E-book collections and professional development examined in School Library Research

CHICAGO – New research published in the American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) peer-reviewed online journal, School Library Research (SLR), examines high school e-book collections and structured professional development for in-service school librarians. SLR promotes and publishes high-quality original research concerning the management, implementation and evaluation of school libraries. Articles can be accessed for free at www.ala.org/aasl/slr.

For their study, "E-Book Collections in High School Libraries: Factors Influencing Circulation and Usage," researchers April Dawkins, University of North Carolina Greensboro, and Karen Gavigan, University of South Carolina, analyzed circulation data and interviewed school librarians to gain a better understanding of high school e-book collections. Results revealed that e-book circulation represented a significantly low total circulation for most of the high school libraries examined.

In "Career Growth through Action Research: Outcomes from a Structured Professional Development Approach for In-Service School Librarians," the research team of Danielle Cadieux Boulden, North Carolina State University, Lauren Pellegrino, North Carolina State University, and Joanna Gerakios, Pitt County (N.C.) Schools, report on their investigation on the outcomes of a year-long structured professional development approach that engaged in-service school librarians in action research. Findings demonstrated that action research gave the participants in this study a viable way to pursue professional growth.

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 libraries.

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