This important book is a call to action for the library community to address the literacy and life outcome gaps impacting African American youth. It provides strategies that enable school and public librarians to transform their services, programs, and collections to be more responsive to the literacy strengths, experiences, and needs of African American youth. According to National Assessment of Educational Progress (NEAP), only 18 percent of African American fourth graders and 17 percent of African American eighth graders performed at or above proficiency in reading in 2013. This book draws on research from various academic fields to explore the issues surrounding African American literacy and to aid in developing culturally responsive school and library programs with the goal of helping to close the achievement gap and improve the quality of life for African American youth. The book merges the work of its three authors along with the findings of other researchers and practitioners, highlighting exemplary programs, such as the award-winning Pearl Bailey Library Program, the Maker Jawn initiative at the Free Library of Philadelphia, and the Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocate writing institute in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, among others. Readers will understand how these culturally responsive programs put theory and research-based best practices into local action and see how to adapt them to meet the needs of their communities.

Libraries and the organizations that provide services to them are devoting more attention to system-wide organization of collections—whether the ""system"" is a consortium, a region or a country. As a strategy for saving space and money while expanding access to additional materials and resources, the value of shared collections is indubitable. This collected volume from the Association of Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) spotlights the histories and experiences of several collaborations at academic libraries. Contributors share winning strategies for intentional decision-making in developing and managing shared collections, both print and digital, with expert guidance such as: analysis of six consortia case studies, ranging from giants like CIC and CARL to regional collaborations like the State of Maine and Manhattan research libraries elements to address in a memo of understanding among participating institutions risk assessment methodologies that enable institutions to focus local resources where they will provide the greatest return; and costs to anticipate for budgeting, such as collection analysis, space, validation, transport, staff, and administration . With practical advice on issues such as governance and business models, demand driven acquisition, rare works, and access, this monograph is a valuable resource for academic library directors, administrators, and collection development leaders.

This report presents 7 journalistic-style profile interviews with the directors of rare book collections at the Boston Public Library, Emory University, Washington University in St. Louis, the Ohio State University, Abe Books, University of Cincinnati, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.The directors of these collections discuss digitization, personnel, fundraising, exhibits, acquisitions, endowments, special events, security, university relations, and other issues of interest to rare book and document and special collection management in museums, libraries and colleges worldwide. The study includes a postscript on trends in collection security.

Collaboration involves a fusion of individual talents and skills through outreach and cooperation. And it is one of the key ingredients of a vibrant, successful library that is also relevant to the community it serves. But it doesn't just happen magically, and it's a challenge to kindle those original sparks of inspiration into a sustainable effort. Written by a team of librarians and community partners who themselves learned how to collaborate successfully, this uplifting book takes a fresh look at the essentials of how to nurture the best within ourselves and our colleagues in order to create lasting partnerships that will continue to thrive. Its breezy tone encourages reflection and discovery while giving practical suggestions on how to plan for short-term gains and long-term results. Questions and points to ponder included at the end of each chapter will facilitate discussion and planning. Helping you harness creative thinking and channel it into everyday work, this book: discusses why collaboration is so important and provides numerous tips for cultivating it; examines what to do when things go wrong, including techniques for generating patience and perseverance to help produce positive results;offers new ways to plan and implement, featuring guidance on how to establish a core group; explores ways to prioritize by starting with clear goals; describes the fundamentals of engaging with fellow staff and the wider community; and highlights ideas to spark curiosity that benefit everyone. An array of appendices with worksheets, examples, suggested readings, and other tools complete this celebration of collaboration, a book that will inspire effective communication and accountability within your organization and among community allies.

Whether they're students taking the traditional path of entering college from high school, or adult first-time or re-entry students, navigating the admissions and financial aid process can be overwhelming for the college bound. Public libraries can help provide information and guidance for a successful start, and this book shows how to do it. Incorporating insight gleaned from interviews with librarians serving college-bound patrons, this book includes: Checklists to help public libraries take stock of current services, programs, and resources for serving the college bound, with pointers on how to make improvements Tips for using, marketing, and expanding the collection effectively Ready-to-adapt program ideas Advice on shoring up support among stakeholders, overcoming objections, and taking advantage of outreach opportunities Worksheets to help library administrators evaluate staff skills and interests Reviews of online college-planning tools A directory of college-related organizations, publishers, resources, and education authority agencies With the assistance of this book, public libraries can provide truly outstanding service to this important population.

Establishing an awards program for self-published authors offers libraries new ways to bolster their relevance and expand upon their roles as curators and "keepers of story." This guide shows you how. For many reasons, up until now librarians have ignored the nearly half-million self-published books available for purchase. This book details how to find and promote librarian-curated, self-published books, covering every step in the process-from assembling a committee and recruiting judges to soliciting submissions, handling the nominated authors, judging the entries, and promoting the contest and contest winner. Written by the founding members of the Soon-to-be-Famous Illinois Author Project, the first librarian-curated award for self-published works, this book shows you how to use the process outlined by these library marketing professionals to run a successful author awards program. You can also apply their proven methods and tools to evaluate self-published books written by local authors that you are considering adding to your collections. Offers practical, step-by-step guidelines for librarians wishing to launch a librarian-curated, self-publishing author award program Inspires librarians to explore a new area of service and maintain their libraries' relevance Describes how to position librarians in a new leadership role with curation, eBooks, and self publishing to better engage their communities

Presenting beautifully illustrated picture book biographies, this book pairs narrative nonfiction biographies rich in language and illustrations with national content standards in the social studies, science, and the arts. The current focus on promoting nonfiction reading at all ages has brought to attention the value of narrative nonfiction in the form of new picture book biographies. But which of the thousands of these types of titles will have maximum teaching impact and be interesting to students? This book identifies the "best of the best" in new picture book biographies that are rich in language and illustrations and best support national content standards in science, social studies, and the arts. Written by authors with a combined experience of more than 50 years in teaching as well as extensive knowledge of children's literature and the review of such books, the book provides-in a single resource-the best in recently published picture book biographies that rely on primary and secondary sources, the best in storytelling styles, and the most engaging illustrations. The unit and lesson ideas within can be used as is or modified as needed. The selected biographies enable connections between the stories of individuals' lives in history and required areas of study. Provides more than 100 picture book biographies (primarily from 2010 to the present) that offer the newest in engaging literature Supplies lessons and units of instruction-including technology and web tools-that can be used to teach collaboratively with content area teachers Links directly to national content area standards to ensure rigorous teaching Provides clear evidence of the value of using higher-level picture books with middle grade students Lends the unique perspective of authors who hold graduate degrees in children's literature, have been book reviewers for many years, have presented at state and national conferences on children's literature, and possess extensive experience with review committees of children's resources at the state and national levels on the subject of determining the quality of books for children

Digitizing your collection is not only a great way to increase access to your materials, it also engages patrons on a whole new level and helps communicate your library's value. But with staff time and resources already spread thin, it can be a challenge to plan and undertake a digitization initiative. The good news is that public libraries across the country have done just that. Here, the authors share lessons and tips for success, showing the way to getting your collection online. With succinct and practical guidance that can be adapted to any size institution, this book explains why public libraries should take digitization seriously, listing key points that can be used to get stakeholders on board; points out what you should consider before undertaking a digitization project; discusses copyright and other access-related issues; shows how public libraries are handling funding and finding collaborative partners; shares ways that libraries have used digitization projects for community outreach and to promote collections; and offers advice on marketing and media. Many libraries across the country have found ways to create wonderful digital collections, and this book shows you how you can too.

Written by a popular performer and well-known storyteller, this entertaining compendium reveals the secrets for suspenseful storytelling and features 25 spooky stories for audiences of all ages. Experienced performer and artist Dianne de Las Casas coaches students and adults in the art of telling scary stories. The book details de Las Casas's process for becoming a master storyteller and offers ways you can establish trust with audiences, provides tips for telling spooky tales, and shares methods for managing audience participation. Each of the 25 included stories is accompanied by one of various identifying icons, with selections ranging from suspenseful to comical to thrilling-foregoing those stories that contain gore or the grotesque. A brief section explains the benefits of scary stories, such as providing a safe way to exercise and develop our fear system, strengthening our coping skills by desensitizing us to unpleasant things, and building caution for actual frightening situations. Each tale is illustrated with a "scare-o-meter," an icon that rates how frightening the story is and identifies the most appropriate audiences for its telling. Explains the tangible benefits of scary stories to young audiences Includes source notes for story adaptations Provides a list of both print and web story resources Offers stories ranging from suspenseful to comical to thrilling Rates how scary each story is and for which audience it is intended

This practical and thorough guide offers clear explanations of what transmedia storytelling is and shows how it can be integrated into library programming that fosters multimodal literacy with K-12 learners. When fictional worlds are brought to life in multiple media-via books and comics or through films, animated shorts, television, audio recordings, and games-it is called "transmedia storytelling." Transmedia storytelling offers children's and teen librarians at public libraries, K-12 school librarians, and educators an effective method for bringing story to youth-a perfect fit for today's media-saturated environment. This book demonstrates how to create new pathways to the future of stories and storytelling. The book serves as a guide to integrating transmedia storytelling into library programs and services. It defines transmedia storytelling, identifies the key connections between it and 21st-century learning, discusses the role of librarians and libraries in supporting and promoting transmedia storytelling, and provides concrete examples of transmedia programs. The suggested programs-ranging from transmedia storytimes for early literacy learners to maker programs for young adults-can be implemented with different levels of technology capabilities and within numerous library settings. In addition, the book offers practical advice on technology planning for libraries that plan to incorporate transmedia storytelling. Offers the first practical guide to transmedia storytelling that gives librarians new ways to create excitement in the library, engage learners, and foster multiple literacies Provides complete, step-by-step guidelines for transmedia-rich library programs Introduces new areas of research and best practices in technology integration wholly applicable to libraries Covers topics such as new literacies, participatory storytelling, learning through gamification, maker programs, using digital badges to motivate young learners, and more

This book shows you how, even with a tight budget and limited space, you can foster "maker mentality" in your library and help patrons reap the learning benefits of making-with or without a makerspace. Just because your library is small or limited on funds doesn't mean you can't be part of the maker movement. This book explains that what is really important about the movement is not the space, but the creativity, innovation, and resilience that go along with a successful maker program. All it takes is making some important changes to a library's programs, services, and collections to facilitate the maker mentality in their patrons, and this book shows you how. The author explains what a maker is, why this movement is important, and how making fits in with educational initiatives such as STEM and STEAM as well as with library service. Her book supplies practical advice for incorporating the principles of the maker movement into library services-how to use small spaces or mobile spaces to accommodate maker programs, creating passive maker programs, providing access to making through circulating maker tools, partnering with other organizations, hosting maker faires, and more. Readers will better understand their instructional role in cultivating makers by human-centered design thinking, open source and shared learning, and implementation of an inquiry approach. Offers librarians creative ways to become involved in the exciting maker movement and encourage maker mentality among patrons Presents an approach through which any library, no matter their size or budget, can participate Speaks to all ages, experience levels, and educational levels Fills a gap in the literature by providing libraries with limited resources the means to offer maker opportunities

From hosting authors to planning and coordinating book activities such as book signings and book clubs, libraries are perfect venues for readers to interact directly with authors and their books. And mounting literary programming can be easier than you might think. In this guide Booklist's Brad Hooper inspires, encourages, and advises librarians in providing a wide range of programming that targets their communities of book lovers. Incorporating interviews from librarians in the field who share insider tips, this resource includes step-by-step guidance adaptable to any type of audience, from children and teens to millennials and older adults; shows how to plan author readings, coordinate book signings, and put together and moderate an author panel; offers marketing and outreach pointers, including interviewing authors for local radio, library podcasts, or webinars; lays out the nuts-and-bolts of organizing and hosting book clubs, with suggestions for facilitating book group discussions; presents ideas for creating displays of "staff favorites" and other ways to get staff involved and engaged; and explores programs for community-wide book events, such as "One Book, One City." Using this guide, libraries can connect book lovers eager to learn about recent and noteworthy books to authors and fellow book lovers.

Learn how to use rotating multimedia learning stations, employing databases, websites, education apps, videos, audio podcasts, online games, books, and more to build a strong, collaborative library program that helps you strengthen student understanding of the research process. Libraries across America are losing funding and suffering from cuts in positions and programs. The process presented here will help you increase library use and prove that school libraries-and librarians-are a necessity. Written for middle and secondary school librarians, the book provides a guide to using standards-based and content-focused learning stations in the library to facilitate instruction and strengthen students' research skills. You'll learn what multimedia stations are, why they should be used, and how to use them to enhance and extend direct instruction. Plus, the book breaks down the steps for building sets of stations and shows you how to organize and implement them for maximum impact. In addition to describing the "hows," the book provides sound arguments for why multimedia learning stations work. The method ensures that students gain continued practice with resources and build the skills and dispositions you want them to have. It also increases the amount of collaboration you'll have with teachers and enhances your interactions with and influence on your students. Teacher and student testimonials are interspersed throughout the book, and appendices offer you specific examples from which to draw. Details what multimedia learning stations are and the reasons they should be used in the middle and secondary school library Features unique content designed for use in middle and high school libraries Shares detailed, step-by-step instructions on how you can design, develop, and implement multimedia learning stations and keep them organized and current States the applicable AASL Standards for the 21st-Century Learner for each set of multimedia learning stations Includes detailed appendices of multiple sets of multimedia learning stations that are ready to be used in collaboration with English, history, math, and science classes in the library

This edited collection explores critical literacy theory and provides practical guidance to how it can be taught and applied in libraries. Critical literacy asks fundamental questions about our understanding of knowledge. Unlike more conventional approaches to literacy and resource evaluation, with critical literacy there is no single 'correct' way to read and respond to a text or resource. A commitment to equity and social justice sets critical literacy apart from many other types of literacy and links it to wider societal debates, such as internationalization, community cohesion and responses to disability. The book provides a foundation of critical literacy theory, as applied to libraries; combines theory and practice to explore critical literacy in relation to different user groups, and offers practical ways to introduce critical literacy approaches in libraries. Contributed to by international experts from across library sectors, the book covers topics including: radical information literacy as an approach to critical literacy education critical literacy and mature students physical and digital disability access in libraries teaching critical literacy skills in a multicultural, multilingual school community teaching media literacy developing critical literacy skills in an online environment new media and critical literacy. Critical Literacy for Information Professionals also contains a series of practically-focussed case studies that describe tools or approaches that librarians have used to engage users in critical literacy. Drawing on examples from across library sectors including schools, public libraries, universities, workplaces and healthcare, these illustrate how critical literacy can be applied across a variety of library settings, including online and new media environments. Accessible to those with little knowledge of critical literacy, while also introducing debates and ideas to those with more experience of the field, this book will be essential reading for librarians, information professionals and managers in all sectors, students of library and information science, school and higher education teachers and researchers.

Aligned with the Common Core, this book enables teachers and librarians to develop lessons and workshops as well as to teach high school students how to research and write a humanities paper using a guided inquiry approach. Being able to use the inquiry process to successfully research, write, and prepare papers and others types of presentations is not only necessary for a student's preparation for collegiate work, but is truly a requisite life skill. This book provides a solid guided inquiry curriculum for cultivating the skills needed to properly investigate a subject in the humanities, interrogate both textual and non-textual sources, interpret the information, develop an understanding of the topic, and effectively communicate one's findings. It is a powerful and practical guide for high school humanities teachers, school librarians, community college humanities teachers and librarians, and early college-level humanities instructors as well as for high school and college students who want to learn how to conduct and write up humanities research. Part one comprises a teacher's practicum that explains the power of guided inquiry. Part two contains student's workshops with instructions and materials to conduct a guided humanities project and paper on the high school level. The third part provides materials for a professional development session for this assignment as well as assessment tools and other supplementary materials such as student handouts. Based on the authors' 15 years' experience in teaching guided inquiry, the 20 workshops in the book use a step-by-step, constructivist strategy for teaching a sophisticated humanities project that enables college readiness. Presents 20 workshops that provide deep detail in humanities study, interrogation of sources, note taking, and developing the research question Includes teachers' practicums that explain guided inquiry and humanities study Explains methods that will enable students to learn how to interrogate drama, photos, art, artifacts, garments, music, political cartoons, speech, fiction, and nonfiction Describes the Information Search Process within the structures of a step-by-step workshop environment that serves both research and writing

Covering the most common subject specialties and departmental liaison roles found in colleges and universities, this guide is for early- and mid-career librarians looking to move up in their chosen specialty as well as for established academic librarians interested in changing fields or for librarians taking on liaison roles in areas outside their expertise. Becoming a subject specialist is a rewarding career path for academic librarians: it allows you to pursue intellectual passions as well as move up in the organization. In this practical guide, experienced academic and research librarians describe how to succeed in various subject fields, presenting expert perspectives on the coursework, work experience, and core knowledge necessary for librarians interested in joining their specialty areas. For each specialty, an expert identifies useful or necessary coursework, provides insights on work and internship experiences, and pinpoints core knowledge areas necessary for success. The chapters offer valuable advice for early- and mid-career librarians on how to advance their career goals through building relevant skills, professional development, networking, and participating in professional associations. This book is crucial reading for library and information science students—and those who teach and advise them—as well as new librarians preparing for their careers and mid-career-changers.

This book explains the concept of adding value and shows staff at libraries and other organizations why they need to take steps now to ensure they are adding new value to their communities-whether it be a local town or neighborhood, a faculty and student body, or a school. Value is at the core of every organization's purpose. Without value, organizations die. Libraries-as well as museums, archives, and galleries-have traditionally added value to their communities through their collections and services, but yesterday's collections and services are no longer enough. In order to remain sustainable, today's libraries, archives, museums, and galleries must explore new ways to add value that resonate in the lives of their customers. This unique book explains how addressing the "5 C's" of adding value-content, context, connection, collaboration, and community-enables organizations to find new ways to invigorate their services, better serve their communities, and thrive today and tomorrow. It addresses adding value in the context of other key topics, such as crowdsourcing, embedded librarianship, makerspaces, self publishing, and repurposing spaces. Filled with charts, tables, screenshots, and other visual representation, this is a useful and provocative guide that anyone interested in vesting in the successful future of libraries, archives, and museums needs to read. Helps managers and administrators create long-range plans for sustainability and growth Offers real-life models of libraries that have successfully implemented concepts of the value-added organization Fills a gap in the literature as the only book written specifically for librarians on the topic of adding value Presents important information and guidance for those who work in all types of libraries, archives, and museums as well as administrators, board members, and other stakeholders who are interested in the future of these vital community resources Includes color charts, website screenshots, and other visual representations that clarify key concepts and points

Laying the Foundation: Digital Humanities in Academic Libraries examines the library's role in the development, implementation, and instruction of successful digital humanities projects. It pays special attention to the critical role of librarians in building sustainable programs. It also examines how libraries can support the use of digital scholarship tools and techniques in undergraduate education. Academic libraries are nexuses of research and technology; as such, they provide fertile ground for cultivating and curating digital scholarship. However, adding digital humanities to library service models requires a clear understanding of the resources and skills required. Integrating digital scholarship into existing models calls for a reimagining of the roles of libraries and librarians. In many cases, these reimagined roles call for expanded responsibilities, often in the areas of collaborative instruction and digital asset management, and in turn these expanded responsibilities can strain already stretched resources. Laying the Foundation provides practical solutions to the challenges of successfully incorporating digital humanities programs into existing library services. Collectively, its authors argue that librarians are critical resources for teaching digital humanities to undergraduate students and that libraries are essential for publishing, preserving, and making accessible digital scholarship.

What is content marketing? Simply put, it's the most effective way to increase your value to customers. When you deliver content that library users find useful and relevant, you give a compelling answer to their question, "What's in it for me?" Author of the best-selling book The Librarian's Nitty-Gritty Guide to Social Media, Solomon speaks directly to public relations personnel, web librarians, and other staff responsible for the library's online presence. Filled with nuts-and-bolts advice on how to increase the library's value to its users, her guide: defines the essential characteristics of effective content marketing; explores methods of audience assessment; demonstrates how to optimize content for sharing; explains the elements of an editorial calendar for sustainable content, and shows how to create once and re-purpose many times; describes meaningful metrics for the library context; points out 5 common mistakes and how to avoid them; provides a template for creating personas; and includes first-hand accounts from library marketers . Making content marketing concepts bite-sized and easily digestible, this guide shows libraries how to market effectively by focusing on what library users find useful and relevant.

This essential guide has exactly the right books to help you celebrate special days throughout the year-even "holidays" you've never heard of-and provides hundreds of fun titles and activities that could inspire your students to become life-long readers. Young students need to continually be presented with a vast variety of types of books, authors, illustrators, and subject matter in order to find the perfect concept or image that sparks their imagination, takes their comprehension to a new level, or helps them turn the corner to becoming a book lover. Nancy J. Polette's The Picture Book Almanac: Picture Books and Activities to Celebrate 365 Familiar and Unusual Holidays can be used year-round as a key to open that great literary treasure vault. The books Polette has painstakingly selected for their value as learning opportunities tie into both familiar and unusual holidays, ranging from official, nationally recognized holidays to obscure ones such as Milk Day and Thesaurus Day. The daily featured book titles cover the classics, such as books in the Paddington Bear series and Cinderella to outstanding current and just-published titles, collectively representing the best choices for collection building over time. This book is an excellent tool for collection development as well as an indispensable resource for reading teachers and classroom teachers. Includes more than 365 recommended picture books selected for their genuine worth as well as for their diversity Offers fun, quick, and easily completed activities coordinated to daily holidays throughout the year Provides a useful resource for anyone who works with young children in schools, public libraries, or in the home, for those new to picture books and experienced veterans alike Helps educators to stress the joy of reading and enable students to learn new and interesting things every day of the year

Academic and public libraries are continuing to transform as the information landscape changes, expanding their missions into new service roles that call for improved organizational performance and accountability. Since Assessing Service Quality premiered in 1998, receiving the prestigious Highsmith Library Literature Award, scores of library managers and administrators have trusted its guidance for applying a customer-centered approach to service quality and performance evaluation. This extensively revised and updated edition explores even further the ways technology influences both the experiences of library customers and the ways libraries themselves can assess those experiences. With a clear focus on real-world application, the authors: Challenge conventional thinking about the utility of input, output, and performance metrics by suggesting new ways to think about the evaluation and assessment of library services; Explain service quality and customer satisfaction, and demonstrate how they are separate but intertwined; Identify procedures for qualitatively and quantitatively measuring both service quality and satisfaction; Encourage libraries to take action by presenting concrete steps they can take to become more customer-centric; Offer a range of customer-related metrics that provide insights useful for library planning and decision making, such as surveys and focus groups. This book shows how to nurture an environment of continuous improvement through effective service quality assessment.

Want to keep the momentum going after a successful teen event? That "one off" can easily be turned into a popular monthly club that will keep young adults coming back. Alessio, co-author of the bestsellers A Year of Programs for Teens and A Year of Programs for Teens 2, and Booth, coeditor of The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services, show you how. Designed to be used in school or public library settings, this uniquely themed program guide: Offers guidance on how to handle summer, winter and year-round reading programs, with activities ranging from easy to elaborate Provides activities useful for libraries with monthly teen clubs as well as those who want to plan occasional fun events Saves planning time and offers maximum flexibility by cross-referencing programs by themes, allowing one program to be used with different audiences Includes resource lists, readlikes, tips for success, and lessons learned from programs that went awry Whether you're a teen program novice or simply want to make your existing programming more effective, the club programs presented here will make teens excited to return to your library week after week.