Education (in the USA)

Citation

Latham, B. (2010), "Education (in the USA)", Reference Reviews, Vol. 24 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/rr.2010.09924faa.002

Education (in the USA)

Article Type: Reference Reviews Subject favourites: education (in the USA) From: Reference Reviews, Volume 24, Issue 6

The university at which I work is, like many in southern USA, an entity that evolved from more specific origins – it was originally a teacher’s college. Though it has since expanded its horizons, education is still the single largest college within the university, it turns out the largest number of graduates, and its students are a major part of the University Library’s primary user base. As such, the library’s education resources are a primary focus of collection development, making the resources from which to choose for education reference a vast panorama. I asked our education subject specialist for an inside view on a few of her favourites.

Not surprisingly, perhaps, the electronic resource consulted more than any other is the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES; http://nces.ed.gov). The National Center for Education Statistics is the federal entity tasked with collecting and analyzing all kinds of different data related to education, and the amount of information which can be found through their site is substantial. In addition to providing staple publications such as the Digest of Education Statistics (a compilation of statistical information covering pre-kindergarten through graduate school), this resource also offers a variety of data tools users can employ to build custom datasets and tables. For up to date hard data as well as indicators of education status and trends from pre-kindergarten through higher education, the NCES is the place to go.

Another favorite of education librarians is the Education Review (http://edrev.asu.edu; ISSN 1094 5296). This online, multilingual, open access journal of book reviews provides a convenient one-stop shop for recent book reviews on education scholarship and practice. Reviews can be searched or browsed by author, title, or reviewer. In addition to the standard reviews, the Education Review also includes “essay reviews” – special, peer-reviewed articles that cover books of particular significance. The essays typically run from 5,000-10,000 words, and give in-depth coverage of special titles and resources.

Due to the fact that concentrations in early childhood and elementary education require a knowledge of children’s literature, another one-stop shop frequently used is the Database of Award-Winning Children’s Literature (DAWCL; www.dawcl.com). Everyone is familiar with the Caldecott and Newbery titles, but I was surprised to learn there are almost one hundred different awards for children’s literature spanning a variety of countries, and DAWCL covers them all. Though its aesthetic design and interface is simplistic, this resource is excellent for collection development on a budget, as well as choosing books to fit a particular class topic or theme. The database can be searched by award (need a list of good children’s books for black history month – try the Coretta Scott King Award winners), and it also includes an explanation of the awards, especially helpful for the less familiar ones. This includes the country, frequency, when the award began, who sponsors it, who decides it and how, and the quantity of awards given, as well as the dates awarded and announced. In addition to keyword, particularly helpful search parameters include the ethnicity/nationality of the protagonist or tale, setting, and suggested reader age. All records include the awards received, which years, as well as a brief plot synopsis.

And lastly, when all other resources fail, consult the collective knowledgebase: other subject specialists. The Education and Behavioral Sciences Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries listserv (EBSS-L; www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/about/sections/ebss/ebsslistserv/ebsslistserv.cfm) is a must for education librarians. EBSS has over 1,000 members and its listserv even more, so for queries as varied as reference help to collection development to bibliographic instruction, chances are someone on the EBSS-L has the answer you seek, and they are most willing to share.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Laurie Charnigo, Education and Physical Education Librarian, Houston Cole Library, for her assistance with this column.

Bethany LathamInternet Editor, Reference Reviews and Assistant Professor and Electronic Resources/Documents Librarian, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama, USA