AASL’s School Library Research examines social media policies and librarian staffing

CHICAGO – Two new research articles covering the topics of public school district social media policies and the correlation between librarian staffing levels and student learning are now available online as part of the American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) peer-reviewed online journal, School Library Research (SLR).

"School Library Research offers two new research studies that highlight the pivotal role that school librarians play in providing physical and intellectual access to learning for K-12 students," said Mega Subramaniam, SLR co-editor. "One study examines the perception and responses of high-school librarians to district policies that dictate the appropriate use of social media tools by their students. The second study examines the impact of professional librarian staffing on the acquisition of research skills among elementary students. SLR aims to disseminate original research to expand our professional knowledge and improve our practice.”

In “Access Denied: School Librarians’ Responses to School District Policies on the Use of Social Media Tools,” researchers Jeffrey DiScala and Ann Carlson Weeks explore high school librarians’ views on district policies that limit the use of social media tools. Through a district case study, DiScala and Weeks determined that the way the school district presented its policies could affect how school librarians perceived and applied them.

The influence of school librarians’ staffing levels on student learning of research skills is examined by Karla Steege Krueger and Jean Donham in their article, “Professional Staffing Levels and Fourth-Grade Student Research in Rural Schools with High-Poverty Levels.” To determine evidence of students’ critical literacy, ethical use of information, content learning and understanding of the inquiry process, Krueger and Donham analyzed 24 student work samples from eight Iowa rural schools.

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 and continues to welcome manuscripts that focus on 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), promotes the improvement and extension of library services in elementary and secondary schools as a means of strengthening the total education program. Its mission is to advocate excellence, facilitate change and develop leaders in the school library field.