MMISchools.com: Virtual School Libraries--The Time is Now! [Available Full-Text, Free]

Reg. Req. MMISchools.com: Virtual School Libraries--The Time is Now! [Available Full-Text, Free]:

"Brandon realizes that his biology research project on genetics is due tomorrow. It is Sunday evening, 6 p.m. No problem! He logs on to the Internet, opens his Web browser, does a quick Google search on genetics, prints out information from a few dot-com sites, and he is good to go.

Scenario 2: Brandon realizes that his biology research project on genetics is due tomorrow. It is Sunday evening, 6 p.m. No problem! He logs on to the Internet, opens his Web browser, goes to his school library Web site, and clicks on the pathfinder created collaboratively by his library media specialist and classroom teacher. Using their suggestions, he finds basic information in an encyclopedia through Grolier Online, and journal articles and newsletters from the SIRS Knowledge Source and Infotrac Student Edition. Through the library's online catalog, he reads portions of a few Follett e-books on genetics. To finish off his research, he visits a couple of the Web sites suggested in the pathfinder. Works cited? Referring to the works cited section of the school library Web site, he soon has his references listed in complete MLA format.
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At Thomas Dale High School, Chesterfield County, Va., library media specialist Kathy Lehman introduced the concept of a virtual library to her faculty and staff during the 2000-2001 school year when their school library facility was undergoing renovation, the print collection was in boxes in a gym, and she wanted to maintain visibility and services. The Thomas Dale High School Library Media Center Virtual Library Web page [http://chesterfield.k12.va.us/Schools/Dale_HS/departments/media.htm] offers links to online public access catalogs, subscription databases, Internet search engines and Web evaluation guides, the Big6 research model, a virtual reference desk, and--a key component--Classroom Links, class lists of hotlinks and research assignments developed through the collaborative efforts of classroom teachers and library staff. Even after the reopening of the traditional library facility, Lehman has maintained and further developed the virtual library collection and services for students and teachers."