In the closing decades of the twentieth century, academic libraries responded to rapid changes in their environment by acquiring and making accessible a host of new information resources, developing innovative new services and collaborative partnerships, and building new kinds of technology-equipped spaces to support changing user behaviors and emerging patterns of learning. The "Information Commons" or "InfoCommons" blossomed in a relatively short amount of time in libraries across North America, and around the world, particularly in Europe and the British Commonwealth. This book is more than a second edition of the 2009 book A Field Guide to the Information Commons which documented the emergence of a range of facilities and service programs that called themselves "Information Commons." This new book updates this review of current practice in the Information Commons and other new kinds of facilities inspired by the same needs and intents, but goes beyond that by describing the continued evolution. This new book is an attempt to answer the question: "What might be the next emerging concept for a technology-enabled, user-responsive, mission-driven form of the academic library?" Like its predecessor, Beyond the Information Commons is structured in two parts. First, a brief series of essays explore the Information Commons from historical, organizational, technological, and architectural perspectives. The second part is a field guide composed of more than two dozen representative entries describing various Information Commons using a consistent format that provides both perspective on issues and useful details about actual implementations. Each of these includes photos and other graphics.

Ten years ago, most scholars and students relied on bulky card catalogs, printed bibliographic indices, and hardcopy books and journals. Today, much content is available electronically or online. This book examines the history of one of the first, and most successful, digital resources for scholarly communication, JSTOR. Beginning as a grant-funded project of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation at the University of Michigan, JSTOR has grown to become a major archive of the backfiles of academic journals, and its own nonprofit organization.

Roger Schonfeld begins this history by looking at JSTOR's original mission of saving storage space and thereby storage costs, a mission that expanded immediately to improving access to the literature. What role did the University play? Could JSTOR have been built without the active involvement of a foundation? Why was it seen as necessary to "spin off" the project? This case study proceeds as an organizational history of the birth and maturation of this nonprofit, which had to emerge from the original university partnership to carve its own identity. How did the grant project evolve into a successful marketplace enterprise? How was JSTOR able to serve its twofold mission of archiving its journals while also providing access to them? What has accounted for its growth? Finally, Schonfeld considers implications of the economic and organizational aspects of archiving as well as the system-wide savings that JSTOR ensures by broadly distributing costs.

Eye-Popping Show-Stopping Libraries starts out by recounting the beginning of the relationship between the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Library Association (ALA) to establish the Library Building awards and traces the development of the program over the following five decades. In the next seven chapters the authors have grouped selected award-winning libraries by big themes, to explore the evolution of service innovations and design trends; most of the selected case studies include exterior and interior photographs, as well as floor plans. The final chapter offers some thoughts on what a half-century of award-winning architecture can tell us about the future of library service and library design. In the afterword the authors review the initial round of seventeen award-winning libraries from 1963, to assess how the designs have held up over time, and to describe the current disposition of the building. Three appendixes offer a chronological list of award recipients, an alphabetical list of awardees by library, and an alphabetical list by architect. The fourth and final appendix is a chronological list of jury members. This full-color, beautifully illustrated with 141 images book presents these exemplary libraries as an exploration of the evolution of library service and design. It examines the award-winning libraries by big themes to explore how service trends and design trends have evolved. Documentation of featured library buildings (including photographs and plans) is an important element.

Foreword by Tracie D. Hall Community engagement isn't simply an important component of a successful library-it's the foundation upon which every service, offering, and initiative rests. Working collaboratively with community members-be they library customers, residents, faculty, students or partner organizations-ensures that the library works, period. This important resource from ALA's Public Programs Office (PPO) provides targeted guidance on how libraries can effectively engage with the public to address a range of issues for the betterment of the community. Featuring contributions by leaders active in library-led community engagement, it's designed to be equally useful as a teaching text for LIS students and a go-to handbook for current programming, adult services, and outreach library staff. Balancing historical context with case studies and stories from field, this collection explores such key topics as: why libraries belong in the community engagement realm; the differences and overlap between outreach, engagement, and advocacy; getting the support of board and staff; how to understand your community; pointers on telling your story for maximum impact; the ethics and challenges of engaging often unreached segments of the community; identifying and building engaged partnerships; archives and community engagement; engaged programming; and outcome measurement. Sharing numerous examples of successful change, dialogue and deliberation, and collaborative efforts, this book offers a comprehensive look at community engagement work that can help all libraries reinforce their roles as champions of lifelong learning.

This book will be invaluable for those in the academic library who want to understand how best to serve students on the autism spectrum and how those students can contribute to the library. As a large number of students on the autism spectrum come of age and enter college, increased awareness of autism spectrum disorder is necessary among those who work in academic libraries so that they can respond to and meet the unique needs of these students. This book fills a scholarship gap while serving as a practical resource for working with the neurodivergent student population in academic libraries. McMullin and Walton explain issues that are likely to arise when interacting with students on the autism spectrum and offer practical solutions for handling them. They discuss how to work with neurodiverse students in different contexts, including at service points, in the classroom, as employees, and through outreach programs. They highlight possible concerns about the physical environment of the library and demonstrate ways that the library can be an especially positive place for students with ASD. Personal anecdotes from students with autism as well as library faculty and staff round out this valuable work. Serves as an essential resource on how to serve students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) Offers an overview of characteristics of students with ASD that is tailored to those working in academic libraries and shows how those characteristics will affect various types of interactions Provides practical solutions for common issues that librarians/ and staff may encounter when communicating with ASD students Features tips and ideas for librarians and library staff working at service points (e.g.i.e., reference desk, circulation, etc.) and in the instruction classroom

Anime (or "Japanese Animation") has seen a continuing rise in popularity over the past decade of North American pop culture. Droves of die-hard, dedicated fans can be found all over comic shops, conventions, and social media at large, discussing or debating the merits of their favorite Anime fandoms. Public libraries have been quick to catch on, and have long been an excellent gathering place for this community of passionate consumers - be it for movie screenings or anime and manga collection offerings. With the recent widespread adoptions of English dubbed content and the explosion of Anime merchandise sales outside of Japan, Anime and Manga are more accessible to North Americans than ever before. In addition to providing a long list of programming examples and ideas, this practical guide will teach librarians how to capture the interest of this fandom community, why the library is the perfect place to do so, and how to expand this thematic programming into further learning and socialization opportunities. Special Features include: Real examples of current and successful Anime Club programs created by librarians. Anime: It's Not Just "Cartoons"! Discovering opportunities for youth engagement, STEM learning, and vital youth socialization within Japanese Animation. Clear, concise instructions for incorporating one off or series Anime themed events for all budget ranges and age groups. How to avoid cultural appropriation by engaging your community to make the most out of possible partnerships and resources. Anime Club party plans for a wide range of different holidays. How to obtain public performance rights for anime screenings, Where to find inclusive anime representations of diverse communities

This up-to-date volume of topical School Library Connection articles provides school librarians and LIS professors with a one-stop source of information for supporting the core library principle of intellectual freedom. School librarians continue to advocate for and champion student privacy and the right to read and have unfettered access to needed information. Updated and current information concerning these issues is critical to school librarians working daily with students, parents, and faculty to manage library programs, services, and print and digital collections. This volume is an invaluable resource as school librarians revisit collection development, scheduling, access, and other policies. Library science professors will find this updated volume useful for information and discussion with students. Drawing on the archives of School Library Connection, Library Media Connection, and School Library Monthly magazines-and with comprehensive updates throughout-chapters tackle privacy, the right to read, censorship, equal access to information, and other intellectual freedom issues. New laws and legal and ethical opinions continue to appear and help inform the daily response school librarians have to current issues. This volume updates all included articles with current legal thought and opinion. Intellectual freedom expert April Dawkins offers practical advice and commentary throughout. Includes up-to-date coverage of a wide range of intellectual freedom topics Looks at current and applicable laws Features important topics for discussion in LIS classes Immediately usable in schools and for school district staff development

Terrific Makerspace Projects: A Practical Guide for Librarians features fifteen customizable projects that were designed as projects created by librarians/makerspace facilitators, rather than projects in which librarians guided others (makerspace users). These projects were showcased during library events with the goal of promoting the makerspace, as well as other library services, while using them to build connections both within and external to the library. This book outlines maker projects in detail and provides plenty of photos and resources so readers can recreate, customize, and implement them. People at all skill levels in every type of makerspace will find something they can try, with projects that range from simple and low-tech to more complex and tech-heavy. Most projects are inexpensive, taking advantage of free online tools, upcycled or repurposed materials, and low cost electronics such as Arduinos. Each project can be approached as an offering for makerspace visitors or can be created by library employees themselves as tools to engage in outreach and promote the makerspace, library services, the institution, and more. Every project has been created and tested in a real library setting by the authors, who present lessons learned, possible variations, and different ideas on how to implement the projects to their fullest extent. Explore the idea of using the makerspace to highlight the value of other library services, or simply find new and fun ways to engage with your users. The book also offers suggestions on how to be a great maker, and tips on makerspace safety, finding low-cost materials, and more. Whether you're just beginning your makerspace or looking for fresh ideas for your established space, this book has something to offer.

Developing a Library Accessibility Plan: A Practical Guide for Librarians provides library professionals with the knowledge, tools and templates, and practical examples necessary for developing a tailored and comprehensive accessibility plan for their institution. Part One provides foundational knowledge about disability experiences in libraries, including an overview of existing legislation and a breakdown of the disability community in the United States. This part also names and defines the impact of different accessibility barriers within online, physical, and instructional settings for different populations. Part Two outlines the initial stages of a developing a comprehensive plan for resolving accessibility issues. These chapters in this part include a discussion on conducting an environmental scan / inventory of existing problems, identifying potential partners in the resolution of said problems, and how to prioritize which projects. Part Three provides several practical, real life examples of projects and initiatives drawn from the author's professional experiences. These case studies offer a summary of each accessibility project along the corresponding impact, finished by an analysis of "lessons learned" from the experience. A copy of all tools, templates, and other planning documents are available in the chapter itself. The book will help readers understand how to inventory, prioritize, plan, implement, and assess a comprehensive improvement plan for electronic, physical, and instructional and/or programming-related accessibility issues within their library.

Libraries are experiencing major changes concerning the role of technical services. Technical services librarians also are being challenged about their relevance and role, sometimes revealed by a lack of understanding of the contribution technical services librarians make to building and curating library and archival collections. The threats are real: relocation from central facilities, the dramatic shift to electronic resources, budgetary constraints, and outsourced processing. As a result, technical services departments are reinventing themselves to respond to these and similar challenges while embracing innovative methods and opportunities to advance librarianship in the twenty-first century. Library Technical Services provides case studies that highlight difficult realities, yet embrace exciting opportunities, such as space reclamation, evolving vendor partnerships, metadata, retraining and managing personnel, special collections, and distance education. Written for catalog and metadata librarians and managers of technical services units, this book will inspire and provide practical advice and examples for solving issues many libraries are facing today.

An academic library's instruction program reflects and communicates its vision for teaching and learning within the context of its institution, and the instruction coordinator plays an essential role in shaping and advancing this vision. Instruction coordinators and directors in academic libraries may have a variety of titles and wear an entire wardrobe's worth of hats, but they face many of the same challenges in developing, promoting, and evaluating their instruction programs. This book approaches using the instruction program as the catalyst to further the library's agenda for teaching and learning and gives instruction program directors a set of resources that will help them map out, enact, and assess the impact of this agenda. This book is ideal for librarians and administrators who direct, coordinate, or lead an academic library's teaching and learning program and is particularly useful for new instruction program coordinators--either those new to their position or new to their institution.

From light-up scarves to solar-powered backpacks to health monitoring fabric, innovative combinations of electronics and textiles are becoming more prevalent and impressive all the time, making appearances everywhere from the runway to medical settings. In the near future, these wearable technologies will be a standard part of daily life. E-textiles, including soft circuits, conductive fabrics, and sewable electronics, may not be familiar to all library patrons now, but the way that e-textile projects combine STEM topics with fun, familiar crafts make them popular for library programs, interesting to diverse groups, and a great tool for teaching new skills and techniques. Best of all, e-textile projects can be designed to fit into budgets of all sizes and to appeal to patrons of any age and level of technical proficiency. In this book, you'll learn everything you need to know about the tools, supplies, techniques, and science behind e-textiles and find out how your library can design successful collections and programs around this hot new topic. The book features key information about the materials and techniques you'll need to know, examples of libraries that have found success with e-textiles, step-by-step advice on program creation, and projects that can be used for fun and engaging library programs. By the time you finish reading, you will have everything you need to develop a program that will generate excitement within your community and introduce your patrons to new and useful skills. Keep your library on the cutting edge of technology with exciting and engaging e-textiles programming!

With more universities facing financial difficulty and academic libraries being asked to do more with less, fundraising has been transformed from a luxury to a necessity. Now, more than ever, academic libraries need to know how to effectively obtain and steward donors. Most fundraising books are written from perspectives that are not always relevant to the complex environment that academic libraries must navigate. Fundraising for Academic Libraries: A Practical Guide for Librarian is written just for academic libraries. The authors demystify fundraising to enable those to work in an academic library to feel confident in their ability to obtain contributions, sponsorships, and grants for their libraries. From major gifts to events to special collections, this book looks at academic library fundraising holistically. Not a one-size-fits-all approach, chapters explore multiple methods that an academic library can use to identify potential donors, ask for gifts, and retain existing contributors. This book also connects readers with extensive fundraising resources so they can readily apply the book's tips and techniques to their own library environment. Whether they are interested in approaching a local business to provide a prize for a silent auction or asking for an established donor for an estate gift, novice academic library fundraisers will find step-by-step instructions that help them navigate a variety of situations. By providing readers with practical fundraising tools including flow charts, simple proposal and gift templates as well as sample donor correspondence, this book enables academic libraries to be able to start and advance their own development programs.

Libraries are community connectors, places where people come together, think together, and learn together. Libraries support and nurture strong, resilient communities. Day in and day out, the library workers at these institutions are doing much more than ensuring equal and equitable access to information; and their impact stretches far beyond the books, programs, and services they facilitate. Featuring contributions from such library leaders as Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, the late Nicolette Sosulski, and Erica Freudenberger, this collection of inspiring first-hand stories from across libraryland spotlights the countless ways in which library staff are making a difference for their communities. A sharing of the hearts, minds, and spirits of library staff from across the country, the uplifting personal narratives in this book include: when a routine reference query inspired a librarian to reach out to a senior patron; how a public library's annual Diwali celebration has strengthened the social fabric of the surrounding community; the story of a library that burned down, was hit by a hurricane, got sued twice, and yet still reemerged stronger than ever; how the team at the Fayetteville Free Library (FFL) of New York has strategically nurtured a culture of innovation by integrating Syracuse University students into the staff, holding technology "open houses," and developing other initiatives; and the intervention of a public library staff member that helped a mother keep her son enrolled in school and receive his diploma. Library workers change and save lives every day, and this book is a powerful and nourishing reminder of exactly why libraries are essential.

According to 2016 Pew Research Center survey data, Millennials are more likely to have visited a public library in the past year than any other adult demographic. But despite being core library users, millennials and other younger generations are often underrepresented on library boards and library advocacy groups, including Friends groups and Foundations. But you can change that, with the help of this planner's hands-on worksheets, brainstorming activities, checklists, and expert advice. Using this toolkit from United for Libraries you will: understand generational differences and commonalities through statistics and analysis of Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z/post-Millennials; learn how to navigate the challenges of fundraising with the "debt generations" by persuasively answering the question "what's in it for me?"; master the ABCs of recruitment and retention, tailoring them to fit your library; craft several customized pitches, giving you confidence no matter the situation or audience; discover how to cement buy-in from two key groups, current organization members and your new recruits, thereby ensuring acceptance and enthusiasm all around; work towards defining and managing diversity for your advocacy group; and use tried and true methods for successful onboarding of volunteers, including a Board Member Orientation Checklist and guidance on mentoring. Using this resource, libraries of all kinds will be empowered to grow and strengthen their recruitment, retention, and training of Trustees, Friends, and Foundation members.

Freedom of information (FOI) is now an international phenomenon with over 100 countries from Albania to Zimbabwe enacting the right to know for their citizens. Since 2005, the UK’s Freedom of Information Act has opened up thousands of public bodies to unparalleled scrutiny and prompted further moves to transparency. Wherever the right to know is introduced, its success depends on the way it is implemented. In organisations worldwide, FOI only works because of those who oversee its operation on a day-to-day basis, promoting openness, processing requests and advising colleagues and the public. FOI is dependent on the FOI Officers. The Freedom of Information Officer’s Handbook is a comprehensive guide to FOI and its management. It is designed to be an indispensable tool for FOI Officers and their colleagues. It includes: a guide to the UK’s FOI Act, the right to know and the exemptions clear analysis of the most important case law and its implications for the handling of FOI requests pointers to the best resources to help FOI officers in their work explanations of how FOI interacts with other legislation, including detailed explorations of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and how the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation impacts on FOI a look at requirements to proactively publish information and the effect of copyright and re-use laws on FOI and open data comparisons of the UK’s Act with FOI legislation in other jurisdictions from Scotland to South Africa an exploration of the role of the FOI Officer: who they are, what they do, their career development and what makes them effective suggestions on how to embed FOI within an organisation using effective procedures, technology and training a stage-by-stage guide to processing requests for information. The Freedom of Information Officers’ Handbook includes the latest developments in FOI including amendments made to the UK’s FOI Act by the Data Protection Act 2018 and the revised s.45 code of practice published by the Cabinet Office in July 2018.

Providing Reference Services: A Practical Guide for Librarians was written with the working librarian in mind; it focuses on specific methods and information to help foster effective, exceptional results. Topics covered include: *Reference services: basic information and background *Reference resources and tutorials *Organizing and providing services *Staffing and performance management *Forming helpful partnerships (internal and external) *The future of reference Readers will come away with a solid foundation in reference services. They will have the knowledge to update or restructure an existing reference program, or to create a program from the ground up. Individual chapters and subsections provide constructive tips and advice for specific reference issues. Taken as a whole, this book provides a valuable, inclusive source of information for all major aspects of reference service. Providing Reference Services is an appropriate resource for nearly all librarians in public-service positions, especially those with reference responsibilities, whether they are working reference librarians at any level of experience, reference supervisors, or administrators with oversight of reference services. The content is relevant to academic, public, school, and special libraries-any library or organization, in fact, that offers reference or research assistance.

Increasingly, more is being asked from library leaders and those who aspire to join their ranks. As the use of libraries changes, leaders need to improve their emotional intelligence and critical thinking in order to attract and retain users. Focused on practical management advice, this is an engaging discussion of how library leaders can grow in their role. Detailing 25 emotional intelligence traits library leaders and others rely on most, expert author Gary L. Shaffer explores how critical thinking skills and emotional intelligence overlap, and how we can utilise them to improve. Looking across decision-making, problem-solving, critical writing, and creative thinking, Shaffer includes four case studies, each relating to both emotional intelligence and critical thinking skills. With real-world evidence and practical advice, the case studies show us how four library leaders used these traits and skills to tackle major real-world problems and issues. Finally, Shaffer suggests three leadership styles we can adopt to improve our emotional intelligence. The first book in a new series of library leadership and management books, Emotional Intelligence and Critical Thinking for Library Leaders is a book of practical solutions based on academically sound research. For library and information science professionals and researchers, this is an unmissable book for those looking to the future of libraries.

This fully updated version of the CILIP-endorsed guidelines for secondary school libraries addresses the changing schools' landscape and impact of technological changes of recent years. Focusing on the librarian at the heart of the school, each chapter interweaves best practice, technological development and context-specific options to provide clear guidance and support for all involved in the provision of school library services. Amongst other key topics the Guidelines cover: * Providing quality resources * Information literacy * Reader development * Pro-active marketing * Evaluation * Partnerships and the wider community. Developed with an international audience in mind, these guidelines provide a comprehensive and flexible model for a modern school library service. Readership: This will be essential reading for all those who work in school library services, whatever their level of qualification. The guidelines will also be of interest to teachers, especially those in management positions, school governors, business people who service school libraries, and students of librarianship.

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

The Library of Alexandria was one of the greatest cultural adornments of the late ancient world, containing thousands of scrolls of Greek, Hebrew and Mesopotamian literature and art and artifacts of ancient Egypt. This book demonstrates that Alexandria became--through the contemporary reputation of its library--a point of confluence for Greek, Roman, Jewish and Syrian culture that drew scholars and statesmen from throughout the ancient world. It also explores the histories of Alexander the Great and of Alexandria itself, the greatest city of the ancient world. This new paperback edition offers general readers an accessible introduction to the history of this magnificent yet still mysterious institution from the time of its foundation up to its tragic destruction.

The ability to undertake effective legal research is one of the basic skills required of a lawyer. Yet all too often students only acquire this skill by trial and error, failing to grasp the essentials of legal research at an early stage in their studies. This second edition not only describes the literature of law for England, Wales and the European Community, but also includes information and techniques on researching the law of Scotland and European human rights law. It also features information on the sources of law being created by the newly devolved legislatures in Scotland and Wales.;The book provides advice on using a law library and how to make effective use of catalogues and indexes. Its practical approach will help students undertake particular research problems, and it shows how to record and present the results of research in projects, dissertations and theses. The information is presented under standard headings, with diagrams and charts provided where possible to aid in the practical use of complex publications. The whole range of modern electronic sources is also explained.;The book is primarily intended for undergraduate law students, but should also be useful to students following vocational training courses and newly qualified solicitors who are occasionally faced with unfamiliar research problems.

Fandom and geek programming has exploded in libraries in recent years. From anime-themed library lock-in events, cosplay contests, and video game tournaments, to an annual Harry Potter Yule Ball, libraries have embraced their inner geek and are hosting a wide variety of fandom programs. For those librarians who have no idea about the importance of Doctor Who, or the Star Trek vs.Star Wars debate, planning for such programming can seem daunting. Teen Fandom and Geek Programming: A Practical Guide for Librarians covers major fandom and program themes, as well as real-world event, club, and program ideas to help librarians provide this type of programming to their communities. Specifically, detailed coverage is provided for: *Major fandoms, including superheroes, anime, Harry Potter, Dr. Who, Sherlock, and video game fandoms including MMOGs, Nintendo, and RPGs *Fandom clubs *Fanfiction programming *Cosplay programming *STEM programming through fandoms (graphic design and art; video editing and design; 3D printing) *Large-scale geek events *Promoting inclusivity through geek programming Use the tips and how-to knowledge in this practical guide to get more teens into your library!

How librarians can be radical positive change agents in their communities, dedicated to learning and making a difference. This book offers a guide for librarians who see their profession as a chance to make a positive difference in their communities-librarians who recognize that it is no longer enough to stand behind a desk waiting to serve. R. David Lankes, author of The Atlas of New Librarianship, reminds librarians of their mission: to improve society by facilitating knowledge creation in their communities. In this book, he provides tools, arguments, resources, and ideas for fulfilling this mission. Librarians will be prepared to become radical positive change agents in their communities, and other readers will learn to understand libraries in a new way. The librarians of Ferguson, Missouri, famously became positive change agents in August 2014 when they opened library doors when schools were closed because of civil unrest after the shooting of an unarmed teen by police. Working with other local organizations, they provided children and their parents a space for learning, lunch, and peace. But other libraries serve other communities-students, faculty, scholars, law firms-in other ways. All libraries are about community, writes Lankes; that is just librarianship. In concise chapters, Lankes addresses the mission of libraries and explains what constitutes a library. He offers practical advice for librarian training; provides teaching notes for each chapter; and answers "Frequently Argued Questions" about the new librarianship.