ABSTRACT

Since the early 20th century, public school library media centers in the United States have housed non-print educational materials. Since the middle of that century, K—12 library media specialists have designed learning experiences integrating these materials into classroom practice. For today’s library media specialist, technology (both as materials and as process) is essential. Current American standards highlight instructional leadership, collaboration with teachers, and technology as the three integrating issues essential to the library media program (AASL and AECT, 1998). Much early research focused on developing and explaining the multifaceted role of the library media specialist. Until the 1990s, few studies looked at the relationship of K—12 library media programs to student learning. Since then, about two dozen studies have investigated that link. The political focus of much of this work is undeniable; concerns about the absence of library media from key national legislation related to American schooling have led to research designed to establish links between library media programs and student achievement. Similar pressures in the United Kingdom and Australia have led to comparable efforts there. Quantitative and qualitative approaches have been used to (1) demonstrate widespread correlations between high-quality library media programs and student learning, and (2) identify specific contributions of such programs. Various recent initiatives suggest an expansion of K—12 school library media research and a wider dissemination of its findings.