In an information environment where the only constant is change, many wonder where libraries are headed. This edited collection brings together library leaders with some of the brightest new minds in the profession to envision the future of libraries. Drawing from their personal experiences, they bring their barrier-breaking perspectives to the task of reinventing the library in all its forms. From redesigning library services for the evolving needs of users, to functioning as a meaningful space in a digital age, implementing new infrastructure, and imagining the international future of school libraries, the contributors ask and answer questions such as: How do lessons from the past point the way forward? What should libraries look like in the future? Which safeguards will protect intellectual freedom, such as equitable access to information and anti-censorship policies, now and in years to come? How can we overcome obstacles such as feasibility, costs, and competing interests to realise the library of the future? This thought-provoking collection will challenge librarians at every kind of institution to start planning today for the library of tomorrow.

Every archives strives to have an active, well-planned processing program, but achieving this is no easy task. How to Manage Processing in Archives and Special Collections breaks down what you need to know to establish or revitalize your processing program, delivering effective methods to help you succeed. This resource is packed with information about: Creating a framework for a processing program, including developing proces-sing policies, priorities, and strategies; Managing the day-to-day work of processing assessment techniques; Implementing best practices and standards; Administering a patron-based approach to managing processing; Effectively assessing the demands for descriptions and item-level cataloging to make collections available more swiftly; and Applying standards in the adoption of trends and new concepts in processing and in handling outside demands. Whether you manage numerous archivists, operate as one member of a processing team, or operate as a lone arranger, How to Manage Processing in Archives and Special Collections is your go-to guide for developing and managing a processing program. With an effective processing program in place, your archives will be better positioned to help users find the materials they need.

A library's infrastructure of programs and personnel is its most valuable asset, providing the foundation for everything it does and aspires to do, which is why assessment is so vitally important. In this collection of case studies, Murphy and her team of contributors describe how quality assessment programs have been implemented and how they are used to continuously improve service at a complete cross-section of institutions. This volume: Looks at how a program was established within a library organisation, the individual roles for staff participating in the program, and singles out which activities and projects were most successful Describes programs such as the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence, Lean Six Sigma, and ISO 9001:2000 Examines contexts ranging from a liberal-arts college library to key federal government libraries, to libraries that serve major research universities in the United States and Canada Summarising specific tools for measuring service quality alongside tips for using these tools most effectively, this book helps libraries of all kinds take a programmatic approach to measuring, analysing, and improving library services.

Reinventing the Library for Online Education Frederick Stielow Item Number: 978-0-8389-1208-9 Publisher: ALA Editions Price: $75.00 Email Friend Order Options: Qty: Add To Cart Add To Wish List 256 pages 6" x 9" Softcover ISBN-13: 978-0-8389-1208-9 Year Published: 2013 AP Categories: A, B, I, J, Z This title will be available Fall 2013. You may place an order and the item will be shipped when it becomes available. Have changes such as cloud computing, search engines, the Semantic Web, and mobile applications rendered such long-standing academic library services and functions as special collections, interlibrary loans, physical processing, and even library buildings unnecessary? Can the academic library effectively reconceive itself as a virtual institution? Stielow, who led the library program of the online university American Public University System, argues most emphatically that it can. His comprehensive look at web-based academic libraries synthesizes the changes wrought by the Web revolution into a visionary new model, grounded in history as well as personal experience. He demonstrates how existing functions like cataloging, circulation, collection development, reference, and serials management can be transformed by entrepreneurship, human face/electronic communicator relations, web apps, and other innovations. Online education can ensure that libraries remain strong information and knowledge hubs, and his timely book Shows how the origins and history of the academic library have laid the foundation for our current period of flux Identifies practices rooted in print-based storage to consider for elimination, and legacy services ready to be adapted to virtual operations Discusses tools and concepts libraries will embrace in a networked world, including new opportunities for library relevance in bookstore/textbook operations, compliance, library/archival/museum functions, e-publishing, and tutorial services Offers a thorough examination of the virtual library infrastructure crucial for an online learning program, with a special look at the particular needs and responsibilities of online librarians Looks at the evolving relationship between higher education and copyright, and posits how educational technology will bring further changes

Library Technology Reports v.49 no.7. Innovation is a broad concept, frequently mentioned in circles at all levels-libraries, higher education, the corporate environment, and society in general. So frequently is the word used, and in so many contexts, that it can become confusing to clearly frame what the word means at present. Clarity is important, as it can help provide focus, direction, and strategy for organizations often under the shadow of limited resources. More bluntly, innovation is often synonymous with change, progress, and addressing user needs in new ways-critical concepts in today's volatile higher education environment. This issue of Library Technology Reports seeks to open or continue the discussion of what's meant by innovation, focusing specifically on innovation with a strong technological underpinning. A brief review of the literature-scholarly and mainstream-is accompanied by some more indirect methods to try to better grasp what librarians and the profession refer to when they use the word innovation. Later, results from a survey open to Association of Research Library members offer additional insights into what directors of large research libraries think about when considering the concept of technological innovation.

With this practical guide, it's easy to implement the proven fun-and learning-of a read-it-forward program in your middle school library. Teens recommend books to other teens, offering a surefire way to promote books and reading. Finding the right book for each student is almost impossible if you serve several hundred students, as most school librarians do. Read It Forward offers an innovative way around that problem: a program that lets librarians saturate the school with a title that encourages middle school students to read for pleasure. As an added bonus, Read It Forward (RIF) creates learning opportunities that can be leveraged across the curriculum. The program presented here is based on the author's experience with a community RIF project that was a collaborative effort among nine middle school librarians from schools with varying needs and socioeconomic levels. This thoroughly practical book takes librarians through the process step by step, offering specific examples of what worked and what didn't, then showing how the process can be extended to almost any book. The author also discusses other aspects of running a successful RIF program-such as getting buy-in from school administrators, the PTA, and department chairs-so that parents and teachers can collaborate in the experience. An easy-to-follow process for creating an RIF program in any middle school Testimonials from those who have initiated and run RIF projects Specific examples of what works and what doesn't Resource lists from which librarians can draw in creating their own programs Offers librarians step-by-step guidance in running a read-it-forward project in which students are encouraged to read books then pass them on to others Shows how RIF encourages interest in reading for middle school students during a period when they often stop reading for recreation Discusses how RIF can provide a focus for library programming throughout the school year, connecting it to academics Demonstrates ways to get students excited about reading by connecting it to the curriculum they are studying

Using a library's facilities to bring arts to the community is a wonderful marketing and outreach opportunity, a tangible way to show the public that libraries offer value, thus shoring up grassroots support. Editor Smallwood has combed the country finding examples of programs implemented by a variety of different types of libraries to enrich, educate, and entertain patrons through the arts. Her book shares such successful efforts as Poetry programs in the public library Gatherings for local authors at the community college Creative writing in middle schools Multicultural arts presentations at the university library Initiatives to fight illiteracy through the arts The amazing creativity and resourcefulness found in each example provide practical models which can be adapted to any library environment, inspiring librarians looking for unique programming ideas.

A significant portion of U.S. institutions charged with the preservation of our cultural heritage are small repositories and one-person shops. Rapid advances in technology, increasing regulation on institutional records, and exponential growth in the volume and variety of cultural resources being collected put added pressure on these lone arrangers to find efficient and effective ways to manage their archives. The Lone Arranger: Succeeding in a Small Repository offers guidance on how to handle common work demands while promoting archives best practice. Author and lone arranger Christina Zamon uses a deft touch to address a comprehensive range of topics, including administration and budget, fundraising and donor relations, information technology, collections management, records management, preservation, reference and outreach, facility management, disaster preparedness, and internship and volunteer programs. In addition, case studies by a dozen practitioners representing diverse backgrounds, institutional settings, and geographic locations discuss the challenges they faced when they found themselves responsible for the full spectrum of archives work with limited or no paid staff to assist. Seasoned archivists and newcomers to the profession will benefit from the practical tips, sound advice, and resources shared throughout the volume, as well as the opportunity to connect to the broader community of professional archivists. If you're a lone arranger, with this book you'll find yourself less alone

How do you get young adults excited and engaged with books? Get them onstage! Readers Theatre is a stage presentation during which participants read from scripts, acting out the book's story using voice and facial expressions. It offers educators an innovative opportunity to acquaint young people with quality literature, test their grasp of English grammar, develop their public speaking skills, and learn about teamwork in an activity that is entertaining as it is educational. Elizabeth A. Poe, creator of many Readers Theatre programs, explains how to create successful programs, offering: Ways librarians can link basic educational goals with appreciation of good literature, A bibliography of books suggested for their Readers Theatre potential, with examples of texts converted into scripts and Core programming ideas that can be adapted for use across different age levels. Poe's book helps youth services librarians get students out from behind their desks and onto the stage by writing their own scripts based on children's literature.

Most commentaries to date on library use of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter have focused on a handful of well-funded public libraries with high-profile employees. Now Crawford's Successful Social Networking in Public Libraries fills in the rest of the picture, offering for the first time an in-depth look at how a large variety of public libraries are using social networks. Examining more than 6,000 libraries across the US, Crawford Analyses social network usage by libraries of many different sizes and funding levels, showing how many of them are active and effective in quite different ways Offers many examples that will help other libraries establish or refine their own social networking activities Presents several key questions that libraries should ask themselves, such as "Who do we want to reach?" and "What's the best way to interact with communities?" Gives libraries guidelines to set social networking goals and conduct ongoing evaluation Includes illuminating comments from numerous librarians on the front lines of communication Based on broad research, Crawford draws a vivid portrait that shows how a wide range of public libraries is conducting digital outreach and marketing through social networking.

As school districts across the United States increasingly question the need for trained librarians, this collection of research-based evidence helps make the case for a state-licensed librarian in every school. While serving on the AASL legislation committee, Mirah Dow recognized the urgent need to utilize research-based evidence to prove school librarians are much more than an educational luxury. This collection is the result. It brings together school library research studies and findings from the past decade and draws connections to how they can be applied to situations and questions that occur in practice. Taken as a whole, the research underscores that state-licensed, school librarians are a necessity for 21st-century students. Chapters center on important research studies from the past decade that examine data and locate school libraries within operational contexts. Methodologies are explained and findings summarized, while notes clarify practical applications for school librarians. Because each chapter includes a connection to broad realms of theoretical influence in the social sciences, the work will also be relevant to educators and public policymakers, arming them to better communicate research-based links between investments in school libraries and student learning outcomes. Utilizes evidence-based findings to explain why school libraries-and trained librarians-matter Illustrates the progression of ideas around current education debates Shares numerous examples of quantitative and qualitative research design and application Summarizes the importance of each study and its practical application for working school librarians

From the authors of the enormously popular Hipster Librarian's Guide to Teen Craft Projects comes an all-new selection of innovative ideas. These projects have been chosen especially to engage tweens and teens-and have been field-tested by YA librarian Amy Alessio's Teen Corps, students in grades 6-12 at the Schaumburg Township (IL) Public Library. For maximum fun, this book Includes a variety of crafts that make use of recycled and repurposed materials Lists the tools and equipment needed for each project, followed by step-by-step instructions and photographs Assigns a difficulty level, ideal group size, and suggests a timeframe for each activity Offers several "Quick-fire" options to fit crafting into shorter time slots With numerous projects easy enough to be assembled in the library either by groups or someone working alone, this book will get YA librarians, educators, and their students whipping up creative crafts in no time!

Provides a solid, foundational understanding of creativity that enables readers to elicit creative performance from their students. The first book of its kind in the school library field, The Creative Imperative: School Librarians and Teachers Cultivating Curiosity Together assists educators, school librarians, school counselors, and parents in learning about creativity and inquiry as well as how to foster these desired processes in school settings and beyond. The work begins by addressing the foundational aspects of creativity, and then discusses creativity within the educational setting, exploring how educators can be more creative themselves and coax creative performance from their students. The final part of the text focuses specifically on school libraries and the role of librarians in developing environments and opportunities for inquiry that nurture creativity. Presents unique content from prominent, expert authors on the contemporary topic of fostering creativity Challenges current practices in the quest to foster creative thinking Provides access to additional resources for reader follow-up Supplies practical how-tos for practitioners

Patients, caregivers, family members, and information professionals deserve a Medical Library Association endorsed, essential resource on heart disease. The Medical Library Association Guide to Finding Out About Heart Disease does the organizing for you and offers evaluated print and online resources to help you develop a collection or research your personal medical options. This must-have reference incorporates important data and key concepts about risk factors and symptoms of heart disease. Each resource is annotated to provide you with the essential information you need to determine if that resource is right for you. The librarian can turn to the section on heart disease reference interviews; the patient can explore the resources available on his specific condition; the family member can research the resources for caregivers. With nearly 1,000 annotated resources, this is the most comprehensive book on heart disease resources available.

This readable and practical book examines the changes in school libraries brought by the digital revolution-and describes how new and experienced librarians can take advantage of them. Both a book of practical solutions to today's budgetary and staffing problems in school libraries as well as an advocacy book, The Indispensable Librarian: Surviving and Thriving in School Libraries in the Information Age, Second Edition provides a practice-based overview of all management topics that also supplies real-world scenarios, step-by-step instructions, and pragmatic solutions to specific problems. In this follow-up to his original book, Doug Johnson offers more practical methods and sage advice for leveraging technology's popularity and effectiveness to build stronger programs and cultivate beneficial professional connections and friendships. He defines and clarifies the role of the school library media specialist in a technologically enhanced school, providing relevant examples and useful advice on a variety of topics; and underscores the importance of strong management skills, especially regarding collaborative planning and communications. The book is written especially for K-12 school librarians, both new and experienced, and is also suitable for pre-service librarians as a textbook. Provides both practical and visionary insights from an experienced, currently practicing librarian/library supervisor Supplies accessible and often humorous coverage of the subject without being simplistic Includes provocative ideas to stimulate thought and discussion Highlights the impact of technology on the library program and serves as a straightforward guide to changes needed in the field Offers an essential foundation of all aspects of managing a school library program

How should teacher librarians or instructional leaders engage in action research to improve their school library and benefit students' learning? This book provides the answers. Teacher librarians need to get directly involved with the research process in the learning commons in order to create actions and strategies that will enhance student learning-and benefit their own professional development as well as demonstrate accountability through their action research efforts. This book provides practical tips and work spaces for educators at the local, state, and national levels, clearly modeling and explaining the process and the tools for conducting action research in a school library setting that will identify the program's strengths and weaknesses. The author coalesces current expert opinions on the topic of action research in the school library environment and highlighting what other teacher librarians in the field have identified as the pros and cons of using the process. Readers are directed to focus on mitigating the "cons" through the use of specific working pages and templates and by initially exploring "five favorite" links, thereby encouraging those who are new to action research to try what might otherwise seem a daunting process. School principals K-12 who read this book will be better equipped to support their teacher librarians and teachers in this important professional process. Supplies invaluable insights from experts and practitioners on the subject of action research Provides a clear model of the process in action Directs readers to additional resources that facilitate effective action research and timely topics for school library research, such as time management and technology in learning

Covering the genres popular with today's teens-fiction and nonfiction, including poetry and graphic novels-this resource provides 110 great book choices for young adult reading, interactive booktalks, and individual writing activities. All educators and library professionals need practical resources with easily accessible information and activities that can be immediately applied. Teen Talkback with Interactive Booktalks! is such a resource, supplying ready-to-use, interactive booktalks and curriculum connections for more than 100 recently published young adult books. This unique book is an invaluable tool for motivating teens to read. It shows how to make booktalks interactive and get teens participating in the presentation, rather than passively listening. Book selections include titles published from 2008 to 2012 organized in seven categories: Issues, Contemporary, Adventure/Survival, Mystery/Suspense, Fantasy, Heritage, and Multiple Cultures. Complete bibliographical information for each selection is included along with a literary classification as well as an age/grade level and gender designation. The read-alouds passages include talkback questions to facilitate discussion, and related works are supplied as suggestions for additional reading choices. Provides complete bibliographical information, literary designations, and age and gender suggestions Offers tools for custom-designing booktalks, noting passages for read-alouds with talkback questions and prominent themes Identifies related works and supplementary Internet sources Supplies values designations, lists of book trailers, and study guides that will be especially useful to school librarians

This book is an invaluable resource for school library aides who conduct storytime activities, providing everything from instruction on how to read to children to a week-by-week read aloud curriculum for the entire school year. School Library Storytime: Just the Basics is the perfect resource for library aides, paraprofessionals, or other library staff who conduct storytime in a school library media center. It provides all of the essential information, materials, and step-by-step guidance needed to facilitate these all-important events for children in kindergarten through second grade, allowing library staff without previous training or experience to get started with confidence. The fifth title in the highly regarded Just the Basics series, this book starts with an introduction, followed by explanations of how to read aloud and tips for managing and working with children in the primary grades. The authors suggest specific picture books that tie into school year-based themes and supply materials that can be used as listed or easily modified to meet the individual library's needs. Event-specific lessons are supplied for many weeks within the school year, making this title one that educators will rely on for storytime ideas from September through May. Follows the school calendar, providing a lesson for nearly every week of the school year Uses both fiction and nonfiction readalouds Supplies a resource page for each month

Learn why special or corporate libraries must align with their parent organizations in order to survive in these difficult economic times-and how to foster and demonstrate this critical relationship. Special Libraries: A Survival Guide analyzes what has happened-and is still continuing to happen-to corporate libraries in order to identify the strategies that must be taken to protect their staff's survival. Through a careful examination of a series of case studies of corporate library reductions and closures, authors James M. Matarazzo and Toby Pearlstein suggest key strategies, tactics, and survival tools that all types of special library managers can use to minimize their chances of becoming a victim. The book underscores the importance of collecting data as a survival tool. Additionally, it identifies what needs to be taught to students currently enrolled in library and information science (LIS) programs to give them a leg up in careers. This advocacy book is essential reading for staff at special/corporate libraries in the English-speaking world who wish to retain their positions, but it also contains information applicable to today's academic, public, and even school libraries. It is appropriate for students in the field of library and information science, LIS faculty, and corporate executives responsible for the management of the information function. Presents case studies of corporate and other special library reductions and closures and provides strategies to minimize your chances of becoming a victim Demonstrates how to integrate your information services and skills with essential functions of your parent organization Underscores the critical nature of documenting your contribution to your parent organization's mission Provides a useful predictive model to assess if your library is in danger of being severely cut back or closed outright Makes comparisons of corporate libraries in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand

Most academic libraries could not operate without a host of part-time student workers. But employing students is different from filling a professional position with an experienced worker; often their library employment will be their first job experience. Since many student positions make them the public face of the library, effective mentoring of such student employees is vital. In this book Reale explores the challenges and opportunities involved in recruitment. Her guide Shows how a library job can be more than just employment, teaching students important responsibilities and life-skills Covers the entire scope of a student’s tenure at an academic library, from bringing new hires on board and training them to disciplining student employees and the unpleasant but sometimes necessary task of firing Offers mentoring advice for helping students navigate the cultural contrasts, irregular hours, and other day-to-day issues faced by young people away from home for the first time With Reale’s guidance, supervising academic librarians can effectively mentor students while maintaining an enjoyable, productive workplace that functions efficiently in support of the institution.

Written by a well-known intellectual freedom advocate, this book is a one-stop source for school librarians on intellectual freedom and privacy issues that blends principles with best practices. In order to sort out fact from fiction and become effective, critically thinking adults in a global society, children need access to diverse points of view from authoritative sources in their school libraries. This book provides school librarians with easy-to-read guidance on specific aspects of intellectual freedom and privacy, explaining how the core values of the library profession translate into everyday practice. The readings supply current information and targeted, practical advice on a broad range of topics, including privacy and confidentiality in the context of a school library; working with homeless students, English language learners, and other special needs students; challenges to school library materials; filtering issues; and advocacy for intellectual freedom. Each of the nine chapters begins with an introductory essay examining the topic and concludes with a "key ideas" summary; a list of annotated resources to lead the reader to more information on the individual column topics; and discussion questions. The volume's appendices include the text of the ALA Library Bill of Rights and the Code of Ethics as well as an annotated list of pro-First Amendment and privacy protecting organizations with contact information. Presents practical guidance on important access and privacy issues facing school librarians, such as overdue materials, overcoming restrictive filtering, working with students with special needs, privacy concerns related to students' library records, preparing for challenges to school library materials, and advocating for intellectual freedom Provides up-to-date information on ALA and AASL statements on intellectual freedom and privacy, relevant state and federal laws, as well as court decisions Supplies sidebars with additional relevant information and interesting facts and furnish key ideas summaries for each chapter's topics, annotated resources lists, and discussion questions Offers practical evaluation tools such as a "Challenge-Proofing Your School Library Checklist" and a "Privacy Checklist: Evaluating the Library Media Program"

E-book vendors continue to experiment: adjustments to business models, consolidation of content, and mergers with competitors mean constant change. What’s good for innovation can equal confusion when it comes to choosing an e-book platform for your library. Making a sound purchasing decision requires research and close consideration of trade-offs, and Roncevic’s new issue of Library Technology Reports will get you started. Based on surveys of e-book vendors with an established presence in academic, public, and/or K–12 library markets, this report includes Background and business model descriptions for 51 leading e-book vendors Four tables comparing content, technical specifications, functionality, and business models An at-a-glance overview of platforms, including vendor website URLs Bulleted checklists of factors to consider, and questions to ask vendors An examination of the blurring channels of publisher, aggregator, and distributor platforms, with advice to help you avoid content overlap

This new edition of an ALA bestseller remains an indispensable all-in-one resource for everything related to the school library media center. Articles from dozens of respected authors and experts, culled from popular journals such as Knowledge Quest and School Library Journal, cover everything of interest to the contemporary school librarian, including Professional development and career guidance Information on collection development and school library resources such as books, periodicals, e-mail discussion groups, databases, websites, and more Programming, partnering, promoting, and collaborating for student success Innovative ways to use technology like social networking and e-books in service of education Tips for analyzing and strengthening ongoing programs Building and maintaining healthy relationships with stakeholders Covering a wide range of important information in one handy volume, this stimulating handbook is a must-have for every school librarian.

Information literacy and library instruction are at the heart of the academic library's mission. But how do you bring that instruction to an increasingly diverse student body and an increasingly varied spectrum of majors? In this updated, expanded edition, over twenty library instructors share their best practices for reaching out to today's unique users. Readers will find strategies and techniques for teaching college and university freshmen, community college students, students with disabilities, and those in distance learning programs. You will also find proven approaches to teaching students in the most popular programs of study, including: English Literature Art and Art History Film Studies History Psychology Science Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Hospitality International Marketing Music Anthropology Engineering Three additional chapters guide instructors through teaching legal, government information, and patent searching. Each chapter covers instructional design, lesson planning, library/faculty collaborations, marketing programs, assessment. Also included are sample lesson plans, presentations, brochures, worksheets, handouts, and evaluation forms.

In clear and concise language Munde cuts through the complicated and complex laws and practices of human resources (HR) policies for the academic library manager. This handbook summarizes Practices that might seem confusing, counterintuitive or even counterproductive When and how these practices might be changed to benefit the library Possible perspectives and platforms from which individuals can search for their own answers Munde provides an overview of policy basics for librarians and managers, answers fundamental employment questions, and presents explanations and rationales for common applications of HR management in academic libraries.