONTGOMERY, Sy. Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World.  Houghton, 2012. ISBN 9780547443157. JLG Level: NM : Nonfiction Middle & HS (Grades 7-11)

In 1950 Temple Grandin was diagnosed with autism. A fiercely protective mother sought out teachers and doctors for her daughter, providing her with an education that would eventually help Grandin become one of the world’s leading authorities on animal care. She developed equipment and facilities for the humane treatment of animals raised for food, which significantly improved the cattle industry. Using photographs and Grandin’s own words, Montgomery’s biography is the story of a powerful woman who overcame enormous obstacles.

Readers will connect with Grandin in the stories of her childhood, regardless of her handicap. Graphic descriptions of the slaughterhouses are grim, but assist in emphasizing the gravity of the situation and allow the reader to appreciate the impact made by one woman who made a difference.

SHEINKIN, Steve. Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon.  Roaring Brook, 2012. ISBN 9781596434875. JLG Level: HH : History – High School (Grades 10 & up)

Books on war, especially WWII, are big hits with boys― from as early as grade four. This upper-level nonfiction book is just the ticket to replace some of those musty, basement-smelling books you have on your shelves. Not your boring textbook information (which is ironic, considering the author used to write textbooks), Bomb begins with Harry Gold’s admission to the FBI that he was a spy. In addition to being a gripping spy story, Sheinkin concludes the text with quotes, letters, and photographs of the period—and a powerful statement: “It’s a story with no end in sight. And, like it or not, you’re in it.”

SILVEY, Anita. The Plant Hunters: True Stories of Their Daring Adventures to the Far Corners of the Earth.  Farrar, 2012. ISBN 9780374309084. JLG Level: NM : Nonfiction Middle & HS (Grades 7-11)

When you think of the great explorers, you might think of sailing ships, frigid Arctic temperatures, or massive mountains. Silvey’s narrative tells the story of naturalists who faced hostile natives, dangerous animals, and unwelcoming environments―all for the love of science. Identifying new plants, finding cures for diseases, and the thrill of the hunt drive these scientists into situations that may even put their lives at risk. Though these stories are also entertaining, there are plenty of facts for research and inspiration by scientists who work in the field.

Filled with botanical illustrations, readers will pour over the accounts of rubber trees in Brazil and be amazed at the diversity in the plant world. Add vampire bats, piranhas, and tigers, and you have a real winner. An extensive bibliography provides a wealth of leads for interested researchers.

For these and other fabulous science books, search Junior Library Guild.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

In his article “Curiosity Killed,” Neal Taparia, co-founder of citation creator EasyBib, says that the most-cited source on his site is Wikipedia and “five other top 20 sources [that] are also user-generated websites, including Wiki Answers and Yahoo Voices.” Taparia believes that students’ reliance on Google and Wikipedia “means two things: 1. Students are not questioning the authority of what they find on the Internet. They take information at face value. 2. Student research is incredibly shallow.” Students tend to click on the first two or three hits and don’t question the reliability or authority of the information they find.

Many of our teachers are like those described in the Pew survey. They find themselves spending most of their time persuading students to search beyond Wikipedia, YouTube, and Answers.com to find valid, reliable information. This is a great incentive for teachers to schedule a session with their teacher librarian before they make their next research paper assignment!

And all teachers, regardless of their subject areas, need to stop telling students they don’t have to cite information from other sources. We need to hold kids accountable for where they access information, and teach them the importance of evaluating the quality of their sources. That’ll encourage them to use information from a reliable source—rather than just cutting and pasting from Google and calling it research.

If the research process makes teachers nervous, librarians can and should play a vital role in teaching their students how to navigate sources. Librarians can show students how to patiently and persistently search for valid, reliable, and difficult-to-find online sources. Librarians can work with teachers as they teach students how to think critically and question information to obtain a deeper level of understanding. Librarians can also assist students in compiling their works-cited or reference pages. Librarians can even teach them how to avoid plagiarism!