Workplace Learning & Leadership: a Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainers

Reed, Lori & Paul Signorelli. Workplace Learning & Leadership: a Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainers. Chicago: ALA, 2011. 020.7155 Reed ISBN: 978-0-8389-1082-5

The best kind of learning is that which never ends and a culture of training means that staff will be more flexible and responsive to new ideas and strategies, imperative in today s libraries. In this practical resource, leading workplace trainers Reed and Signorelli offer guidance on improving the effectiveness of training programs. Their book takes readers through the entire process of developing, implementing, and sustaining training programs and communities of learning, in order to:

· Empower individuals to become leaders and teachers by cultivating a culture of ongoing learning
· Connect library staff and users to information resources so they can effectively use them to their benefit
· Develop skills among both managers and workers for practicing continuous formal and informal training

Using real-life examples of trainers who serve as leaders within libraries and their communities, this book sheds light on an underappreciated but important component of library operations.

Homework Help from the Library: In Person and Online

Intner, Carol F. Homework Help from the Library: In Person and Online. Chicago: ALA Editions, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-8389-1046-7

Publisher's Description:
Children’s and young adult librarians are crucial links to effective learning for students. This straightforward handbook is filled with nuts-and-bolts advice on the best ways to help young people with their homework, no matter what the assignment. Carol F. Intner, a certified English teacher and experienced tutor, concentrates on the practical, covering

• How students’ different learning styles and current technology inform the homework process
• Staff training and community outreach
• Options for working more closely with both students and teachers

From planning a customized homework-help agenda to demonstrating how to help students successfully use their technological savvy in ways not necessarily possible at home, this book presents a no-nonsense, comprehensive approach to giving students the assistance they need.

Chapter Titles:
{1} Background: Homework Help as the Confluence of Information Services and Education
{2} First Steps: Planning Your Homework Help Menu of Services
{3} Staff Training and Professional Development
{4} Technology in the Library for Homework Help
{5} Technology from Remote Locations for Homework Help
{6} Answering Homework Queries and Interacting with Students
{7} Troubleshooting
{8} Marketing Your Homework Help Services
{9} Evaluating Your Homework Help Program

Preview:
To preview a portion of the book, see the publisher's site.

Note:
The author references the "seminal" Creating the Full-Service Homework Center in Your Library by Cindy Mediavilla. That book is also available from the Oregon State Library.

The Dominican Study: Summer Reading Programs... (book & online)

Roman, S., Carran, D.T., & Fiore, C.D. (June 2010). The Dominican Study: Public Library Summer Reading Programs Close the Reading Gap. River Forest, IL: Graduate School of Library & Information Science at Dominican University

This is one of the few existing studies on public library summer reading programs and their impact on student achievement. It was conducted by the the Graduate School of Library & Information Science at Dominican University in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University Center for Summer Learning and was funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

This study includes results, of course, and recommendations to public libraries for increases the impact their summer reading program has on children and teens.

You can read the executive summary (4 pages) and the final report (103 pages) online or by checking out hard copies from the Oregon State Library.

Continuing Education for Oregon Library Personnel: Needs Assessment Report and Proposed Model

Ruth Metz Associates for Portland Community College. Continuing Education for Oregon Library Personnel: Needs Assessment Report and Proposed Model. October 11, 2010 020.715 conti

Resulting from a 2010 LSTA grant, this report looks at continuing education needs identified in many focus groups throughout Oregon. The report also explores models for CE for Oregon’s library community.

El día de los niños/El día de los libros: Building a Culture of Literacy in Your Community through Día

Jeanette Larson for the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). El día de los niños/El día de los libros: Building a Culture of Literacy in Your Community through Día. Chicago: ALA, 2011 027.625 Larso ISBN: 978-0-8389-3599-6

A celebration of children, families, and reading held annually since 1996, Children’s Day/Book Day, known as Día, emphasizes the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. In anticipation of Día’s fifteenth anniversary, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) presents a collection of the best of its Día programming ideas, offering · A wealth of ready-to-use programs, easily adaptable for a variety of cultures · Cultural competency training tips to encourage outreach to minority populations · Interviews with library directors about the best ways to heighten awareness of cultural and literacy issues Complemented by numerous bilingual book suggestions, this resource is perfect for collection development, early literacy storytimes, and year-round program planning.

The Challenge of Library Management

VanDuinkerken, Wyoma and Mosley, Pixey Anne. The Challenge of Library Management: Leading with Emotional Engagement. Chicago: ALA, 2011. 025.1VanDu ISBN 978-0-8389-1102-0

Change is inevitable and essential to any functioning institution. But change can be stressful, especially when it upsets established routines and patterns. Library managers need to be able to lead staff through episodes of change while remaining empathetic, and this book shows them how to · Engage library staff in the process and encourage their active participation · Navigate successfully through common types of change, such as space planning, departmental reorganization, and changes in work responsibilities · Draw on concepts from psychology, communication, empowerment, planning, and evaluation to minimize friction Most workplace changes are not ends in themselves but part of a continuous process of transition. Peppered with short narratives that use real-life examples of change principles, this book helps managers reassure their staff that change can be an opportunity for reflection and personal growth.

The Librarian as Information Consultant: Transforming Reference for the Information Age

Murphy, Sarah Anne. The Librarian as Information Consultant: Transforming Reference for the Information Age. Chicago: American Library Association, 2011. ISBN 978-0-8389-1086-3 025.52 Murph Library users evolving information needs and their choice of search methods have changed reference work profoundly. Today’s reference librarian must work in a whole new way not only service-focused and businesslike, but even entrepreneurial. Murphy innovatively rethinks the philosophy behind currentlibrary reference services in this thought-provoking book, which: · Rebrands reference librarianship on the model of a consulting business, providing a renewed vision of the reference desk by treating patrons as clients · Spells out the importance of the patron s voice, and details methods for building and maintaining relationships with patrons · Identifies the reference librarian s competitive advantage over Web search engines and shows how to capitalize on it Murphy adapts existing business practices and programs to the context of the library, allowingfrontline staff and administrators in any type of reference department to monitor and continuouslyimprove their library’s services.

Into the Minds of Babes (book)

Guernsey, Lisa. (2007). Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time Affects Children From Birth to Age Five. NY: Perseus Books.

As a mother, Lisa Guernsey wondered about the influence of TV on her two young daughters. As a reporter, she resolved to find out. What she first encountered was tired advice, sensationalized research claims, and a rather draconian mandate from the American Association of Pediatricians: no TV at all before the age of two. But like many parents, she wanted straight answers and realistic advice, so she kept digging: she visited infant-perception laps and child development centers around the country. She interviewed scored of parents, psychologists, cognitive scientists, and media researchers, as well as programming executives at Noggin, Disney, Nickelodeon, Sesame Workshop, and PBS. Much of what she found flies in the face of conventional wisdom and led her to conclude that new parents will be best served by focusing on "the three C's": content, context, and the individual child.

Advocating a new approach to TV and DVDs, Guernsey focuses on infants to five-year-olds and goes beyond the headlines to explore what exactly is "educational" about educational media. She examines how play and language development are affected by background and foreground TV and how to choose videos that are age-appropriate. She explains how to avoid the hype of "brain stimulation" and focus instead on social relationships and the building blocks of language and literacy. Along the way, she highlights independent research on shows ranging from Dora The Explorer to Dragon Tales, and distills some surprising new findings in the field of child development.

(book description)