Valenza, Joyce Kasman 1954-

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VALENZA, Joyce Kasman 1954-

PERSONAL: Born March 28, 1954; daughter of Martin and Laura Kasman; married Dennis John Valenza, November 20, 1976; children: Emily Jane, Matthew Francis. Education: State University of New York at Binghamton, B.A., 1975; Queens College, M.L.S., 1976; attended graduate courses at Villanova University and Chestnut Hill College; doctoral work at University of North Texas.

ADDRESSES: Office—Springfield Township High School, 1801 East Paper Mill Rd., Erdenheim, PA 19038. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA, readers' services librarian, 1976–77; Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, branch manager of children's and adult services, 1977–88; Wissahickon School District, Ambler, PA, librarian, beginning 1989; Springfield Township High School, Erdenheim, PA, library information specialist, 1998–. Developer of instructional video series, Schlessinger Library/Video Company, 1998–2004.

MEMBER: International Society for Technology in Education (officer, 2002–), American Library Association, American Association of School Librarians, Young Adult Library Services Association, Pennsylvania School Librarians Association.

AWARDS, HONORS: John Simon Community Service Award, Lawncrest Kiwanis, 1988; Rising Star award, Classroom Connect magazine, 1996; National Educator Award, Milken Family Foundation, 1997, 1998; Fullbright fellowship, 1998; American Memory fellowship, Library of Congress, 1998, Association of Architecture School Librarians Highsmith research grant, 2005; Pennsylvania School Librarians Association Individual School Library Program of the Year honoree, 2005; named Queens College School of Library and Information Sciences Alumna of the Year, 2005.

WRITINGS:

Power Tools: 100+ Essential Forms and Presentations for Your School Library Information Program, illustrated by Emily Valenza, American Library Association (Chicago, IL), 1998.

Power Research Tools: Learning Activities and Posters, illustrated by Emily Valenza, American Library Association (Chicago, IL), 2003.

Power Tools Recharged: 125+ Essential Forms and Presentations for Your School Library Information Program, illustrated by Emily Valenza, American Library Association (Chicago, IL), 2004.

Super Searchers Go to School: Sharing Effective Online Strategies with K-12 Students, Teachers and Librarians, CyberAge Books (Medford, NJ), 2005.

Contributor to periodicals, including Classroom Connect, School Library Journal, Voice of Youth Advocates, Learning and Leading with Technology, Media and Methods, Technology Connection, Book Report, and Multimedia Schools. Author of "Techlife@school" column for Philadelphia Inquirer, "Cybrarian's" column for Electronic Learning, and "Technol-ogy Tag Team" column for Voice of Youth Advocates. Contributor to books, including Student Cheating and Plagiarism in the Internet Era: A Wakeup Call, 2nd edition, Lathrop and Foss, and Youth Information Seeking Behavior, edited by Mary Kay Chelton and Colleen Cool.

SIDELIGHTS: Joyce Kasman Valenza is an award-winning library information specialist with a library career spanning four decades. Her invaluable experience in the school library setting led to the publication of the "Power Tools" series, compilations of forms, handouts, posters, activities, and organizing materials meant to assist the school librarian in all aspects of his or her job. Power Tools Recharged: 125+ Essential Forms and Presentations for Your School Library Information Program, for example, includes everything from templates for library passes and digital slide-shows for literacy-related presentations to reading interest surveys and instructions for running a library scavenger hunt.

Kliatt contributor Paula Rohrlick described Power Tools Recharged as "a terrific resource for all school librarians, particularly those in middle and high schools." Referring to Power Research Tools: Learning Activities and Posters, Jo Ellen Misakian wrote in a Teacher Librarian review that "this is a case of 'preaching what you practice' and Joyce Valenza is extremely qualified to 'preach' on this subject." In a review for School Library Journal, Susan Shaver called the compilation of learning activities and posters "an invaluable resource" and "a powerful collection of useful lessons, rubrics, graphic organizers, and curriculum designed to help students become successful users of information."

Valenza told CA: "In the mid-'80s I discovered the role technology could play in education. As I spoke to all the players, it was clear to me that folks were speaking two different languages. The geeks, with whom I began to identify, spoke a language an audience of parents and educators needed to understand. I wanted to bridge that chasm. I began writing with the intention of being a connector, someone who might translate what was important about technology into concepts, principles, problems, and solutions.

"I write the hard way. I feel a need to master an area and I tend to over-master it. For my newspaper column I interview too many experts. I read both the popular and academic literature. I consistently find myself whittling thirty pages into 750 words.

"My writing to this point has been practical. My goal has always been to interpret the world of technology. When I write for educators and librarians I look to create a doable vision for the professions, to explain what works, how it might work better, and to keep my eye on the 'next big thing' that would truly be of value to learners."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, August, 1998, Kay Weisman, review of Power Tools: 100+ Essential Forms and Presentations for Your School Library Information Program, p. 2021.

Kliatt, September, 2004, Paula Rohrlick, review of Power Tools Recharged: 125+ Essential Forms and Presentations for Your School Library Information Program, p. 44.

School Library Journal, August, 2003, Susan Shaver, review of Power Research Tools: Learning Activities and Posters, p. 191.

Teacher Librarian, February, 2004, Jo Ellen Misakian, review of Power Research Tools, p. 35.