Serving Special Needs Students in the School Library Media Center - (Libraries Unlimited Professional Guides in School Librarians) Annotated

About the Book

School library media specialists are now considered part of the teaching staff and are charged with integrating their library and information skills curriculum with the more general classroom curriculum. At the same time more and more special needs students are part of every school and every classroom. Thus, the media specialist must work effectively with special needs students on a regular basis to develop their information skills, and must also serve as a resource to classroom teachers.

This professional reference offers practical information to school library media specialists on how to serve special needs students and their classroom teachers effectively. The first part of the book highlights the teaching role of the media specialist and discusses how and what to teach special needs students. The second part views the media specialist as an information expert who must structure the library and its resources for students with special needs. The third section treats the media specialist's role as a professional who must collaborate with other teachers.

Book Synopsis

School library media specialists are now considered part of the teaching staff and are charged with integrating their library and information skills curriculum with the more general classroom curriculum. At the same time more and more special needs students are part of every school and every classroom. Thus, the media specialist must work effectively with special needs students on a regular basis to develop their information skills, and must also serve as a resource to classroom teachers.

This professional reference offers practical information to school library media specialists on how to serve special needs students and their classroom teachers effectively. The first part of the book highlights the teaching role of the media specialist and discusses how and what to teach special needs students. The second part views the media specialist as an information expert who must structure the library and its resources for students with special needs. The third section treats the media specialist's role as a professional who must collaborate with other teachers.

Review Quotes

?The book is all-inclusive, authoritative, and useful as supplemental reading, especially for courses in higher education in general education, special education, and library and information science education. It is also useful for those educators in public schools who coordinate, administer, or supervise school librarians and are willing to read about theoretical principles as well as practical ideas...I found that the book included some new ideas and integrated the best theory and practice from both education and library and information science...a major contribution to our understanding of the changing roles of SLMCs in working with youth with special needs in the school setting within the framework of total school library media services. The book is highly recommended.?-RQ

?This volume is an excellent single source on the topic, providing clear definitions, many practical suggestions, descriptions of and sources for purchasing materials, and well-documented research into librarian's role in special needs education. Annotated bibliographies and a section on professional development also enhance this much-needed guide, which will be useful for librarians working with any grade level.?-School Library Journal

"This volume is an excellent single source on the topic, providing clear definitions, many practical suggestions, descriptions of and sources for purchasing materials, and well-documented research into librarian's role in special needs education. Annotated bibliographies and a section on professional development also enhance this much-needed guide, which will be useful for librarians working with any grade level."-School Library Journal

"The book is all-inclusive, authoritative, and useful as supplemental reading, especially for courses in higher education in general education, special education, and library and information science education. It is also useful for those educators in public schools who coordinate, administer, or supervise school librarians and are willing to read about theoretical principles as well as practical ideas...I found that the book included some new ideas and integrated the best theory and practice from both education and library and information science...a major contribution to our understanding of the changing roles of SLMCs in working with youth with special needs in the school setting within the framework of total school library media services. The book is highly recommended."-RQ

About the Author

CAREN L. WESSON was an Associate Professor in the Department of Exceptional Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

MARGARET J. KEEFE is school library media specialist and gifted program teacher at the Robert Frost Elementary School in Wheeling, IL.