Leadership Issues in the Information Literate School Community

Editors James Henri and Marlene Asselin view the Information Literate School Community (ILSC) as being international. This edited volume of essays from teacher librarians and library educators around the world addresses the issues teacher librarians must face to become leaders in the new worldwide emerging vision of schools. To establish a framework for views expressed by the authors, the editors have identified four major developments that are shaping current thinking and practices of teaching and learning: New learners, New and multiliteracies, New and multiple identities and communities, and Teaching as a political activity. Issues facing teacher librarians as potential school leaders are embedded in these contexts within the essays. The book features chapters written by well-known authors in the field such as Ken Haycock, Leslie Farmer, Ann Clyde, Diane Oberg, James Henri, Marlene Asselin, and others. Chapter topics include discussions of reading and the ILSC, knowledge building and the ILSC, policies in the ILSC, the leadership role of the principal in the ILSC, preparing pre-service teachers for the ILSC, and so on.

Addressing the interest in the Information Literate School Community (ILSC) movement, this collection of articles identifies four major developments for teacher-librarians: new learners and new types of learners, new definitions of literacy and multiliteracy, new and multiple identities and communities, and teaching as a political activity. The articles cover the basic theories of the ILSC, reading, the issue of hyperliteracies in ILSCs, informing the ILSC through empirical research, developing curriculum that integrates with information literacy, the leadership role of the principal, policy and social justice, knowledge building, role models and methods for teacher librarians, generating change from the vantage points of North American and New Zealand, systems issues, and preparing preservice teachers. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

JAMES HENRI is Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the Centre for IT in Education, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong.

MARLENE ASSELIN is Associate Professor, Department of Language and Literacy Education, University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada, and Coordinator, UBC diploma and Masters programs in teacher-librarianship.