Joint Libraries: Models That Work

Gunnels, Claire B., Susan E. Green and Patricia M. Butler.  Joint Libraries: Models That Work.  Chicago: ALA, 2012.  027.473 Gunne   ISBN 978-0838911389

The joint-use college/public library can be an ideal solution to serving patrons while managing overextended resources, and this illuminating book scrutinizes successes and failures of the joint-use model. Three founding faculty librarians of a joint-use college/public library discuss the factors that should go into evaluating when and where a joint library is suitable. Incorporating lessons learned from five case studies, the authors

·         Include a short history of joint libraries, exploring how this model is a natural evolution from reciprocal borrowing, shared catalogs, and interlibrary loan

·         Explain how to manage all aspects of a joint-use library, including choices about the physical plant, decisions on contractual requirements, collection development, classification systems, cataloging and technical services issues, personnel, and more

·         Address emerging trends and best practices for serving students and the general public simultaneously

·         Offer interviews with administrators and staff in successful joint-use libraries

Anyone interested in joint-use libraries in particular, or radical ideas for extending resources in general, will want the information in this book.

Grant Money through Collaborative Partnerships

Maxwell, Nancy Kalikow.  Grant Money through Collaborative Partnerships.  Chicago: ALA, 2012.  025.11 Maxwe     ISBN 978-0-8389-1159-4

Because libraries are information and research centers, they can support a huge variety of grant funding initiatives outside their own purview. Cultural centers, businesses, and educational institutions are untapped resources for library funds. What's more, many libraries may find that collaborating on a grant application with another organization is preferable to going forward with a time-consuming application of their own. But finding the right collaborative partner and securing a place at its development table can be challenging. Drawing on her extensive experience as a grant developer and library director, in this ALA Editions Special Report Maxwell

·         Presents an overview of grant basics, with extensive lists of both online and print resources

·         Suggests how to frame libraries research capabilities as benefits to the community at large, transforming these capabilities into a revenue source

·         Explores strategies for locating potential partners, with tips on approaching collaborators and establishing successful relationships

·         Describes what libraries can ask for from the grant developer, making sure to include what they want in the grant proposal

Maxwell offers an abundance of practical advice and encouragement for using this novel approach to secure additional funding for libraries.

Teaching for Inquiry: Engaging the Learner Within

Small, Ruth V., et al. Teaching for Inquiry: Engaging the Learner Within. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2011. ISBN: 9781555707552

From the publisher:
Make AASL’s 21st Century Learning Standards a reality in your school with this practical guide!

The American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL’s) Standards for the 21st-Century Learner define “inquiry” as a “stance toward learning in which the learner is engaged in asking questions and finding answers, not simply accumulating facts presented by someone else that have no relation to previous learning or new understanding. Inquiry follows a continuum of learning experiences, from simply discovering a new idea or an answer to a question to following a complete inquiry process.”

Inquiry is a crucial vantage point for teaching information literacy, but where can school librarians turn for help meeting those standards?

Written by a “dream team” of school library leaders, Teaching for Inquiry will focus on this process, helping school library media specialists actively engage and motivate their students in learning. The authors go over the most important instructional models and help readers integrate these and new standards into their own teaching.

The book even comes with a companion Web site including videos of librarians teaching and student learning that bring the various teaching techniques and motivational strategies described in the book to life! www.teachingforinquiry.net

The planning tools, models, and methods featured in Teaching for Inquiry will provide essential guidance to librarians looking to engage their students in the world of information.

Picture Books for Children (book)

Northrup, M. (2012). Picture Books for Children: Fiction, Folktales, and Poetry. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

Providing descriptive annotations of the best children's picture books published in the last decade, this comprehensive overview is perfect for librarians, teachers, parents, daycare providers, and anyone who works with young children. It is both an excellent tool for collection development and an abundant resource for planning storytimes and other children’s programming. With selections based on proven appeal and quality, Northrup’s survey features

• An introductory essay on the nature of the picture book, and an explanation of the evaluation criteria
• Bibliographic information on each picture book, including author, illustrator, publisher, date, and age recommendation
• A thorough index for quick reference and an appendix of additional suggested resources

Packed with ardent and insightful recommendations, this book makes it a snap to select and use just the right picture books.

(book description)