B O O K REVIEWS Hoffmann, Frank. editor. Popular Culture In l.lbraries. Vol. 1, No. 1 . New York: Haworth Press, 1 993. I SSN 1 053·8747. $24.00 U.S. published quarterly. Editor Hoffmann, Associate Professor at the School of Library Science, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, has amassed a wonderful wealth of information in this inaugural issue of Popular Culture in Libraries. Hoffmann says that the aim of the j oumal is " . . . to provide information and act as a forum for the exchange of ideas about the evaluation, acquisition, organization and utilization of popular culture con­ cepts and materials in a wide array of print, audiovisual and three-dimensional formats." The journal addresses issues that may not be included in other library oriented journals. Some articles focus on network­ ing as it pertains to popular culture; others deal with the popular arts, the mass media and fads and mass consciousness trends and movements. Several articles contain notes and a bibliography. The opening article, a transcript of a panel discussion held at the 1991 annual conference of the Popular Culture Association in San Antonio, sets the tone for the rest of the journal - informal, easy to read and to digest. The contents run the gamut from different areas of expertise in popular culture collections such as Imaginative Representations of the Vietnam War described by John S. Baky in Truthful Lies: Popular Culture and Special Collections to Randall Scott's Comics and Libraries and the Scholarly World. It will come as no surprise to learn that comic book and baseball card collections are among the most familiar examples of popular culture. Less known are the collections of television scripts and slide collections pertaining to the popular arts in general, ranging from vaudeville, minstrel shows, and theatre to radio, television and motion pictures. To the uninitiated, Harris Worchel 's article "The Washington Post Photo Research Center" is both enlightening and fascinating. Classifying photos and assigning subject headings to them is not an easy feat and requires an infinitesimal number of criteria. A satisfying section of book reviews completes the journal. The enthusiasm that all the writers have for their topics is infectious; the information they impart is valuable, educational and should be of interest to librarians, scholars and students, bibliophiles and collectors alike. Carol R. Mitchell is Course Co-ordinator, Library Studies-Dis­ tance Education, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, and Assistant Editor of Education Libraries. French, .Jane. The Education of Girls: A Handbook tor Parents. London: Cassell Educational Limited, 1 990. 87 pp $9.95 pa. ISBN 0-304·32278·4 In an increasingly competitive world where unemployment, welfare, job loss and statistical indicators of individuals living below the poverty line are everyday topics, education should be a priority. Jane French focuses on this issue in The Education of Girls : A Handbook for Parents, one book in a series entitled Education Matters. While the inspiration for the series was the 1988 Education Reform Act which led to radical change in education in Britain, and -the statistics and examples cited are based on the British experience, the principles promulgated, such as the fostering of self-esteem, are applicable world-wide to both boys and girls. The stated aim of the series is "to present information about the challenges facing education in the remain­ der of the twentieth century in an authoritative but readable form." Women have made remarkable strides during the past cen­ tury. As a result, parents of girls are aware of the limitless opportunities potentially accessible to their daughters. As French points out, girls may enter into areas of employment which previously excluded women. In order to do so, however, French encourages parents to ensure the best possible education for their daughters so that they will be aware of all their options. She says that the education path followed should widen potential choices 23 - rather than limiting them. In addition, she shows parents how to work cooperatively within the education system and how to influence its development. Drawing from retrospective and current research in the field and personal experience and study, French offers basic, down to earth suggestions to parents on exploring and selecting the best possible education for their daughter. The six chapters include "Background Story" which briefly sets the scene by describing the current status of women and asking the question of how education can elevate this status. Chapters two to five provide the substantive material beginning with the developmental and learning years which cover the years from birth to the start of primary school. French outlines how society tends to treat boys differently from girls by encouraging different toys and clothing in books and television shows, depict­ ing males as active and females as passive. Following these developmental years, French addresses issues such as attention and discipline from teachers specific to primary school years. She defines primary years as " . . . crucial in establishing an orientation to work, and a view of oneself and others." Children, she feels, "need a positive attitude toward learning, a strong sense of self-worth and [a] developing aware­ ness of the qualities and needs of other people." Finally, French addresses the conflicts, issues, and problems which girls face during puberty and how these can be alleviated by placing the child in a supportive secondary school appropriate to their needs. While this volume is not an indepth, theoretical examination of education for girls, overall, it does meet its objective of being a readable practical guide for parents, stimulating interest and raising issues which they may not have thought about. Joanne Locke, Assistant Professor and Director of Library Stud­ ies Programme, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Morris, Betty, with Gillespie, �ohn T., and Spirt, Diana L . • Administering the School l.ibrary Media Center, 3rd ed. New �ersey: R.R. Bowker, 1 992. $41 .00 U.S. ISBN: 08352·30929 The last twenty years have brought enormous changes to computer technology, opening almost limitless possibilities for information access. To the library administator, this technology presents a daunting challenge. Here is an indispensible tool for meeting this challenge, whether it is the initiation of a school library media center or the updating of an existing resource. Building on their second edition of 1982, John T. Gillespie and Diana L. Spirt, in collaboration with computer expert Dr. Betty J. Morris, offer a complete , nuts and bolts guide to setting up, running and evaluating today's school library media center. With this book, both novice administrators and those well established will be lead, step-by-step, through all aspects of the school library media center as defined by new standards of the American Library Association and the Association of American School Librarians. Starting with a history of the school library media center, an excellent, in-depth look is taken at how an individual center functions, the services it offers and how it can be integrated into the academic program. Subsequent chapters examine how to establish tne media center's budget, how to define individual staff responsibilities, and how to plan and allocate the physical space. Each of these chapters offers a variety of tables, plans, and check lists to assist in the planning and execution of ideas. Attention is given to how policies and procedures are established for media selection and to practical points that should be considered when selecting material. Automation technology for the media center is looked at in detail starting with the base terminology and proceeding to the - 24 newest hardware and software being used today: CD-ROM, 0nline databases, library database systems and networks. The procedure of bidding for and purchasing of equipment and material is outlined and various utilities that could be used for cataloguing are considered. Specific managerial concerns are dealt with in depth: collection maintenance, record keeping, circulation technology and the pros and cons of automation. The importance of the ongoing evaluation of all aspects of the media center is addressed and handy tables are offered for use. Each chapter contains reference lists and bibliographies for further reading. Four appendices are included: Directory of State School Library Media Center Agencies; Directory of Associations and Agencies; Directory of Selected Library Furniture and Supply Houses and Key Documents (includes Freedom to View docu­ ment). Susan Tee is a Reference Librarian. Beaconsfield Public Library, Beaconsfield, Quebec, Canada.