Report: Libraries are Critical to High Schoolers

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Debra Lau Whelan -- School Library Journal, 4/7/2006

In order to succeed in the workforce, high school students need to be critical thinkers, problem solvers, and effective communicators who are proficient in 21st-century skills—and media specialists are in the perfect position to help them, says a new report.

"Results That Matter: 21st Century Skills and High School Reform," says that media specialists have an active role in instruction beyond the scope of the traditional library setting. Effective school library media programs teach students how to learn, think critically, and use the tools and information available to solve complex problems.

"Those skills, taught in library media centers, are what today's employers seek," the report says. "Without them, graduates are inadequately prepared for the workplace and adult life."

John Wilson, chair of Partnership for 21st Century Skills and executive director of the National Education Association, adds that "High schools must be designed, organized, and managed with a relentless focus on the results that matter in the 21st century—or they risk missing the mark." For a copy of the report, visit www.21stcenturyskills.org.