Child prostitution as filial duty? The morality of child-rearing in a slum community in Thailand

It has been claimed that there are universal goals of child-rearing, such as survival of the child or the promotion of their capacity to contribute to economic and social reproduction. Yet in certain circumstances parents appear to pursue child-rearing practices that actively harm children, threaten their survival and inhibit their ability to grow up to be effective adult members of their communities. This article will discuss these issues in the case of one group of child prostitutes in Thailand and their families at a particular point in time. Although the work they did was physically dangerous and difficult, both parents and children claimed that their families were loving and functional and that selling sex was a way to keep the family together. Morality was seen in terms of reciprocity rather than sexual transgression and this article will explore the morality of child-rearing in this context and the relationships between family members.     

Report from Libraries in the Digital Age (LIDA), June 13–17, 2016, Zadar,Croatia

ABSTRACT

Libraries in the Digital Age (LIDA) 2016 takes place every 2 years, and was held this year at the University of Zadar, in Zadar, Croatia, from June 13–17, 2016. Each LIDA, two themes are chosen in advance. This year, the themes were “Digital Curation and Preservation: Current Trends and Research” and “Use Studies, Education, and Training for Digital Library Collections.” A presentation of each theme by university professors and subsequent keynotes relevant to each theme by two world-renowned experts provided context and ensured a shared perspective among LIDA attendees. Conference-goers were presented a balanced approach to theoretical and practical questions in a number of areas of digital libraries, including the presentation of research on information seeking practices among special communities, data mining projects, the exploration of platforms and experiences, and digitization. Additionally, a number of the contributed papers, panels, demonstrations, and workshops spanned the two themes, making for not only an informative conference, but also a particularly rich and coherent experience for attendees. Opportunities for junior researchers were numerous, with the conference priding itself on the mentorship opportunities available. In 2018, you might find yourself tempted to see what LIDA is all about; if you do, you will no doubt find yourself in a breath-taking venue along the Croatian coast surrounded by engaged, supportive, and collaborative researchers and professionals from around the world – in my opinion, you won't regret it.     

History of Communication Technology

Antonio Meucci 1808–1889 by Marco Nese and Francesco Nicotra (Italy/Italy Magazine, 150 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10011—price not given, ISBN not provided)

The Spirit of Independent Telephony by Charles A. Pleasance (Independent Telephone Books, PO Box 321, Johnson City, TN 37601—$29.50, ISBN 0-9622205-0-7)

Video Recording Technology: Its Impact on Media and Home Entertainment by Aaron Foisi Nmungwun (Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1989—$49.95/$24.95, ISBN 0-0858-0360-2 hard, and 0-8058-0622-9 paper)

Communication Satellites: Their Development and Impact by Heather E. Hudson (New York: Free Press, 1990—$24.95, ISBN 0-02-915320-4)     

How to Be Engaging: Recreational Reading and Readers' Advisory in the Academic Library

The Future Voices in Public Services column is a forum for students in graduate library and information science programs to discuss key issues they see in academic library public services, to envision what they feel librarians in public service have to offer to academia, to tell us of their visions for the profession, or to tell us of research that is going on in library schools. We hope to provide fresh perspectives from those entering our field in both the United States and other countries. Interested faculty of graduate library and information science programs who would like their students' ideas represented in these pages are invited to contact Nancy H. Dewald at nxd7@psu.edu.

Heather Nicholson is a recent graduate of the Library and Information Science program at the University of Western Ontario. Here she discusses leisure reading and readers' advisory in academic libraries.

The Master of Library and Information Science program at University of Western Ontario aims to graduate qualified professionals with a thorough knowledge of theory and practice in library and information science. The program is at the graduate level because professional activity in this area is based not just on traditional and current practices but also on theory that has been tested and supported by research. We strive to maintain and improve our national and international stature in research and education through multidisciplinary programs delivered by faculty members with a wide range of scholarly interests and qualifications. Through our optional co-op program, students gain exposure to the professional environment, an opportunity to use and develop newly acquired skills, and practical experience in the field.     

Disability and accessibility in the library and information science literature: A content analysis

The library profession is a strong and vocal proponent of increased information access for people with disabilities. With the discipline's longstanding interest in the subject of services to people with disabilities, questions arise about how the profession perceives the phenomenon. How is library and information science (LIS), as a discipline, conceptualizing disability and accessibility? A content analysis of the LIS literature was conducted to examine this question. The literature provides a fertile ground for study as it reflects the profession's approaches to, and perceptions of, a topic. This research identifies the major issues and trends in the research about accessibility and disability in the LIS literature throughout a 10-year period, 2000–2010. The strongest theme in the literature is accessibility as it relates to web, database, and software, while the prevailing disability of focus is visual disabilities. The overall environment emphasizes technology more than attitudinal aspects associated with disabilities. The research could benefit from increased direct participation of people with disabilities.     

Historical memory and the importance of the Bracero Project in the struggles of trabajadores migrantes today

The author undertook a field study at the Centro de los Trabajadores Agrvcolas Fronterizos (Center for Border Agricultural Workers, or CTAF) in El Paso, Texas, while she was a student on the Border Studies Program in the fall of 2000. This ethnography treats the theme of the connections between institutionalized racism and the suppression of historical memory, with specific reference to the Bracero Program. It also examines what roles ''outsiders'' can play in progressive political movements.     

The Current Status of Graduate Training in Suicide Risk Assessment

Directors and coordinators (n = 75) of graduate programs in school psychology approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) were surveyed regarding their training practices in suicide risk assessment. Respondents viewed the assessment of suicide risk as an important part of graduate instruction, and most believed that students completing training at their institutions would be adequately prepared to perform this task. Almost all directors indicated that a portion of class lectures was dedicated to addressing child/adolescent suicide risk assessment, and students were reportedly exposed to this topic in multiple courses, particularly those associated with practicum and internship. Students in doctoral and nondoctoral programs received comparable training and were judged to be equally prepared to perform suicide‐related professional activities in the schools. Gaps in training were revealed involving instruction in the use of quantitative measures of risk, large‐scale suicide prevention efforts, interventions with suicidal youth, and postvention activities.     

Evaluating the impact of early years educational reform in Wales to age seven: the potential use of the UK Millennium Cohort Study

Early years education has received considerable attention in recent years, particularly as a result of longitudinal studies that demonstrate the importance of the first few years in a child’s development and educational experience. In 2004, a new approach to early years education, the Foundation Phase, was introduced in Wales. This is a major flagship policy of the recently devolved Welsh Government, and marks a radical departure from the more assessment-driven competency-based approaches to early childhood education that existed prior to the Foundation Phase. Studying approximately 2000 children in Wales who are part of the UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), all born in 2000–2001 we investigate the potential impact of the Foundation Phase pilot on a range of key academic and well-being outcome measures. Compared with other children, those attending a Foundation Phase pilot school tended to have lower scores in a number of academic assessments at age seven and lower subjective well-being, in terms of their attitudes to learning and well-being at school. We consider these surprising, yet concerning, results in the context of the methodological limitations to this analysis and propose how the MCS can be further used to substantiate these findings.     

Serving the preschool gifted child: Programming and resources

Highlighting the unique educational needs of gifted and high ability preschoolers, this article guides the reader to consider the characteristics of young gifted children along with appropriate assessment practices in planning educational programming. A triarchic approach to programs and services for gifted preschoolers is outlined with major emphases on an integrated curriculum, ongoing evaluation, and parental involvement. Specific strategies including internet resources are described to guide practitioners in providing optimal learning environments for this distinctive student population.