Unlike previous volumes which focus on how to earn a living while writing in very specific areas, this anthology accurately describes a wide range of different avenues an aspiring author can pursue, either for profit or for personal fulfillment. Speaking directly to retirees, this book opens doors to many other areas worth pursuing; its chapters vary from the inspirational (the importance of linking to a community with similar interests, reconnecting to one s dreams, seeking inspirational sources) to the quotidian (everyday writing tips, and how to use one s experience to find subjects to write about). Writing after Retirement provides a variety of vantage points from published authors and paints a realistic portrayal of what it takes to get started in the industry. This book also includes preparation for the challenges that aspiring writers face, and practical guides for overcoming them. A range of issues are addressed: .Linking one s writing to current activities .The nuts and bolts of writing .Planning one s estate .New career paths .Writing opportunities .Practical advice on how to take that first step Whether writing for pleasure or for profit, the reader will find plenty to choose from in this collection."

As families are looking for better ways to educate their children, more and more of them are becoming interested and engaged in alternative ways of schooling that are different, separate, or opposite of the traditional classroom. Homeschooling has become ever more creative and varied as families create custom-tailored curricula, assignments, goals, and strategies that are best for each unique child. This presents a multitude of challenges and opportunities for information institutions, including public, academic, school, and special libraries. The need for librarians to help homeschool families become information and media literate is more important than ever. This collection of essays provides a range of approaches and strategies suggested by skilled professionals as well as veteran homeschool parents on how to best serve the diverse needs and learning experiences of homeschooled youth. It includes information on needs assessments for special needs students, gifted students, and African American students; advice on how to provide support for the families of homeschoolers; case studies; and information on new technologies that could benefit libraries and the homeschooler populations that they serve.

From the Forward by Michael Lesk: Google has now developed services far beyond text search. Google software will translate languages and support collaborative writing. The chapters in this book look at many Google services, from music to finance, and describe how they can be used by students and other library users. Going beyond information resources, there are now successful collaboration services available from Google and others. You can make conference calls with video and shared screens using Google Hangouts, Writing documents with small numbers of colleagues often involved delays while each author in sequence took over the writing and made edits. Today Google Docs enables multiple people to edit the same document at once. An ingenious use of color lets each participant watch in real time as the other participants edit, and keeps track of who is doing what. If the goal is to create a website rather than to write a report, Google Sites is now one of the most popular platforms. Google is also involved in social networking, with services such as Google+ Other tools view social developments over time and space. The Google Trends service, for example, will show you when and where people are searching for topics. Not surprisingly, searches for "swimwear" peak in June and searches for "snowmobile" peak in January. The Complete Guide to Using Google in Libraries, Volume 2: Research, User Applications, and Networking has 30 chapters divided into four parts: Research, User Applications, Networking, Searching. The contributors are practitioners who use the services they write about and they provide how-to advice that will help public, school, academic, and special librarians; library consultants, LIS faculty and students, and technology professionals.

In a tight economy women entrepreneurs are making progress in a field that has been traditionally (along with science, math, and engineering) one which women haven't been well represented-technology. Women, Work, and the Web: How the Web Creates Entrepreneurial Opportunities is by contributors from the United States and Canada sharing how the Internet has opened doors, leveled the playing field, and provided new opportunities. How the Internet has helped women with young children, caretakers of disabled family members, women with disabilities. How it has helped female veterans gain employment, put women into work boots, publish in a male dominated world, become editors, online instructors, and hold the First International Day of the Girl. The twenty-eight chapters are divided into five parts: *Fostering Change *Running a Business *Educational Applications *Personal Aspects *Publishing and Writing. It is exciting to see how the creative contributors of different ages, backgrounds, and goals, are using the Web to further their careers and the status of other women as they progress online.

This psychological detective novel explores the once largely unacknowledged-not only soldiers get post-traumatic stress disorder: that child abuse whether it is overt or covert incest, is a time bomb. Lily's Odyssey unfolds with the inevitability, impact, and resolution of an ancient Greek play. The dialogue rings true, the journey conveyed with moods and half-tones, to portray fragmented Midwestern characters with poignancy. From child to grandmother, Lily's voyage is told with lyricism, humor, and irony through a poet's voice to distill American life in religion, marriage, and family. A contemporary odyssey without maps by a woman short listed for the 2009 Eric Hoffer Award for Best New Writing, a National Federation of State Poetry Societies Award Winner.

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.

Retirement holds many questions for librarians. Smallwood's volume offers insight, inspiration, and tips for those already retired as well as those thinking about retiring. A raft of veteran librarians, financial advisors, and other experts address * Planning for retirement, and how to leave things in good shape for those continuing your work * The pros and cons of taking early retirement, including financial considerations * How to stay connected to the profession after leaving the job by engaging in part-time work and through professional-related activities * Second careers, community volunteering, travel, staying healthy, budgeting, and other post-retirement activities and concerns This book helps librarians navigate a smooth passage into retirement.

There's no shortage of library management books out there--but how many of them actually tackle the little details of day-to-day management, the hard-to-categorize minutiae that slip through the cracks of a larger handbook? Library Management Tips that Work does exactly that, answering numerous questions library managers may never have thought to ask, such as * How create a job manual, and keep staff accountable * Keeping your library board in the loop * Using numbers to make your case * Dealing with unreturned library materials * Methods for managing multiple libraries with one FTE librarian * Retaining services despite budget cuts and staff shortagse * Public relations on a shoestring Written by contributors from across the field, this eclectic guide offers best practices suitable for managers in all types of libraries.

Fewer employees, shorter hours, diminished collection budgets, reduced programs and services-all at a time of record library usage. Don't fret and fritter away scarce resources. Be frugal! In this book, library expert Smallwood persuasively demonstrates that the necessity of doing business differently can be positive. Presenting creative and resourceful solutions to universal concerns from dozens of librarians, representing a wide variety of institutions, this collection helps overtaxed library professionals - Find supplementary funding sources, including grants - Save money by sharing resources, using tiered staffing for technical services, and implementing green IT - Tap into grassroots movements to save neighborhood libraries - Preserve and enhance important library functions like programming, outreach, and staff development, despite a tight budget Partnering, sharing, innovating-these are the watchwords for contemporary librarians in tough economic times, and this book offers plenty of ideas that can be implemented immediately.

In a changing world, with multiple and often conflicting voices, the library's important role as a location of safety and inclusion as well as the crusader for knowledge cannot be overstated. It can be easy to reflect differing perspectives in our collections and displays, but if we do not practice our values, we are lacking. As leaders in our communities, librarians have an obligation to educate and inform; we must be ready to lead and model the principles we support. The question that arises for many is: how? As an integral part of the community, libraries need to move beyond diverse collection development and social issues displays. Here, experienced librarians offer suggestions, guidance and inspiration to motivate librarians at all levels to consider the assumptions we may take for granted, seek out new creative paths, and work to support change in our organizations. Be it steps to create a book group for the intellectually disabled, partnering with social workers or advocacy for employees with disabilities from within, included in these chapters are both theoretical foundation and hands on practical ideas.

At a time when libraries are no longer leading proprietors of information, many library professionals find themselves rethinking their purpose. In this collection of new essays, contributors share their experiences and ideas for keeping libraries integral to changing communities. Innovative approaches and best practices are discussed for strategic planning, packaging, branding and marketing, funding issues, physical spaces, collection needs and trends, partnerships, programming and services, professional education, and staffing.

The foreword writer and librarian, D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS, the Host of Genealogy Roadshow (PBS) and President, New York Genealogical and Biographical Society noted: "The increasing popularity of the topic require that any librarian who encounters genealogical customers remain on the forefront of new developments in the field." The thirty-four chapters are written by experts across the United States actively engaged in helping patrons with genealogy.

Libraries, writers, and poets have long had a close working relationship. Rapid changes in technology has not changed the importance of this cooperation: book talks and readings are as popular as ever-and the ways librarians support local writers with workshops, festivals, widely varied community events, are presented in creative ways in the 29 chapters. The forty-seven contributors are from across the United States.

Library Volunteers Welcome! Strategies for Attracting, Retaining and Making the Most of Willing Helpers brings together 30 chapters from librarians and academics across the United States who've served as: board members for library organizations; heads of special collections; state library consultants; directors of state library associations; outreach coordinators; archivists; researchers; presenters at conferences; and other positions. Many are previous contributors to anthologies, professional journals, and have published their own books, several have won awards for their innovative programs and service, have degrees and work experience beyond librarianship, and volunteers within their communities. Volunteers are a crucial component of a library and finding the right people, keeping them, motivating them and pairing them with the right projects is challenging; this anthology is for librarians seeking to better their libraries.

Library Roles in Achieving Financial Literacy among its Patrons is a collection of articles from 25 librarians in different parts of the U.S. and Canada, each contributing 3,000-4,000 words: concise chapters with sidebars, bullets, and headers; there is an introduction. Contributors were selected for the creative potential in their topics, those that can be used in various types of libraries and that demonstrate a command of financial literacy and are able to communicate what they know to aiding users solve their financial information problems. The collection has three sections. The first provides an overview of financial literacy: what it means generally, what needs exist among library patrons, and what approaches have been tried to date. The second section deals with resources that are available in libraries, or should be made available. These include collections, skill sets in librarians, program opportunities and others. The third section is a series of case studies that demonstrate successes and best practices.

Library Roles in Achieving Financial Literacy among its Patrons is a collection of articles from 25 librarians in different parts of the U.S. and Canada, each contributing 3,000-4,000 words: concise chapters with sidebars, bullets, and headers; there is an introduction. Contributors were selected for the creative potential in their topics, those that can be used in various types of libraries and that demonstrate a command of financial literacy and are able to communicate what they know to aiding users solve their financial information problems. The collection has three sections. The first provides an overview of financial literacy: what it means generally, what needs exist among library patrons, and what approaches have been tried to date. The second section deals with resources that are available in libraries, or should be made available. These include collections, skill sets in librarians, program opportunities and others. The third section is a series of case studies that demonstrate successes and best practices. Includes a foreword by ALA President Julie Todaro.

From the Forward by Michael Lesk: Google has now developed services far beyond text search. Google software will translate languages and support collaborative writing. The chapters in this book look at many Google services, from music to finance, and describe how they can be used by students and other library users. Going beyond information resources, there are now successful collaboration services available from Google and others. You can make conference calls with video and shared screens using Google Hangouts, Writing documents with small numbers of colleagues often involved delays while each author in sequence took over the writing and made edits. Today Google Docs enables multiple people to edit the same document at once. An ingenious use of color lets each participant watch in real time as the other participants edit, and keeps track of who is doing what. If the goal is to create a website rather than to write a report, Google Sites is now one of the most popular platforms. Google is also involved in social networking, with services such as Google+ Other tools view social developments over time and space. The Google Trends service, for example, will show you when and where people are searching for topics. Not surprisingly, searches for "swimwear" peak in June and searches for "snowmobile" peak in January. The Complete Guide to Using Google in Libraries, Volume 2: Research, User Applications, and Networking has 30 chapters divided into four parts: Research, User Applications, Networking, Searching. The contributors are practitioners who use the services they write about and they provide how-to advice that will help public, school, academic, and special librarians; library consultants, LIS faculty and students, and technology professionals.

Carol Smallwood's The Complete Guide to Using Google in Libraries, Volume 1: Instruction, Administration, and Staff Productivity explores how Google's suite of tools, from Google Docs (now Google Drive), Google Scholar, Hangout, Forms, and others made freely available to the Internet Community can be used by libraries to expand the role of digital operations in the management of library materials, to communicate with their patrons and collaborators, to exploit the resources on the Web, and many others. The book has 29 chapters organized into sections that focus on ways that Google's suite of tools can be applied to address problems in a specific area of library concern. The section headings are: Library Instruction for Users; Collaboration within and among libraries; Library Administration; Collection Management; and Library Productivity. In each topical area, the chapters show how librarians are taking advantage of these tools to change the way that their library works. All of this without the burden of an additional bill to pay. Through these carefully selected case studies from real libraries, you will be able to learn about the surprising and powerful potential that exists through Google tools to improve library operations.