School Library Research opens volume 18 with three new studies

CHICAGO — Three new research articles are now available in volume 18 of the American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) peer-reviewed online journal, School Library Research. The three research articles examine the motivation to seek out information, science-focused collaboration between pre-service school librarians and pre-service elementary teachers and school library advocacy efforts. Articles can be found on the AASL website at www.ala.org/aasl/slr.

In “The Information-Seeking Behavior of Intrinsically Motivated Elementary School Children of a Collectivist Culture,” Sherry R. Crow, addresses the research question: “What are the experiences in the lives of upper elementary-aged Ugandan children that foster an intrinsic motivation to seek information?” Crow connects the research to a previous study by addressing the secondary question: “How do the experiences of students from a collectivist culture (Kampala, Uganda) who are intrinsically motivated to seek information compare and contrast with the experiences of similarly aged students from an individualistic culture (Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.)?”

In “Preparing Pre-Service School Librarians for Science-Focused Collaboration with Pre-Service Elementary Teachers: The Design and Impact of a Cross-Class Assignment,” the research team of Casey H. Rawson, Janice Anderson and Sandra Hughes-Hassell examines the impact of collaboratively designed instruction on school library students’ understanding of collaboration between teachers and school librarians. Using a science-focused collaboration, the team investigates the features of the assignment that either facilitated or hindered progress toward improved understanding.

Ann Dutton Ewbank shares the results of a modified case study in “Union-Active School Librarians and School Library Advocacy: A Modified Case Study of the British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association and the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation.” The case study examines how the members of the British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association (BCTLA), a Provincial Specialist Association (PSA) of the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF), work together to advocate for strong school library programs headed by a credentialed school librarian.

School Library Research (ISSN: 2165-1019) is the successor to School Library Media Research (ISSN: 1523-4320) and School Library Media Quarterly Online. The journal is peer-reviewed, indexed by H. W. Wilson's Library Literature and by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Information & Technology. The purpose of School Library Research is to promote and publish high quality original research concerning the management, implementation and evaluation of school library programs.

The American Association of School Librarians, www.aasl.org, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), empowers leaders to transform teaching and learning.