Selection Tool Evaluation 1-5

Becky Brown
MEDT 6465/Summer 2013

Becky Brown

Selection Tool Evaluation 1

Selection Tool the title of the journal or resource

School Library Journal

Author or Responsible Party what organization publishes the selection tool?

Media Source, Inc. began in 1980 as the publisher Pages but changed to its current name in
1999. It owns and publishes Horn Books which includes The Horn Book Magazine, Junior
Library Guild, and Library Hotline. Library Journal and School Library Journal were acquired
in 2010.

Price, frequency, format(s) format(s) in which selection tool is available, cost of
a subscription, frequency of publication/updates.

School Library Journal is available in print form on a monthly basis but individuals are also able
to have access via the publications website. There is a plethora of information available for free
on the website with new items added daily. A subscription to SLJ furnishes readers with
unlimited access to all aspects of the website as well as to Book Verdict, the archive of over
300,000 reviews of books and media from Library Journal, School Library Journal, Horn Book
Magazine and Horn Book Guide and The Horn Book.
1 year, or 12 issues, costs $88.99. This subscription includes 1 year of online access to
Book Verdict.
1 year, or12 issues, with online access upgraded to Book Verdict K-12 Pro costs
$130.99.

Content describe the type of review information provided, the types of
materials reviewed, the expected audience for the materials reviewed, etc.

The audience for the content of the SLJ is intended for anyone who has an interest in books.
However, the majority of individuals that access the material are school librarians intent on
locating the best selections available to add to their media center collections. The main focus of
the SLJ is material for children in grades kindergarten through twelfth grade that are available in
print form, such as fiction books, reference books, or graphic novels, and non-print form, such as
resources that are audio or video form as well as other media forms like the internet web sites,
apps, software, and eBooks . Because of the varying age ranges, the reviews are divided into
three sections: pre-school to fourth grade, fifth grade and up, and adult books for young readers.
Vital information about the selection is incorporated into each review. This information
includes:
Product Name
Publication Date
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Publisher
Author
Name of the Reviewer
Number of Pages
ISBN
Price of Product
Format of Product
Review of Product
Age range

The magazine in print form provides the same information in same format. The one thing that I
noticed though is that via the website, I have access to thousands of reviews while through the
magazine print I would have access to roughly 100-150 reviews per month.

Arrangement Describe the physical arrangement of information in the
selection tool is it easy to locate information?

When you get to the School Library Journal homepage, there are a vast number of areas
available for perusal. The sections are arranged in the following manner at the top of the page:

As I began to search the site, I was able to find out a lot of information. For instance when I
clicked on the Collections tab, I was able to find links for reviews broken down into the
following subdivisions:
Preschool to Grade 4
Grades 5 & Up
Adult Books 4 Teens
Reference
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Audio
Multimedia Reviews
Graphic Novel Reviews
Spanish
Professional Reading
Apps
Digital Resources
YA reviews
Pick of the Day
There are also sections providing information about collection development as well as topics
such as curriculum connections, author interviews, and Spanish resources. While exploring the
In the Field tab, I was able to discover information about budgets and funding, news from the
industry, events that are occurring, different organizations within the field, and an area that
features open jobs. The In the Library & Classroom tab provides links to articles based on such
topics as digital resources, teens and YA, buildings and design, and technology. The Technology
section provides a link to The Digital Shift but also connects to articles about apps, social media,
software, and video games. One of my favorite sections on the site is the link to Blogs and
Columns area. It was interesting for me to see what others were discussing about the field and
what is in the near future for school media centers.
Annotations/Reviews Who writes the annotations and reviews, what are their
credentials; length and thoroughness of annotations and reviews.

The reviews provided the SLJ are completed by competent individuals on a volunteer basis.
Most of those who are involved with the process are school librarian educators, librarians who
work directly with children and young adults in public libraries, childrens literature teachers,
and subject specialists. Because of this, reviewers are assigned material to evaluate based on
their expertise with the reading public. For example, a librarian that works with students in
elementary schools would not be evaluating a software program designed to help students
achieve higher scores on the SAT. Instead, the librarian might be assigned to review a software
program designed to help first graders decode phonics. One of the things that I found
interesting is that reference materials are only reviewed every other month as well as graphic
novels. I would have thought that there would be more than ample material in these two areas to
review each month. Something else that I discovered was that each issue of SLJ carries indexes
of authors, illustrators, and titles reviewed and index appears on the website in December that
details the reviews published over the course of the year.

The reviews published are concise and well thought out. Whether viewed by means of the SLJ
website or in the magazine, each contains the title of the product being reviewed, publication
date, publisher of the product, the author of the product, the name of the reviewer, in case of a
book the number of pages, the ISBN number, the price of the product, the format of the product,
the appropriate age range of the product, and a paragraph review of the product that thoroughly
expresses the content of the product as well as their opinion of the product.

Bibliographic Info List the types of information provided for an item that is
annotated or reviewed, such as title, author, date, publisher, etc.
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Product Name
Publication Date
Publisher
Author
Number of Pages (or in case of an audio book or DVD, the length is in terms of minutes)
ISBN
Library of Congress number
Binding
Whether or not Cataloging in Publication data will appear in the book
Price of Product
Format of Product
Review of Product
Age range

Stipulations for specific products:

Video and audio recordings are eligible for review if they were released during the
current year and designed for students in pre-school through 12
th
grade. Additionally, the
submission must include information about the running time, copyright and release date,
and ordering address.
For an app, the review will designate the operating system required for its use.
For a video game, the review will specify the platform used as well as the rating given to
it by the ESRB.

Special Features Describe any special features about the selection tool.

I could probably spend 10 pages just listing all of the special features that are included in the
SLJ! Here are some of my favorites:
Just to have access to reviews written by fellow colleagues who are more knowledgeable
than I am, in my opinion, is such a wonderful tool. It always helps to have people who
are willing to help you out when you are just beginning in the process.
Book reviews are broken down by broad age groupings instead of by distinct grades or
ages. It is so much more helpful to have it this way when searching for titles!
Webcasts are available for anyone! If I want to learn more about how to engage students
with the National Geographic Kids, I can watch the webcast and learn directly from them
instead of just having to wing it. If I want to ask questions directly to an author, there are
plenty of opportunities for me to do so through this feature as well.
Keeping up to date with the news that directly affects the field is also a special feature
that is important. It is great to find out how advocates are helping to fight for more
funding or how studies have proven the effect that school libraries have on learning is
invaluable

Recommendation how this tool would assist you in the selection of materials,
and why you would or would not recommend this selection tool to another
media specialist.
Becky Brown

I would definitely recommend this tool to another media specialist. In fact, my mentor made me
promise that I would get a subscription before I graduate because it has been the tool that she
most often turns to for information to help her in her role as a school librarian. The reviews of
different material are probably what I treasure the most. Maintaining a collection is difficult
under the best circumstances and with the state of funding today it is almost impossible. These
reviews will help me to better determine how to allocate the precious funding made available for
use because they are concise, well thought out, and written by professionals whose sole purpose
is to help their fellow colleagues. The website is well designed and easy to navigate. Because of
the fact that so much of the information can be found for free on the website, I would be hesitant
to recommend a subscription to the magazine but it may be worthwhile because you would have
access to Book Verdict and all of the resources available with it.



Library Media Connection


LMC is published by Linworth Publishing/Libraries Unlimited which is owned by ABC-CLIO.
The editor-in-chief of the LMC is Gail Dickinson.


Library Media Connection is available in print form on a monthly basis but individuals are also
able to access the magazine by way of the publications website. The website has a limited
amount of information available with new articles or reviews added with each new issue that is
published.
1 year, or 6 issues, costs $69.
2 years, or12 issues, costs $132.
o International orders are to add $22 for each subscription.


The core audience of LMC is professional librarians or school librarians whose objective is to
locate the best available material to add to their collections. The main focus of the LMC is
material for children in grades kindergarten through twelfth grade that are available in print
form, such as fiction books, reference books, or graphic novels, and non-print form, such as
resources that are audio or video, internet web sites, and software . Reviews are separated into
the following categories:
Fiction
o Grades K-5
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o Grades 6-8
o Grades 9-12
o Picture Books
Non-Fiction
o History
o Science
o Animals
o Social Studies
o Counseling
o Poetry
o Reference

Each review contains the following:
Series name (if applicable)
Authors name (last, first)
Title
Editor or compiler (if no author)
Illustrator
Publication year
Price
Publisher
ISBN
Recommended grade levels

There is no major difference between what appears in the magazine compared to the website. In
fact, information presented in the magazine has been created into a PDF document and placed on
the site.

When you get to the Library Media Connection homepage, the sections are arranged in the
following manner at the top of the page:

Becky Brown

As I began to search the site, I was not very impressed with what I found. When you get to the
homepage, you will have to click on the tab, LMC Magazine, to gain access to the different
information presented on the website. There you will find major headings/tabs found within the
site. They are located on the left hand of the screen.

The New Hot Stuff tab will take you to a portion of the site devoted to the latest news, reviewer
and author spotlight, awards bestowed on individuals, and the location of interesting website
links. LMC@the Forefront Webinars takes you to a PDF of a handout on the different webinars
presented by the LMC for the coming month as well as a form to order the webinar. The prices
vary from $29 to $200 according to the number of viewers. In addition, once it is purchased
access to the selected webinar is granted for 90 days.
Becky Brown

The LMC Review Index tab takes you to a PDF file of a Microsoft Excel document that is 59
pages long. The reviews are listed alphabetically and disclose who the author of the material, the
title, and the series title. In addition, the volume the review appears in is present as well as the
issue and page number. There is not a date located on it but it does state the current version.
The Editorial Calendar segment is a call for school librarians to provide articles for the
magazine. The page consists of information concerning the subject matter for the different
issues and the specific due dates for the article.

Becky Brown

The Write a Review or Article for LMC provides information about the guidelines for writing an
article or review for the magazine. Reviews and Articles allows visitors to browse through
feature articles and reviews but not through an entire issue. One Question Survey links you to
Survey Monkey to answer a question with the results appearing in the next published issue. For
University Faculty provides information for university faculty to provide to their students about
getting a free issue for them. For Advertisers provides resources for advertisers about LMC and
its function. The final section, Subscribe Now, details the avenues on how you can subscript to
the magazine.

The reviews written and submitted to the LMC are completed by current educators from any field
and are on a volunteer basis. Reviewers are assigned material to evaluate directly from the
LMC and are usually given 3-5 items to review at a time. The reviews published are concise and
well thought out. Whether viewed by means of the LMC website or in the magazine, each
contains the authors name (last, first), title, editor or compiler (if no author), illustrator,
publication year, price, publisher, ISBN, recommended grade levels, and a paragraph review
of the product that thoroughly expresses the content of the product as well as the reviewers
opinion of the product. The review will also indicate whether the reviewer would highly
recommend, recommend, use as an alternative selection, or not recommend the selection.


Books
series name (if applicable)
authors name (last, first)
title of book
editor or compiler (if no author)
illustrator
publication year
number of pages
price
binding
publisher
ISBN
recommended grade levels

Bibliographic Example:

Primavera, Elise
Who Needs Love?
Illustrated by Laura Park. 2013. 48pp. $16.99 hc. Robin Corey Books (Random House).
978-0-375-85585-6. Grades 1-3

For Nonbook Media
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title
URL, if online resource
year of release or year website was accessed for review
format (CD-ROM, DVD, etc.)
length of running time for DVDs
price
distributors or producers name
recommended grade level


Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion
2012. 13 min. $59.95. Weston Woods (Scholastic, Inc.). 978-0-545-44753-9. Grades
PreK-2


In my opinion, the special features that are included in the LCM are limited. My most favorite
would be having access to reviews written by fellow colleagues. From the reviews that I was
able to access, I discovered that they were well written and imparted a great amount of
information about the selection being reviewed.

media specialist.

I would be hesitant to recommend this tool to another media specialist as their main selection
tool. However, it would be helpful to use as a supplemental resource when comparing reviews
from other sources. While the magazine itself is very attractive, the website is not. One of the
most important facets of this profession is to infuse students with 21
st
century skills that will
enable them to be successful their entire life and tools such as this provide media specialists with
a resource to teach them to students. If the website that represents this resource is out of date,
how can it be effective as a resource? For example, PDF documents of articles that are published
in the magazine are on the website. With all of the vast resources available to the magazine, why
is a digital publishing tool employed to create a more pleasing representation?
The reviews included in the magazine are very helpful and would assist me in the selection of
materials. Each is concise, well thought out, and presented in a pleasing manner. The only
problem for me is that all of the reviews are placed together according to their status as fiction,
non-fiction, or nonbook media. The only way to determine the age range is to read the reviews.
So, if I was on the hunt for a non-fiction book for ages 4-7, I would have to search through all of
the reviews to find one or go through the index and find a title. From there, I would then have to
locate the magazine by its volume, issue number, and finally the page number. Seems like a lot
of work when I could access a review for the same title from the School Library Journal or
Booklist in about of the time.
I was also concerned about the webinars. There were very interesting webinars to attend that
would be very beneficial but I was taken aback by how you are able to have access to them. I
just could not sign up and attend-I would have to pay at least $29 and then only have access to it
Becky Brown

for 90 days. With the state of funding, I would be wary of using needed money on something so
expensive without proof of its effect on classroom learning.



Booklist


The American Library Association published the first issue of Booklist in January 1905. Today,
it is published bi-monthly from September to June with only monthly issues in July and August.
Bill Ott is currently the editor-in-chief of Booklist.


Booklist is available in print form but individuals are also able to have access via the
publications website. There is a wealth of information available for free on the website with
new items added daily (except Saturday and Sunday because no one is in the office). A
subscription to Booklist provides readers with unlimited access to all aspects of the website as
well as to an archive of over 100,000 reviews of books and media. There are two ways to
subscribe to Booklist-either as an individual or as an institution.

Individual subscription which includes a 4 issues of supplemental information from
Booklinks
o 1 year, or 22 issues, costs $147.50.
o 2 years, or 44 issues , costs $255
o 3 years, or 66 issues, costs $350
Annual institutional subscriptions
o School Libraries (Elementary, Middle, and High School)
1 school: $350
2-5 schools: $250 each
6+ schools: Consortium pricing available contact
info@booklistonline.com
o Public Libraries
Library Service Area Annual Subscription
1 to 14,999 $425
15,000 to 31,999 $475
32,000 to 55,999 $550
56,000 to 92,999 $650
93,000 to 156,999 $775
157,000 to 257,999 $925
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258,000 to 469,999 $1100
470,000 to 812,999 $1300
813,000 plus Call for quote

o Academic Libraries
Degrees Offered Annual subscription
Associate & Baccalaureate $475
Colleges, Special Focus
Institutions, and Tribal Libraries
Masters Colleges and Universities $775
Doctorate-granting Universities $1575

The audience for the content of Booklist is intended primarily for anyone who has an interest in
book. That being said, it is viewed as one of the most reliable instruments to aid school media
centers, libraries, and academic institutions in what materials to purchase and add to their
collections. In addition, the selection tool aids library patrons and students in their decision on
what to read. Booklist reviews material from the following categories:
Adult Books: This category includes titles that are divided into a fiction section and a
non-fiction section.
Books for Youth: Young Adult and Childrens titles that are reviewed by Booklist include
fiction, nonfiction, and picture books. There are three age ranges within this category-
Older Readers for readers in junior high/middle school and high school students, Middle
Readers for readers in grades three to six, and in The Young for preschool through grade
two.
Graphic Novels: Titles that appear in the Graphic Novel section of Booklist are grouped
into one of three sections-Adult, Young Adult, and Children's.
Media: Material evaluated in this section includes new video, childrens and spoken-word
audio, and audio books in all subject areas for ages preschool through adult. Occasionally
special lists and features on specific media formats and issues and on topics of current
interest are included in this section.
Reference Sources: Booklist reviews reference sources in any format. They may include,
but are not limited to, almanacs, atlases, bibliographies, indexes, electronic databases
(CD-ROM and online), dictionaries, directories, encyclopedias, guides, handbooks, and
Web sites.

Crucial information about the selection is incorporated into each review, no matter the category
the material is classified in. This information includes:

Product Name
Publication Date
Publisher
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Author
Number of Pages
ISBN
Price of Product
Format of Product
Review of Product
Age range
Link to purchase material (online only)
Symbols
Star represents a highly recommended selection
Book represents that the material is in book form
Headphones represent material in audio form
Award ribbon represents material that appears on an award list
Computer represents a database
E-reader represents e-books.

noticed though is that via the website, I have access to thousands of reviews while through the
magazine print I would have access to roughly 100-150 reviews per month.


When you get to the Booklist homepage, there are a so many different areas available to peruse.
The sections are arranged in the following manner at the top of the page:

Becky Brown

As I began to search the site, I was able to find out a lot of information. When I clicked on the
Awards tab, I was linked to information about awards given to selections by the ALA. In total,
there were 45 awards lists that I was able to access and find more information about. In the
Great Reads tab, I was taken to a blog entry with recommendations from one of the on-line
editors for Booklist. The Blogs tab was pretty cool I have to admit. Each blog candidly
discusses books, reviews, the publishing world, and literary news. There are four main blogs to
follow and each is a worthwhile read.

As I tearfully left the Blog section and moved onto the Newsletter section, I was delighted to find
an even more engaging source of information. Most newsletters are published on a monthly
basis and give followers a treasure trove of wisdom and expertise. I would highly recommend
subscribing to the Quick Tips for Schools and Libraries newsletter. It is well worth it!!!
Becky Brown

The Webinar section-I think I could write an ode to the Webinar section. Do I want to watch the
References editor discuss the basics of the weeding process? Yes, I do and I did. Do I want to
discuss how to get a reluctant middle school reader to read with a few of todays most popular
young reader authors? Holy cow, YES!!! Would it be beyond all expectations to find a way to
get male students into the media center to find a title to read? Yes and there is a webinar to
instruct me on how to do it. Like I said, I think I could write an ode to the Webinar section
because of the vast resources embedded in it. The next three sections-My Alerts, My Lists, My
Profile-are all tools used by subscribers. My Alerts provides the account holder with reviews
based on his/her interests. My Lists takes the reviews selected by the account holder and then
allows the account holder to access information from book suppliers about how to purchase the
materials. My Profile provides the account holder with basic information about their Booklist
account.

The reviews published in Booklist are written primarily by the editorial staff that works directly
with library services either in an academic setting, public library setting, or school library setting.
Each has been chosen for their expertise and is given a specific category to review. One of the
things that I found interesting about the review process is that materials are recommended for
reasons relating to both quality and demand. For instance, a media review could determine that
the quality of the material is lacking but because there is an expectation that patrons will demand
the material it may still be recommended. The reviews published are concise and well thought
out but also provide a wealth of information about the material. Whether viewed by means of
the Booklist website or in the magazine, each contains the product name, publication date,
publisher, author, name of the reviewer, number of pages, ISBN, price of product, binding,
review of product, age range, link to purchase material (online only), and symbols. Here is an
example of a review:
Becky Brown

.


Product Name
Publication Date
Publisher
Author
Number of Pages
ISBN
Price of Product
Format of Product
Review of Product
Age range
Link to purchase material (online only)
Symbols
Star represents a highly recommended selection
Book represents that the material is in book form
Headphones represent material in audio form
Award ribbon represents material that appears on an award list
Computer represents a database
E-reader represents e-books.

The Hunger Games
Becky Brown

Collins, Suzanne (author).
Oct. 2008. 420p. Scholastic, hardcover, $17.99 (9780439023481). Grades 9-12.
REVIEW. First published September 1, 2008 (Booklist).


To say that I was highly impressed by Booklist would be an understatement because I was
completely dazzled by it. It is pretty unlikely that I would be to express in words and sentences
all my praise for the special features included in Booklist so I have just chosen my favorites:

The Webinar section knocked my socks off. The subjects of the webinars are current as
well as produced to help enhance the learning of the attendee. The best part is that they
are free and anyone can attend them!
I enjoyed being able to access Book Award lists because each introduces you to the best
material available for a particular genre. Most list not only the winners but also those
titles that received an honor award.
I was keen on the quick search tool to find book reviews. All I had to do was type in an
author, title, ISBN, or keyword to find a title.

media specialist.

I would most definitely recommend this tool to another media specialist. In fact, I would
probably recommend it to anyone who was searching for a book. With so many resources
available at your fingertips, gathering the information about a particular title would not be
difficult nor would it be incorrect. The reviews are judicious and get to the heart of the material.
The only thing that I disliked about Booklist is that the publication is currently only reviewing
reference e-books. Booklist has decided that it will wait to review other genres of e-books until
they are able to ascertain whether the new book form will prove it has staying power.



The Horn Book


In 1924, Horn Book began as a suggested book list from Bertha Mahoney Miller and Elinor
Whitney Field, owners of the first childrens bookstore, The Bookshop for Boys and Girls. Soon
after, it became a location for authors and illustrators of childrens literature to have their books
reviewed and promoted. Today, the publication is owned by Media Source, owner of the Junior
Library Guild and many other publications.

Becky Brown


Horn Book is available in print form on a bimonthly basis but individuals are also able to have
access via the publications website. There is a plethora of information available for free on the
website with new items usually added weekly. A subscription to Horn Book supplies readers
with unlimited access to all aspects of the website as well as to The Horn Book Guide which
reviews almost every book in childrens literature every six months.
1 year, or 6 issues, costs $49.
1 year, or 6 issues, along with the semi-annual issues of Horn Book Guide costs $88.


The audience for the content of Horn Book is intended for anyone who has an interest in
childrens literature. The majority of individuals that access the material are school librarians or
a childrens service librarian intent on locating the best selections available to add to their
collections but it also read by artists and writers, scholars, and parents. The main focus of Horn
Book is material for children in grades kindergarten through twelfth grade that are available in
print form, such as picture books, non-fiction books, or graphic novels, and non-print form, such
as resources that are audio or video form as well as other media forms like the apps. Because of
the varying age ranges, the reviews are divided into five sections: pre-school, primary,
intermediate, middle school, and high school. Vital information about the selection is
incorporated into each review. This information includes:

Product Name
Publication Date
Publisher
Author
Number of Pages
Price
ISBN
Binding of Product
Review of Product
Age range

noticed though is that via the website, I have access to only a sampling of the reviews found in
the magazine while through the print version I would have access to roughly 60-70 reviews per
month.


When you get to the Horn Book homepage, there are a considerable number of areas available to
examine. The sections are arranged in the following manner at the top of the page:
Becky Brown

As I began to search the site, I began by concentrating on the tabs beneath the main heading.
When I clicked on the Choosing Books tab, I was able to find links broken down into the
following subdivisions:
Recommended Books
Review of the Week
App Review of the Week
Reviews
Horn Book Magazine
Horn Book Guide

Each of the review sections contains approximately 10 postings with most of the postings
overlapping within the different sections. The Horn Book Magazine link takes you to the articles
from the print magazine that has been posted to the website. The Horn Book Guide contains
articles from the semiannual guide.
In the Using Books tab, there are helpful posts about using books in the home, school, and
library.
Becky Brown

In the Creating Books tab, articles are posted about authors (as well as illustrators) and their
published works. In some instances, it is interviews and in others the articles detail the lengths it
took for the author to get their material published. The Authors & Illustrator tab has to sections-
interviews and talks with Roger. Authors are chosen and then asked 5 questions for the
interview segment while talks with Roger explore reviewed books but also the authors who
wrote them. There are three blogs associated with the website-Read Roger, Out of the Box, and
Calling Caldecott. Out of the three, the most interesting to me was Calling Caldecott because it
primary focus are titles that should or could be chosen to be honored by Caldecott committee. A
note from the editor and letters sent to the editor are contained in the Opinion portion of the
website. While in the News segment, information about the different awards is available along
with news from Horn Books and an obituary section.
Becky Brown

Above the main title is another selection of links to information about Horn Books. Before I
began searching through the different sections, I thought it was separate information presented to
readers than what was already available via the website. But upon further investigation, the
information offered is just a quick reference point for data already within the website.

The reviews provided by Horn Books are completed by competent individuals selected by
editorial staff. Most of those who are chosen as reviewers are engaged as school librarian
educators, librarians who work directly with children and young adults in public libraries,
childrens literature teachers, subject specialists, and individuals involved in the publishing
world. The reviews published are concise and well thought out. Whether viewed by means of
the Horn Book website or in the magazine, each contains the title of the product being reviewed,
publication date, publisher of the product, the author of the product, the name of the reviewer, in
case of a book the number of pages, the ISBN number, the price of the product, the format of the
product, the appropriate age range of the product, and a paragraph review of the product that
thoroughly expresses the content of the product as well as their opinion of the product.


Bibliographic information provided in review:

Product Name
Publication Date
Publisher
Author
Becky Brown

Number of Pages
Price
ISBN
Binding of Product
Review of Product
Age range


Crankee Doodle
by Tom Angleberger; illus. by Cece Bell
Primary Clarion 32 pp.
6/13 978-0-547-81854-2 $16.99


There are a couple of things that I liked about Horn Book. As a history teacher, I really liked the
fact that history plays such an important role in the publication. One of the articles I read was
about the relationship that Beatrix Potter and Bertha Miller had-it was fascinating to me to find
out about their friendship and how it evolved. But it was just not Beatrix Potter that had a
special relationship with Horn Books but a whole slew of authors that were influenced by the
publication and its staff. The Resources section is an invaluable tool for parents, educators,
librarians, authors, and illustrators. It provides a pathway to sources within the website but also
outside of it. The page also contains a page devoted to a review index for Horn Book Magazine
from 1996-2012 and the Horn Book Guide index from Fall 2000 to Spring 2013.

media specialist.

I would definitely recommend the Horn Book Guide to another media specialist because it
reviews almost every piece of childrens literature within a six month period for a pretty
economical price. In terms of the Horn Book Magazine, I would tend to think that a subscription
to the print magazine would be a good return for your money as a way to compare reviews from
other sources such as SLJ or Booklist. While the website was informative, it only had a small
sample of reviews available. One of the things that I did not like about Horn Book is that the
reviews are only accepted from their staff and not any other sources. While this may not seem as
such a big deal, I relate more easily to fellow colleagues who are working in the field and have a
better understanding of what students are reading or not reading. The other thing that I did not
like was that there was not as much of an emphasis on reviewing different forms of technology
used in a library or media center. There were reviews for different apps but those apps were
based on books not apps that encourage anything else. Because of the limited reviews on the
website, I was not able to ascertain whether or not eBooks were reviewed but from what I found
there were none (which actually kind of seemed odd to me since all of the other selection tools
have had them).

Becky Brown



Internet @Schools


Internet@Schools began as Multimedia Schools: A Practical Journal of Multimedia. In 2004, it
was renamed MultiMedia & Internet@School: The Media and Technology Specialist's Guide to
Electronic Tools and Resources for K-12. As of today, it is published by Information Today,
Inc. five times a year (January/February, March/April, May/June, September/October, and
November/December). The current editor-in-chief is David Hoffman.


Internet@Schools is available in print form five times a year but individuals are also able to have
access via the publications website. There is a plethora of information available for free on the
website with new items usually added weekly. A subscription to Internet@Schools supplies
readers with unlimited access to all aspects of the website.
A 1 year subscription costs $49.95.
A 2 year subscription costs $94.
A 3 year subscription costs $144.
A 1 year subscription in Canada or Mexico costs $64 while an international subscription
costs $73.


The primary audience for the content of the Internet@Schools is for anyone who is a tech-savvy
K-12 educator. However, anyone who has interest in incorporating technology into lives of
children would benefit from this magazine because the main focus of Internet@Schools is to
provide resources and material to use technology as a facilitator of learning. The materials
reviewed by the publication are varied but are usually about a new technological tool available
for educators or students. That being said, there is crucial information about the selection
incorporated into each review. This information includes:

Product Name
Company information
Price
Audience
Format
System Requirements
Description
Report Card
Becky Brown

Reviewer Comments that describes grades given in report card
Content/Features with rating
Ease of use with rating
Product Support with rating
Recommendation

The magazine in print form provides has most of the same information as the website. One of
the things that I noticed though is that via the website, I have access to reviews or articles from
issues dating back to 2004. For example, if I wanted to find a review about Edublogs from 2011,
I would be able to locate it in the Review section. But I would be unable to locate the same
information in the current issue of the magazine because it would appear only once and not in
every issue.


The Internet@Schools homepage has so much information on the main page but it is organized
in a way that is not overwhelming. There are ten categories for readers to peruse-Current
Issue/View Past Issues, Research Center, Xtra Features, Columns, Archives, View All, Services,
Print Advertising, Web Advertising, and Related Sites. After discovering these ten categories, it
is not difficult to ascertain the information presented by the publication. When you click on
Current Issue/View Past Issues, you are taken to the current issue of the publication. From this
location, you can click on Past Issues and find links to issues dating back to 2004 (if you really
search, you can actually locate the issues from 2000 when the magazine was known as
Multimedia Schools: A Practical Journal of Multimedia)

Becky Brown

The next section I perused was the Research Centers category where there are a total of 29
sections to peruse. The topics of the categories are as follows:
Assessment Association News, Initiatives, Alerts
Communications, Collaboration Tools Curriculum Standards
Elementary Grants, Funding, Free Resources
Hardware-Computers, Other Learning Devices History and Social Studies Resources
Information Literacy, Research Strategies Language Arts
Legislation/Policy Library Automation
Math Middle
Online Databases, Resources, Reference Tools No Child Left Behind
Online Education/Distance Learning Professional Development
Projection, Presentation Systems Science
Secondary Security
Streaming Media Technology Integration
Tools and Cross-Curricular Resources Trends, Research, Reports
Visual Learning Web Searching
Wireless Technology

While I explored all of the different categories, I noticed that a lot of the reviews were cross-
referenced tags within all of the categories. One of the segments that I enjoyed the most was the
segment on library automation because it provided articles for the school librarian about the
newest technology available for use in automation. I also liked the History section-there was so
many cool articles that detailed how to use technology in a social studies classroom. The next
heading details Xtra Features from Internet@Schools with information about Cool Links,
Cyberbee's Web Picks, Free Resources, and ITI Cross Links. The Free Resources tab guides
users to exciting information and resources that are of course free. The Columns heading directs
readers to columns that have appeared in the print magazine that includes Belltones, Cyberbee,
Editors Notes, Idea Watch, Learning Unleashed!, The Media Center, The Pipeline, and The
Tech Effect. A few of the posts contain the whole article while most contain only a snippet of it.
As I read the different columns, I also noticed that one of the columns had outdated links while
Becky Brown

others had not been updated for some time. In the Spotlight steers readers to archival posts that
review such things as projectors and educational programs. I was only able to be redirected to
posts written after 2008 which was kind of disappointing because I wanted to read about Sally
Rides Science Program for grades K-12 as well as Culturegrams, which provides students with
information about daily life in other countries. The View All section leads readers to articles
detailing Breaking News, Features, and Product Reviews. There is such a wealth of information
presented in this tab that a person could spend a couple of days reading the articles! One of the
things that I was keen on was the fact that there are articles dating from today to 2004. I would
not have to search through all of back issues in print to find a review or bit of news, I could just
go to the page and find it! The next section, Services, provides information about how to
subscribe to the Internet@Schools Xtra e-Newsletter, how to Subscribe to Magazine, the
PRIVACY/COOKIES POLICY, About Internet@Schools (Masthead, Editorial Contacts), the
location to write a Letter to the Editors, and Advertising Opportunities. The next heading, Print
Advertising, provides information for individuals or companies that would like to advertise a
product or resource in the print magazine. While searching the links, I actually found some
interesting information about the magazine as the editorial calendar, profile of the print
magazine, and a profile of the website. The Web Advertising sends readers and advertisers to a
media kit prepared for anyone preparing to advertise on the website. The last section, Related
Sites, provides links to Information Today, the parent company of Internet@Schools, and to
Streaming Media , a news media company that is serving and educating the streaming media
industry and community.


Articles, columns, news, and product reviews are contributed to Internet@Schools by practicing
educators who use new technologies in the classroom, media center, and administrative offices
which are concise and well thought out. Whether viewed by means of the Internet@Schools
website or in the magazine, each contains product name, company information, price, audience,
format, system requirements, description, report card, and reviewer comments that describes
grades given in report card concerning the content/features, ease of use, product support, and
recommendation. Here is an example:

Becky Brown

Because of the amount information that is presented in a review, it is a little longer than a review
that you would find in School Library Journal or Booklist. But, it also provides a little more
information about the product which more than makes up for it being a little longer.


Bibliographic information provided in review:

Product Name
Company information
Price
Audience
Format
System Requirements
Description
Report Card
Reviewer Comments that describes grades given in report card
Content/Features with rating
Ease of use with rating
Product Support with rating
Recommendation


There are more than a couple of things that I liked about Internet@Schools. First off, there was
so much information at my disposal! Instead of having to have a subscription to the magazine, I
had access to almost everything that the publication has produced over the last ten years. Also,
the site is not just for media specialists or a librarian-it caters to anyone who is in education. The
following are some of my favorite sections of the publication:
The Media Center: The variety of the subjects in the posts and engaging writing makes
this column a must read for school librarians!
Product Reviews: Having reviews of technology products is just as important to having
book reviews for a media specialist. The reviews are concise but provide enough
information about the product to help make a sound decision.
Grants, Funding, Free Resources: Provides any educator with a plethora of resources to
find not only funding but free resources for use in the classroom.

media specialist.

I think that this is a must have resource for any educator but more importantly for a school
librarian because of its direct focus on technology. As education changes and evolves, it will be
vital for the school librarian to understand the role that technology will play in its evolution.
Internet@Schools will help keep the school librarian abreast of this but also keep an eye on any
Becky Brown

future developments. In addition, the price of a subscription is well worth the price for the
information presented in the publication.

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Becky Brown

MEDT 6465/Summer 2013

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