Incorporating outcome-based planning and evaluation is critical when developing new programs and services. In this step-by-step patron-centered guide, three experts who have conducted extensive research share their findings and proven strategies: Generate results that support funding - be it governmental or grant-based; Get buy-in and participation from young library users; Improve communications between staff and customers, and among staff; and Garner immense user benefits with minimal effort. Using this method and selecting the level of effort allow libraries to refine existing services and make program improvements incrementally, based on what their audience wants and needs.

Navigating what at she calls the ""extravagantly rich world of nonfiction,"" renowned readers' advisor (RA) Wyatt builds readers' advisory bridges from fiction to compelling and increasingly popular nonfiction to encompass the library's entire collection. She focuses on eight popular categories: history, true crime, true adventure, science, memoir, food/cooking, travel, and sports. Within each, she explains the scope, popularity, style, major authors and works, and the subject's position in readers' advisory interviews.Wyatt addresses who is reading nonfiction and why, while providing RAs with the tools and language to incorporate nonfiction into discussions that point readers to what to read next. In easy-to-follow steps, Wyatt explains the hows and whys of offering fiction and nonfiction suggestions together; illustrates ways to get up to speed fast in nonfiction; shows how to lead readers to a variety of books using her ""read-around"" and ""reading map"" strategies; and provides tools to build nonfiction subject guides for the collection.This hands-on guide includes nonfiction bibliography, key authors, benchmark books with annotations, and core collections. It is destined to become the nonfiction 'bible' for readers' advisory and collection development, helping librarians, library workers, and patrons select great reading from the entire library collection!

Inside, Outside, and Online provides practical advice and inspiration for building community with your library. Based on a scan of the community and technology environments that libraries operate within, related literature, and the practical experiences of hundreds of library staff actively building communities through their work, the book provides much-needed insights into the essential elements of community building through: identifying user needs and designing services to meet those needs; engaging communities with service selection, creation, and iteration; and, utilizing practical new technologies. Whatever your role, and whatever size or type of library, the principles outlined here can support anyone working to build a strong community of engaged, interested, and satisfied library users.

In ""Marketing Today's Academic Library"", Brian Mathews uses his vast experience to speak directly to the academic library practitioner about matching services with user needs. This book proposes new visions and ideas, challenging the traditional way of thinking and providing a framework to target users more precisely. Most library marketing intended for undergraduates promotes the collection, reference and instructional service, and occasional events such as guest speakers or exhibits. The guiding principle of ""Marketing Today's Academic Library"" is that marketing should focus on the lifestyle of the user, showcasing how the library fits within the daily life of the student. Mathews' personal and compelling presentation will assist readers in: challenging and rethinking their marketing strategies; demonstrating their value through applied relevance; and, focusing on the needs of the student and their expectations. Written in a concise and engaging manner that speaks to popular anxiety points about new marketing techniques, this book is filled with tips and strategies that academic librarians can use to communicate with students, surpassing their expectations of their library experience.

In Rose Zertuche Trevino's ""Read Me a Rhyme in Spanish and English"", programming ideas abound for librarians who have bilingual patrons and wish to present reading programs for children for whom Spanish is the spoken language at home. The bilingual programs are for children of all ages: babies to primary school children. The program material presented originates from Latin culture, engaging those patrons for whom the nursery rhymes are new, as well as for older children and parents for whom the rhymes are old favorites. ""Read Me a Rhyme in Spanish and English"" includes thorough directions, as well as the text for various sounds and read-alouds, written in both English and Spanish. Users will also discover: fresh ideas and resources for implementing bilingual storytimes; eight program plans with chapters specific to target audience; and, two bibliographies filled with additional resources, including both paper and music titles for use with bilingual programs. The ready-made storytimes included in this unique bilingual book is a must-have for any library serving the Spanish-speaking. Filled with rhymes, songs, and fingerplays, this book will become a favorite among your young patrons both in English and Spanish!

This book offers novice and experienced reference librarians an introduction to tried-and-true genealogy techniques and resources. With the help of four case studies, Simpson outlines a basic starting strategy for conducting genealogy research. Later chapters deal specifically with genealogical librarianship: how to conduct a reference interview, continuing and professional development, and basic resources every collection should have. Charts, screen shots, and examples of public documents are also included; while a series of appendices present the case studies in their entirety.

Genealogy is one of the most popular hobbies in the United States, and is heavily researched in public libraries and historical repositories. Increasingly, major genealogy resources are available online at libraries through subscription databases or free on the internet. As a result, librarians face the overwhelming task of helping a large audience of genealogists cope with an ever growing flood of new resources.

This book offers novice and experienced reference librarians an introduction to tried-and-true genealogy techniques and resources. With the help of four case studies, Simpson outlines a basic starting strategy for conducting genealogy research. Later chapters deal specifically with genealogical librarianship: how to conduct a reference interview, continuing and professional development, and basic resources every collection should have. Charts, screen shots, and examples of public documents are also included; while a series of appendices present the case studies in their entirety.

Build your teen community with a program that's irresistible--a teen writing club. Teens have primal urges to create and to connect. Now you can tap into those urges with the help of this comprehensive, step-by-step guide to creating a teen writing club in the school or public library. Featuring creative writing activities, with detailed planning advice, coaching tips, and culminating in performance/publishing ideas, this book makes it easy for you to create a place where teen writers connect with one another through words--written, spoken, sung, or even howled. Grades 6-12

It's not your grandmother's crafting projects! Instead, hip librarians as well as their teen patrons can engage in the hottest new DIY way of life, recycling everything from discarded books to Altoids tins.Getting hands-on and making the coolest crafts can be a way to encourage teens' individuality and growing sense of self. Whether projects are used for teen programs, to decorate the library's public teen space, or for a personal style statement, these are cutting-edge, must-do celebrations of creativity and innovation from two book- and library-loving crafters.Reflecting the true style and personality of hipster YA librarians and the teens they serve, this practical guide: offers detailed step-by-step instructions for a dozen unique craft items; provides one-page reproducible how-to handouts for each craft project; illustrates each step with photos; outlines tools and materials lists for smooth-running craft programs; and, is supplemented by the authors' online resources, including a blog.The authors' focus on recycled no-cost and low-cost materials addresses most libraries' budget constraints. These craft sessions offer a unique way for teens to claim their identities and gain confidence - at the library!

Supplying contributions from Latino librarian practitioners across the nation, this anthology provides broad coverage of the subject of Latino/Spanish speaking library service in the United States. Emphasizing public, school, and academic libraries, Pathways to Progress: Issues and Advances in Latino Librarianship taps the leading minds of the Latino library world to provide expert discourse on a wide spectrum of library services to Latino patrons in the United States. This collection of articles provides an accurate, insightful discussion of the issues and advances in Latino library service. Coverage of library service to the Latino community includes subjects such as special collections, recruitment and mentoring, leadership, collection development, reference services to gays and lesbians, children services, and special library populations. Contributors include library practitioners who are of Mexican, Chilean, Peruvian, Nicaraguan, Puerto Rican, and Cuban descent. Best practices are presented and explained in-depth with practical examples and documented citations.

Digital stories are brief multi-modal digital videos, which libraries can use to engage their staff members with one another, to market library services and collections, to attract donors, and most importantly, to engage students and faculty with the library. Fields and Diaz address the "how-tos" of creating digital stories, as well as the challenges of building a digital storytelling program and creating partnerships across campus. Of primary interest to academic librarians and instructional technology staff.

Baseball fans have long appreciated the value of keeping a scorecard, both as a record of the game and a predictor of future outcomes. What if we told you the same principle works for libraries? The "Balanced Scorecard" is a performance measurement tool first popularized by Robert Kaplan and David Norton (who also penned the foreword to this book) in a 1993 Harvard Business Review article. It involves matching a variety of measures with one or more expected values--from each of four perspectives (financial, customer, internal process, and organizational readiness)--tracking results, and analyzing any variance between them. As in baseball, organizations come away with both a snapshot of the present and a sense of where they are headed. Evaluation expert Joe Matthews has taken this basic model and, in six carefully illustrated steps, shows how any public library, regardless of size, can more effectively focus its resources, assess strategic impact, and in so doing better serve its community.

This introductory book is a basic review of reference services in public libraries. It includes tips on locating resources in both print and online formats, makes suggestions for purchases and maintenance of the reference collection, reviews the ethical aspects of providing information to all patrons, and provides information on how to join a network of reference librarians who can assist you when you cannot find an answer. A basic explanation of reference services for those with little formal LIS training working in small rural libraries or others who have been working in other areas and wish to brush up on their skills, this author provides an introduction to reference services including search strategies.

Bring authentic multicultural booktalks to your students using this well-researched, easy-to-use book of recommended titles and talks.?

- Offers a focus on contemporary multicultural fiction, history, and memoirs

- Highlights award winning, well-written fiction

- Allows the library to serve and reach underserved populations

- Recommended titles and talks written by some of the best authors around

- Inspire your NCLB subgroup students to read by booktalking these culturally responsive books

- Indexed by subject, title, and by author

Encourage secondary students to read more, read thoughtfully, and think critically. Engage all students, promote cross-cultural understanding, increase diversity, and help prevent dropouts.

This is the first book on health literacy specifically for and by librarians.Nearly a quarter of the U.S. population struggles with low literacy - and low health literacy. The inability to read, understand, and effectively utilize health information is linked to higher levels of chronic disease, more frequent emergency room visits, and early mortality. The cost and quality of care implications are enormous, and health literacy is a hot topic for policy makers and researchers - and for libraries struggling to respond to patrons' unmet health information needs.This authoritative MLA guide will help you understand the vital role that medical, hospital, public, and health libraries are uniquely qualified to play in improving health literacy. You will learn innovative ways to use collection development, the reference interview, community health information, and Web resources, as well as strategies for working with special needs populations, including seniors, the disabled, ESL groups, and people of diverse social and cultural backgrounds. Case studies illustrate best practices, including ways to partner with health care providers and other organizations to create and fund health literacy programming in your community and make your library a vital player in this increasingly important information needs area.

Connection. Competition. Collaboration. These three words define management of college libraries, today and in the future. They also describe the contents of this book, which focus on planning for the multiple directions that college library managers must consider and act upon. Contributed chapters cover the challenges nearly all must face, such as understanding users, information literacy, staff alignment, and the integration of physical building and function. Some chapters contain studies and models that can be replicated at similar institutions. Others offer documentation that can be used in reports or presentations to administrators and boards. Together, they convey a plethora of good ideas for responding to customers, competitors, technologies, and stakeholders.

Literacy, the foundation for every child's school success, begins at home. This new book will give your children's services staff and everyone involved in community outreach terrific tips and techniques for engaging and involving parents and caregivers in the key work of helping children on the path to literacy. Topics include: using library resources to support the role of parents and caregivers in children's growth and development; helping children's librarians interact successfully with families; implementing effective communication strategies, appropriate services and useful spaces for adult/child participation; how to attract and engage new and diverse families; and how to leverage your family-centered approach to build community visibility. This book serves as the primary text for Middle Country Public Library's popular Family Place Training Institute and is written by a team of librarians who have achieved remarkable success with their community's families.

Mystery and crime readers looking for great new reads, and librarians looking for fresh reading lists for patrons will love this new resource. Rather than listing titles according to formal genres and subgenres, it categorizes hundreds of popular crime fiction titles according to five broad features: character, setting, story, language and mood--and then into thematic lists as "Reading the Bones," "Dynamic Duos," "Love you to Death," and "Bright Lights, Dead Bodies." For each title, you'll find bibliographic information and a brief, punchy description, designed to spark reader interest and capture the appeal connection. Use these lists to advise readers; create thematic reading lists for library Web sites, flyers, and newsletters; and as checklists or reading plans for those who enjoy mystery fiction. Buy two copies--one for the reference or readers' advisory resource shelf and another to circulate!

Emotional intelligence (EI), as based on the work of Daniel Goleman and his colleagues, has received a lot of attention in the Harvard Business Review and elsewhere as a leadership theory. It is composed of five domains: Knowing your emotions, Managing your emotions, Motivating yourself, Recognizing and understanding other people's emotions, and Managing relationships (managing the emotions of others). Its practitioners become particularly adept at managing the mood and performance of both their organizations and themselves. In Academic Librarians as Emotionally Intelligent Leaders, Hernon and company present a solid overview of EI, its connection to other leadership theories, and its particular application to academic librarianship. By moving beyond basic "people skills," they claim, library leaders can come to appreciate not only the unique challenges of personal and organizational growth, but how their own reactions and feelings are perceived by others. Particularly noteworthy is a strong focus on issues of diversity, including a chapter on how librarians of color regularly engage in self-renewal and restoration.

Transitioning from library school to a real world job or even from a different type of library can pose significant challenges for school library media specialists (SLMS). From job search strategies and discovering your work philosophy to the nitty-gritty details of creating acceptable use policies, ""New on the Job"" serves as a wise mentor for new SLMS. Expert authors Ruth Toor and Hilda K. Weisburg share the joys and perils of the profession along with a wealth of practical advice from a combined six decades of experience in library media centers and as collaborators on books, presentations, and workshops. Learn the secrets to successfully collaborate with teachers. Navigate new roles and responsibilities with confidence. Create dynamic interactions with students to deepen their learning experiences. Master the art of communicating with the principal, IT experts, and vendors.

Research shows that collaboration between classroom teachers and teacher-librarians improves overall effectiveness in increasing students' reading comprehension. Drawing on cutting edge research in instructional strategies, Moreillon, a veteran school library media specialist, offers a clear, rigorous roadmap to the task of teaching reading comprehension in a proven collaborative process. Packed with practical applications, this expert guide: encourages collaboration with a flexible design and delivery framework; strengthens partnering techniques to improve reading comprehension; addresses three levels of literacy development; identifies seven key strategies that students use to read for meaning; connects with research-driven teaching practices that incorporate library programs; and increases reading scores and lowers the student-teacher ratios using proven collaborative approaches.

Assignments that engage students in inquiry topics of their own choosing contribute to motivation and thus to learning. Very often the topics chosen (particularly by high school students) are considered controversial by school administration, parents, community organizations, and others. This practical book discusses the processes, actions, and policies needed to support and encourage high school students in that type of inquiry. Building trusting relationships over time with administration and the school community will be stressed as a way to build a community of true inquiry in your school and library. Classroom teachers and high school librarians will value the advice and scaffolding techniques presented that will enable their school and high school library to become a safe place for student inquiry into issues of their own choosing-- controversial or not. The author draws on her 30-plus years as a high school librarian, deeply concerned with the intellectual freedom of the researchers in her library media center and with offering help and reassurance to those trying to implement school library programs that allow all voices to be heard. Grades 9-12.

Designing a school library media center may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so take advantage! In this hands-on guidebook, school library construction and media specialists Rolf Erikson and Carolyn Markuson share their experiences of working on more than 100 media center building projects around the country, using conceptual plans from actual school libraries.Combining all aspects of design for the school library media center - floor plans, furniture, technology, bidding, and evaluation - this newly updated edition addresses: current and future technological needs of the student population; unique needs of the community library that combines school and public library services; sustainability and conservation issues to help designers and planners ""go green""; accessibility requirements, including all ADA regulations from the first edition plus the latest material on learning styles and accessibility; and, cost control and ways to minimize mistakes using proven bidding and evaluation methods.With 30 new illustrations and floor plans and an updated glossary of technical terms, readers will be knowledgeable and organized when discussing plans with contractors and vendors. Using the guidance here, you'll avoid the classic building and renovation hazards and build a library media center for the future!

This third entry in the Principles and Practice series, begun by Barbara K. Stripling for Libraries Unlimited, enables school library media specialists to clarify and expand their role in the national school reform movement. Chapters offer a description of the school reform initiative and implications for practice and a discussion of how to implement in your practice. Readers will be able to: identify current school reform efforts in the United States; understand the role of the school library media specialist in school reform; connect current school reform efforts to the national guidelines for school media programs suggested in Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning (ALA, AECT 1998); and adapt strategies for participating in school reform to their educational settings by acting as change agents. Grades K-12.

Library building projects leave a legacy for decades, with one chance to get it right. Those with access to a trustworthy expert who can explain the process in step-by-step terms will have the best chance to make their projects succeed. Expert author McCarthy is an architect with in-depth expertise in building libraries as well as an 18-year veteran library trustee. This authoritative overview is filled with practical advice to understand key relationships and manage a complex process. Checklists and sample construction documents provide hands-on insights into the best practices in library construction and tools to do the job. Library directors, professionals, administrators, and trustees will get expert guidance on creating a realistic budget for new library construction and determining the responsibilities on both sides.