Radical Reads 2 (book)

Bodart, J.R. (2010). Radical Reads 2. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.

In Radical Reads, Joni Richards Bodart identified 101 young adult books that featured gritty, complex plots, focused on multidimensional characters, and tackled such difficult subjects as teenage pregnancy, dysfunctional families, gangs, prejudice, violence, drugs, or other provocative issues. Teen readers were drawn to such books because they could identify with both the characters and the situations depicted in these raw and edgy works of fiction.

In Radical Reads 2: Working with the Newest Edgy Titles for Teens, Bodart continues where the first book left off, examining more than a hundred titles published since the previous edition. The books featured here are engaging and tough, yet well written and accessible to readers. For each novel, Bodart lists the main characters, major themes and subject areas, and offers a brief summary. Along with providing book report ideas, she cites the strengths of each work, excerpts important reviews, and lists any awards the book has received. Indexed by author, title, subject, curriculum area, reading level, interest level, and genre, Radical Reads 2 is an indispensable tool for librarians, teachers, and parents alike, and will appeal especially to teens looking for relevant and topical fiction. (book description)

Making the Best of a Shrinking Budget (DVD)

Making the Best of a Shrinking Budget: Creative Practices in a New Economy. Presenters Leslie Burger, Alice Calabrese-Berry, and Mary Case. College of DuPage, 2009. DVD.

This is a recording of the teleconference that was broadcast by the College of DuPage as part of the Library Futures: Staying Ahead of the Curve series on January 29, 2010. Running time is 90 minutes.

Description on DVD:
"Private or public, for profit or not, funding is the key to the functionality and longevity of all ventures. When money is scarce, decisions about necessity and sacrifice shape the direction and viability of any enterprise. Libraries are accustomed to adapting to fluctuating budgets. Recent funding shortages, though, have been staggering, resulting in steep reductions. In the face of financial strain, how do libraries preserve core services or even expand the roles of librarians to meet community needs? Beyond a mere tightening of belts to make it through a slump, this program focuses on a new way of thinking about the relationship between budgets and services."

Best Books for Middle School and Junior High Readers

Barr, C. & Gillespie, J. (2009). Best Books for Middle School and Junior High Readers: Grades 6-9 (2nd ed.). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Barr, C. (2011). Best Books for Middle School and Junior High Readers: Grades 6-9 (Supplement to the 2nd ed.). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

This indispensable reading guide and selection tool, updated to include titles published from 2004 through 2008, covers the best fiction and nonfiction for children in grades 6-9. The approximately 15,000 entries include brief but lively annotations, ISBNs, book length and price, grade-level appropriateness, and review citations. New features include indication of titles available in audio format and Lexiles where available. Award-winning and series titles are noted. Use this must-purchase volume to bolster your collection for young teens and to create thematic and curriculum-oriented reading lists. Grades 6-9.
(book description)

Teen-Centered Library Service: Putting youth Participation into Practice

Tuccillo, D.P. (2010). Teen-Centered Library Service: Putting youth Participation into Practice. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

Teen-Centered Library Service: Putting Youth Participation into Practice is a practical guide that can help you get teens involved in your library—in everything from book discussions, working with children, and author visits to collection development, community outreach, and even fundraising. Drawing on research and best practices, as well as anecdotes and success stories from around the country, Diane P. Tuccillo makes the case for youth participation and shows you how to achieve it.

Carefully organized chapters focus on reasons to make library teen participation a priority, promote understanding of historical perspectives pertaining to library youth participation, and examine successful and exciting ideas that today's school and public libraries can emulate. School and public libraries that are ready to embark on youth participation endeavors for the first time, as well as those that want to improve or enhance programs already in place, will benefit equally from the information shared here.

• Focus boxes and quotes highlight viewpoints and information from a variety of experts and diagrams illustrate pertinent points and solidify the chapters
• Includes forms, flyers, applications, and other promotional materials that can be readily reproduced or adapted to various library goals and needs
• Photos of real teens in action as they perform their youth participation duties serve to inspire readers and provide examples to emulate
• A bibliography enhances the informational aspects of the book by offering further reading and references to supplement study and application, while further reading suggestions are also provided under various topics in each chapter

(book description)

Reality Rules! A Guide to Teen Nonfiction Reading Interests

Fraser, E. (2008). Reality Rules! A Guide to Teen Nonfiction Reading Interests. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

It's real, it's radical, and it rocks! Nonfiction has become the preferred genre for many teen readers, both male and female. This guide identifies some of the most popular nonfiction for today's teens, and organizes it into specific genres and reading interests that teens enjoy—from true adventure, sports and life stories, to do-it-yourself. More than 500 titles are described, with notes on classics, award winners, reading levels, read-alikes, and titles that especially appeal to boys and to reluctant readers, or are appropriate for book groups. This is an essential readers' advisory resource for anyone who works with teen readers, and a practical collection development aid. Grades 6-12.

Teens read nonfiction for pleasure as much or more than adults. In recent years, librarians have become increasingly aware of the appeal of this literature and the need to offer and promote it to teen readers. This guide focuses on titles created for teens and those with strong teen appeal. The author covers more than 500 titles published since 2000, also including benchmarks and perennial classics that teens continue to enjoy. For each title you'll find complete bibliographic information, a descriptive annotation, indications of award winners, reading levels, read-alikes, titles suitable for book groups, and books with extra appeal for boys. In addition, she identifies fiction read-alikes and sure bets for each subgenre (i.e., consider starting with).

A general introduction and chapter introductions discuss the appeals of the genre, working with teens, and issues related to nonfiction. This is an essential guide for any librarian who works with teens.
(book description)

Best Books for High School Readers

Barr, C. & Gillespie, J. (2009). Best Books for High School Readers: Grades 9-12 (2nd ed.). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

This indispensable reading guide and selection tool, updated to include titles published from 2004 through 2008, covers the best fiction and nonfiction for children in grades 9-12. The approximately 15,000 entries include brief but lively annotations, ISBNs, book length and price, grade-level appropriateness, and review citations. New features include indication of titles available in audio format and Lexiles where available. Award-winning and series titles are noted. Use this must-purchase volume to bolster your collection for high school readers and to create thematic and curriculum-oriented reading lists.
Evaluate your teen literature collection, select new titles, and create thematic and genre-oriented reading lists with this highly affordable and authoritative guide.
(book description)

Latino Literature: A Guide to Reading Interests

Martinez, S. (2009). Latino Literature: A Guide to Reading Interests.
Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

Latinos comprise the fastest-growing population in the U.S., and that means more Latino readers at the library. In addition, works written by Latinos, whether written in or translated into English, have become a vibrant and growing body of literature that is of great interest to all readers as well as literary scholars. Yet, there are few tools to guide readers and the professionals who work with them through this expanding terrain.

The primary purpose of this guide is to help readers and those who advise them find enjoyable leisure reading material. Focusing on popular works by Latino authors, i.e. U.S. authors of Latino heritage; and authors from Latin American countries or Spain, the book organizes and describes approximately 750 titles by genre, subgenre and theme, providing readers with lists of like reads.

Complete bibliographic information is provided for each title, along with a concise plot summary, a subject list, award information, a brief quote from the book, and a list of similar reads.

Other features of the guide include an introduction to Latino literature, a discussion of RA services in a multicultural society, trends in Latino publishing, and a discussion of pertinent ethnic terminology. In addition, you'll find guidelines for selection of Latino Literature, information sources, publishers, and organizations and societies. Further access is provided by indexes to authors, titles, subjects, character names, and settings .

Finally, a genre guide to Latino literature-and it covers works by Latino authors written in and tranlated into English.

(book description)

Crash Course in Serving Spanish-Speakers

Avila, S. (2008). Crash Course in Serving Spanish-Speakers.
Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

This introduction will help plan for attracting this rapidly growing Spanish-speaking population into the library and library services, a major challenge to librarians in small public libraries who have no Spanish-speaking staff.

Providing services to Spanish speakers is both an honor and a challenge. Before public institutions venture into reaching out to the Spanish-speaking community, they need to become familiar with their cultural competency so that their decisions and initiatives are not at risk.
(book description)

On the Road with Outreach

Dilger-Hill, J. & MacCreaigh, E. (2010). On the Road with Outreach: Mobile Library Services. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

Today mobile outreach is more vital and diverse than ever, with librarians taking it to the streets for senior citizens, childcare organizations, immigrants and low-literate populations, urban and rural communities, prisoners, low-income populations, and other traditionally underserved public library populations.

The first book of its kind in more than two decades, On the Road with Outreach: Mobile Library Services provides step-by-step guidance for those wishing to initiate or improve outreach services in their communities. The essays collected here come from some of the best-known movers and shakers in the mobile outreach field—all of them subject experts and active outreach practitioners. Focusing on the practicalities of establishing and maintaining service to various populations, the book covers everything from design, purchase, maintenance, and automation of bookmobiles to planning and promotion and serving specific populations. Anecdotes, as well as sample service agreements, contracts, applications, staff schedules, and other working documents enhance the text.

• Includes the Association of Bookmobiles and Outreach Services guidelines, sample marketing materials, sample letters and policy statements, a complete set of bookmobile specifications, checklists, and sample service schedules
• Subject-specific bibliographies suggest further reading on bookmobiles, library services to immigrants, senior citizens, children, and prisoners, strategic planning, and staffing
• A glossary of mobile automation terms explains satellite, cellular, and radio connectivity

(book description)

More Bullies in More Books

Bott, C. J. More Bullies in More Books. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, 2009. Print. ISBN 978-0-8108-6654-6

Bullying in schools remains a problem. If you're looking for a way to broach the subject with students, try discussing books with bullying as a theme. This resource was designed for that purpose by a retired high school English teacher and was reviewed positively in the October 2009 issue of School Libary Journal and August 2009's Voya. -- Jen

"C. J. Bott has written this sequel [to The Bully in the Book and in the Classroom] to help those who work with children and young adults become familiar with books that address the problem of bullying. More Bullies in More Books presents over 350 annotated titles, from picture books to high school books, dealing with bullying. Chapters address specific bullying behaviors or problems: name calling, putdowns, and gossip; being new and different; body image; cliques, groups, and gangs; "isms;" homophobia; cyberspace; and violence.

Each chapter begins with an introduction that describes the harassment seen most often in each grade level and contains relevant books at all reading levels. Every entry features an in-depth summary, activities, and quotes from the book for students to discuss." -- From the book's description

Urban Teens in the Library (book)

Agosto, D.E. & Hughes-Hassell, S. (2010). Urban Teens in the Library: Research and Practice. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

Urban Teens in the Library is the perfect solution for the concerns and uncertainty many librarians face when supporting this group of patrons and students. From a team of experts who have researched the information habits and preferences of urban teens to build better and more effective school and public library programs, this book will show readers

• The importance of moving beyond stereotypes and revamping library services
• The value of street lit and social networking
• How a library website can meet the information needs of teens

This groundbreaking book is relevant to all librarians working with urban teens and looking for ways to reach out to them. (book description)

From Thibodaux to Tucumcari: Family Literacy in Rural Libraries

Turner, M. & Kober, N. (1998). From Thibodaux to Tucumcari: Family Literacy in Rural Libraries. Washington, D.C.: Center for the Book.

This report on the Viburnum Family Literacy Project discusses what makes library-based family literacy programs work, and how policy makers, grantmakers, and community leaders can collaborate to promote family literacy in rural areas.
--taken from the inside cover of the report.

Hear and Say: Reading with Toddler (video)

Huebner, C.E. (2001). Hear and Say: Reading with Toddler. Bainbridge Island, WA: Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island.

Hear and say reading teaches parents, grandparents, babysitters, and volunteers a simple way of reading stories with young children that encourages early language development. Using conversation about the story and pictures, Hear and say reading helps build a child's vocabulary and sentence skills. Based on the work of Grover Whitehurst. (video description)