Monday, June 27, 2011

A Strong Future for Public Library Use and Employment



Griffiths, Jose-Marie and King, Donald W. A Strong Future for Public Library Use and Employment. Chicago: ALA, 2011. 025.5874 Griff ISBN 978-0-8389-3588-0


The latest and most comprehensive assessment of public librarians' education and career paths to date, this important volume reports on a large-scale research project performed by authors Jose-Marie Griffiths and Donald W. King. Presented in collaboration with the Office for Research and Statistics (ORS), the book includes an examination of trends in public library employment, such as: Staff structure and educational level of staff, Outsourcing of library functions and Quality-of-life and quality-of-service assessment. This book serves as a crucial guide to public library administrators as they plan for staffing in years to come.

Outstanding Books for the College Bound: Titles and Programs for a New Generation



Carstensen, Angela. Outstanding Books for the College Bound: Titles and Programs for a New Generation. Chicago: ALA, 2011. 028.535 Outst ISBN 978-0-8389-8570-0


Connecting teens to books they’ll truly enjoy is the aim of every young adult librarian, and the completely revamped guide Outstanding Books for the College Bound will give teen services staff the leg up they need to make it happen. Listing over 400 books deemed outstanding for the college bound by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), this indispensable resource:



  • Examines how the previous lists in the series were developed, and explains the book s new layout

  • Features engaging, helpful book descriptions useful for readers advisory
    Offers programming tips and other ideas for ways the lists can be used at schools and public libraries

  • Includes indexes searchable by topic, year, title, and author


More than simply a vital collection development tool, this book can help librarians help young adults grow into the kind of independent readers and thinkers who will flourish at college.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

A Year of Programs for Teens 2 (book)

Alessio, A.J. & Patton, K.A. (2011). A Year of Programs for Teens 2. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

In this sequel to the book that "takes teen services to a new level" (Adolescence), YA experts Amy J. Alessio and Kimberly A. Patton present entirely new content while building on the successful formula they established earlier. This volume offers several new themed book lists and read-alikes as well as appendices with reproducible handouts for the various programs. This invaluable collection includes
  • A section of introductory material that includes general programming advice
  • Information on teen clubs, and marketing ideas
  • More than 30 programs cleverly organized around a calendar year, including several that focus on technology, with many other ideas that can adapted year-round as needed
Following the practical suggestions laid out here, young adult librarians in public libraries, school librarians, and adult and young adult services staff serving teens can easily build a core teen audience and help attract new members to programs and to the library.

(book description)

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Broken Pieces: a Library Life, 1941-1978



Gorman. Michael. Broken Pieces: a Library Life, 1941-1978. Chicago: ALA, 2011. 020.92 Gorma ISBN 978-0-8389-1104-4


From his earliest reading memories in wartime Britain through five decades of librarianship, eminent librarian and former ALA President Michael Gorman offers insights from his extraordinary career in this new memoir. Gorman relates his personal and professional journey in prose that is by turns charming, opinioned, and revealing. He made perhaps his most significant contribution to librarianship as editor of the 1978 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, a major development that receives detailed attention here. The debates and arguments that would shape professional practice for years to come are dramatically presented, with a vivid cast of characters including leading librarians from two continents. Broken Pieces, Gorman s account of being on the front lines of many of the most important decisions made in librarianship during his career, is a timely and entertaining read.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

The Newbery and Caldecott Awards (book)

Association for Library Services to Children. (2011). The Newbery and Caldecott Awards: A Guide to the Medal and Honor Books. Chicago, IL: American Library Association. ISBN: 978-0-8389-8569-4.

Updated to include the 2011 award and honor books, this new edition of the annual guide to the Newbery and Caldecott awards gathers together the books deemed most distinguished in American children's literature and illustration since the inception of the renowned prizes. Librarians and teachers everywhere rely on this guidebook for quick reference and collection development and also as a resource for curriculum links and readers' advisory. Retaining the streamlined look and format of recent editions, the 2011 guide also includes
  • A thoughtful essay on children's literature today, by Barbara Kiefer, Professor of Children's Literature at Ohio State University
  • Explanations of criteria used to select the winners
  • Updated bibliographic citations and indexes for the award winners
Locating information about the best in children's books has never been easier!

Check out this title's webextras!

(book description)

Interlibrary Loan Practices Handbook, Third Edition



Weible, Cherie L. and Janke, Karen L. Interlibrary Loan Practices Handbook, Third Edition. Chicago: ALA, 2011 025.62 Bouch, 3rd ed. ISBN 978-0-8389-1081-8


In their definitive new Interlibrary Loan Practices Handbook, editors Weible and Janke clearly explainthe complexities of getting materials for patrons from outside the library. This collection presents acomplete view of the interlibrary loan (ILL) process, with contributions from all areas of the technical services community, providing
· Guidance on how to do ILL efficiently and effectively, with advice on how to be a considerate borrower and lender
· Details of preferred staffing and management techniques, showing how best practices can beimplemented at any institution
· Discussion of important issues that can fall between the cracks, such as hidden copyright issues,and the logistics of lending internationally


Consortia and other library partnerships are now sharing ever larger fractions of their collections, andthis book gives library staff the tools necessary for a smoothly functioning ILL system.

Fundamentals of Government Information: Mining, Finding, Evaluating, and Using Government Resources



Forte, Eric J., Hartnett, Cassendra J. and Andrea Sevetson. Fundamentals of Government Information: Mining, Finding, Evaluating, and Using Government Resources. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2011. 025.1734 Forte ISBN 978-1555707378


Government information is an integral part of library work. Sifting through the massive amount of government data available to find the answers and current information you and your patrons need, however, can be difficult and overwhelming. Fundamentals of Government Information will bring ease and effectiveness to this daunting process by providing you with the background knowledge and tools needed to quickly access the very best government information resources. Here, the editors pool their extensive experience to present, in an approachable and well-organized style, the most current online and print government information resources available. You will find models and techniques throughout, as well as more than 50 chapter exercises. Key topics include: Essential government resources, the nature of government information, and government rules and regulations; The court system and judicial law; Statistical resources like the Statistical Abstract of the United States; Health information and PubMed General scientific information and scientific publishing agencies like NASA and the United States Geologic Survey (USGS); Environmental and energy resources from agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy Consumer information from sources such as the Pew Center on the Internet and American Life and Census data.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Create, Relate, and Pop @ the Library (book)

Helmrich, E. & Schneider, E. (2011). Create, Relate, & Pop @ the Library: Services & Programs for Teens & Tweens. New York: Neal-Schuman. ISBN: 9781555707224.

Libraries are in a unique position to help young people explore new ideas. One easy way to do that is by using elements of pop culture to which they’re already attracted. Here, two innovative YA librarians show you how to capitalize on the latest trends--from TV, movies, and music to indie and niche interests--by incorporating them into compelling, creative programs.

Casual and fun to use, the book encompasses both traditional and Web 2.0 participatory programming, offering practical ideas, program templates, and step-by-step outlines of methods, supplies, and resources. Chapter coverage includes:

  • The philosophy of services to teens and tweens
  • Policies
  • Targeting populations
  • Collection building
  • Innovative programming using everything from reality
  • television to music to gaming
  • Tween and teen spaces (both physical and virtual spaces)
  • marketing
  • Outreach

Providing answers to questions such as “What will I do with my summer program?” or “How can I incorporate something educational into our library’s gaming theme?,” this time-saving, soup-to-nuts resource is perfect for librarians working with newer technologies, as well as those looking to add some pop to traditional programming formats.

(book description)

Monday, June 6, 2011

A Guide to the Library of Congress Classification, 5th ed.



Chan, Lois Mai. A Guide to the Library of Congress Classification, 5th ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1999. 025.433 Chan, 5th ed. ISBN 978-1-56308-499-7


“There really is no substitute for this significant and worthwhile text, either for cataloging students or for practitioners.”–Journal of Academic Librarianship“Should be in every library and every library school.”–LRTS“Highly recommended.”–Library Journal

A Librarian’s Guide to an Uncertain Job Market




Woodward, Jeannette. A Librarian’s Guide to an Uncertain Job Market. Chicago: ALA, 2011. 020.2373 Woodw ISBN 978-0-8389-1105-1




During these tough economic times, more people are relying on libraries than ever before, even as library funding is being slashed or eliminated altogether. The hard truth is that many seasoned librarians are losing their jobs, and many recent LIS graduates are having a hard time finding one. Being unemployed is potentially devastating; without a clear, well-thought out game plan and considerable attention to their own personal well-being, those affected may find it difficult to recover. In this ALA Editions Special Report, Woodward, a veteran librarian with decades of experience, helps at-risk librarians:


· Prepare for budget crunches by showing them how to develop versatile skills and plan ahead for potential changes in employment
· Educate themselves about which library positions are being phased out and which will hold steady or expand
· Adjust their career goals, repurpose their existing skills for non-traditional librarianship, and even search for work in non-library settings
This Special Report provides the compassionate guidance and pragmatic support that librarians will need to survive possible career crises and reenter the job market with renewed confidence.