September 18, 2013

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The League of Extraordinary Librarians: SLJ’s latest tech survey shows that media specialists are leading the way

The League of Extraordinary Librarians: SLJ’s latest tech survey shows that media specialists are leading the way

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.

SLJ Cover Sneak Peek: November 2012

SLJ Cover Sneak Peek: November 2012

Hot off the presses: School Library Journal’s cover. This month we’re featuring the findings from our recent technology survey.

SLJ Summit 2012: Full-Time School Librarians Boost Student Test Scores in Reading, Writing, Says PA Report

Upper Merion High School Librarian Sharon Nardelli assists ninth-graders with research.

Access to a full-time school librarian increases test scores, closes the achievement gap, and improves writing skills, according to a new study of Pennsylvania public schools announced at the start of SLJ’s Leadership Summit.

Study: U.K. Kids Reading Less, But Digital Formats Pick Up

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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.

Why Offer Black Storytime? | First Steps

African American woman and child reading a book

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!”

Teens 2012: Truth, Trends, and Myths About Teen Online Behavior

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Wondering if your perceptions of teen online behavior are correct? Have boys really started texting more? Does it seem like most 13 year olds are already engaged in online social networking? Get the answers to these questions and more from this terrific Slideshare summary of “Truth, Trends, and Myths About Teen Online Behavior,” the latest teen-focused study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, sponsored by the Pew Research Center.

Libraries Should Boost Gaming Collections to Attract More Kids, Study Says

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Libraries should consider beefing up their gaming collections as a way to keep kids and teens coming, says a new study examining patron use and preferences.

New info-infographics from EasyBib & Turnitin

Over the past couple of weeks, two companies released informative information literacy infographics.
1. EasyBib shared You are What You Write which revealed:

Students don’t always outline, they like citation management tools, and they tend to procrastinate when writing research projects.
Plagiarism is on the rise, according to an iParadigms/Turnitin study.
Of the ten most popular websites for student [...]

YA Books Rife With Profanity, Study Finds

Young adult novels are filled with foul-mouthed characters—and those who spew the most profanity are the best looking, richest, or most popular, says a recent study by Brigham Young University social sciences professor Sarah Coyne.

Print Books, Basic Ebooks may Top Enhanced Ebooks at Fostering Literacy, Says Study

While enhanced ebooks engage young children with their interactive elements, print or basic ebooks may be more effective for encouraging literacy.

On the Radar Teen: NSTA Selects Outstanding Science Trade Books for Teens

Temple Grandin

Every year, the National Science Teachers Association compiles a list of outstanding science books for kids in grades K to 12. Featuring fiction and nonfiction selections, this year’s topics range from the natural world to mathematics to engineering. And the latest selections, which support the Common Core guidelines, also include stories about oil, the hydrogen bomb, plant hunters, and an autistic scientist. Teen readers will be enlightened as they uncover the ever-broadening field of science and the opportunities that it offers them.

Tech Tidbits from the Guybrarian and His Gal: Shallow Research

EasyBib logo

In a recent Pew Internet study called How Teens Do Research the Digital World, AP and National Writing Project teachers said that one of educators’ top priorities should be to teach students how to “judge the quality of online information.” The study reports that 95 percent of our students do online research, but their research skills are only good or fair. Also, for many students, doing research means Googling. Many students see research as a fast-paced process in which they [...]