Dragons in the Stacks

Steven A. Torres-Roman and Cason E. Snow. (2014). Dragons in the Stacks: A Teen Librarian's Guide to Tabletop Role-Playing by  Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited. 978-1-61069-261-8.

A one-stop, complete guide to tabletop role-playing games for novice librarians as well as seasoned players.

Tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) are a perfect fit for library teen services. They not only hold great appeal for teen patrons, but also help build important skills ranging from math and literacy to leadership and dramatics. Role-playing games are cost-effective too. Dragons in the Stacks explains why RPGs are so effective at holding teenagers' attention, identifies their specific benefits, outlines how to select and maintain a RPG collection, and demonstrates how they can enhance teen services and be used in teen programs. Detailed reviews of role-playing games are included as well, with pointers on their strengths, weaknesses, and library applications. Coauthored by an experienced young adult librarian and an adult services librarian, this is the definitive guide to RPGs in the library, and the only one currently available.

Features

• Discusses collection development, cataloging, and programs for teens 
• Supplies detailed reviews of scores of popular and less well-known role-playing games 
• Outlines a variety of affordable, effective programs for teens that involve role-playing tabletop games

(book description)

A Year of Programs for Millennials

Alessio, A.J.; Lamantia, K.; & Vinci, E. (2015). A Year of Programs for Millennials and More. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions. 978-0-8389-1332-1.

Needless to say, programming for teens can be a dubious fit for library users in their 20s; and what appeals to Baby Boomers isn't necessarily ideal for those in their 30s and 40s. Millennials deserve their own programs. This handy guide specifically targets those on the cusp of the born-digital generation and their peers, offering up a year’s worth of programming suitable for both public and academic libraries. Organized by monthly clubs or monthly themed events, a format that makes planning and execution a snap, this resource

• Provides an overview of what those in their 20s, 30, and 40s want from libraries and how best to reach them
• Gives tips for extending popular teen programs to older teens and those in their 20s
• Presents start-to-finish programs sure to be a big draw, such as a “pub trivia” night, recipe scrapbooking meetup, retro craft club, old school gaming sessions, writer’s workshops, and community college networking events
• Shows how to program on a tight budget by making the most of the library’s existing collection and resources
• Offers tips on marketing, outreach, and followup

The fun and popular programs contained in this guide will help libraries become social and cultural cornerstones for the millennials in their communities.

(book description)

Real-World Teen Services

Velasquez, J. (2015) Read-World Teen Services. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions. 978-0-8389-1342-0.

There are plenty of resources about teen services that focus on YA readers’ advisory and programming ideas. But the basics of day-to-day service to teens in the library setting, a discipline requiring specific skills, is all too often glossed over in professional literature.  As a result many LIS grads begin serving teens armed with an incomplete understanding of why their job is both important and unique, and what they need to know from day one. This compromises their effectiveness as both young adult librarians and advocates for teen services. In this down-to-earth book, former Library Journal Mover & Shaker Velásquez explores real-world challenges and obstacles to teen service that often present themselves, offering solutions and guidance for both new YA librarians and those wanting to freshen up their approach. Presenting fresh ways of thinking about the role of the teen services librarian and how it fits into the organizational structure, Velásquez

• Combines field-tested approaches with current research to tackle common teen library service issues such as truancy, curfews, programming philosophy and mission, privacy, and organizational resistance, whether subtle or overt
• Addresses each topic from the perspective of working with teens, family members, fellow colleagues, and community stakeholders
• Presents realistic strategies to help shift a library’s culture towards one that embraces teens and teen services
• Shows how to get the most out of a library’s teen space, discussing factors like location, age restrictions, time of day restrictions, and staffing, plus suggestions for using the shelf-space of the YA collection as a starting point

This book goes beyond the “what” and “how” of teen services to get to the “why,” ensuring that both new and experienced practitioners will understand the ways teens want to use public space, discover and create information, and interact with peers and adults.

(book description)

Archives Alive: Expanding Engagement with Public Library Archives and Special Collections

Schull, Diantha Dow. Archives Alive: Expanding Engagement with Public Library Archives and Special Collections. ALA Editions, 2015. IBN: 978-0-8389-1335-2

Description
From social archives and citizen cartography to artist-curators and photovoice projects, special collections departments are demonstrating their value not only for preservation but also for outreach, education, and public service. In this book Schull canvasses the nation, showcasing exciting ideas that can be adapted for every public library. A great inspirational book for librarians seeking to expand connections with public audiences.

Table of Contents
A detailed table of contents is available on the publisher's web site:
https://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=11345

Leading Libraries: How to Create a Service Culture

vanDuinkerken, Wyoma and Wendi Arant Kaspar. Leading Libraries: How to Create a Service Culture. ALA Editions, 2015. ISBN: 978-0-8389-1312-3

Description

Drawing from case studies as well as the literature of business and social sciences, the authors provide guidance on how to apply the values of service leadership to both public and academic libraries. Through the use of examples, exercises, and tools for development, this book walks readers through the steps needed to create a sustainable, service-oriented model.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Leadership Theories: Traditional and Transformational

Chapter 2: Service Leadership and Its Paradigm in Libraries

Chapter 3: Conscientiousness as the Foundation

Chapter 4: Building Rapport

Chapter 5: Balancing Encouragement and Accountability

Chapter 6: Innovation and Evolving Service

Chapter 7: Strategic Planning: The Practice of Innovation and Strategic Thinking

Chapter 8: Sustaining Service as a Value

Chapter 9: Formalizing Service Leadership in Libraries: Embedding Processes and Policies

Chapter 10: Service Leadership in Libraries

Running a Small Library, 2nd ed.

Moorman, John A., ed. Running a Small Library, 2nd ed. New York: Neal- Schuman, 2015.

025.1Runni, 2015 ed.  .025.1Runni 2015 ed. ISBN9780838912737

Since running a small library public, academic, school, or special often means making do with little or no staff, this challenging task calls for its own set of skills and expertise. That’s where Moorman’s how-to manual comes in, offering guidance on every essential aspect of what it takes to run a small library. Fully revised and updated, including a new chapter on digital library services, the second edition covers such day-to-day issues as:

• Budgeting, from planning to advocacy
• Developing and implementing policies and procedures
• Maintaining facilities
• Acquisition, cataloging, and collection development and management on a shoestring
• Circulation
• Programming, outreach, and community partnerships
• Library technology, from computers and networks to automation systems and beyond

Also featured is an updated resource section listing furniture, automation, book, and periodical vendors; 

electronic discussion and support groups; professional organizations; and resources for more information. This book is a must-have for any solo librarian or library manager with a small staff.

 Be sure to check out our Library and Information Science (LIS) blog (http://osl-lis.blogspot.com/) 

to discover the most recent additions to our LIS collection and search our catalog (http://oregon.gov/OSL/index.shtml) for our complete holdings. The library science collection is meant to support the whole Oregon library community. The Library Development Division welcomes your suggestions for acquisitions - see the blog for an input form or email us!

 

Library Security : Better Communication, Safer Facilities

 Albrecht, Steve. Library Security : Better Communication, Safer Facilities. 

Chicago: American Library Association, 2015. 025.82 Albre  ISBN 9780838913307

Library work is really all about people. And the inclusive, welcoming nature of the library means that all kinds of people pass through its doors. Not all difficult patrons are dangerous, but some frighten staff and other library users, which can lead to situations that are distracting, troubling, and fraught with liability. For more than a decade, Albrecht, a 15-year police veteran, has presented workshops for libraries on dealing with challenging patrons. His no-nonsense advice will empower library staff in their personal security and give them the tools to confidently communicate with their colleagues, patrons, and members of law enforcement regarding inappropriate behavior. In this book he addresses security issues important to all libraries, including

• Specific guidance for common situations, such as unruly teens, unwanted sexual advances, chronically homeless substance abusers, and more
• The elements of an effective Code of Conduct and how to enforce it
• Tips on how to manage internet usage to minimize potential problems
• How to align with patrons and use language that defuses the conflict
• Forming partnerships with service organizations, homeless shelters, mental health advocacy groups, and other community resources
• How to know when it s time to call the police, plus ideas for increasing law enforcement support
• Ways to make the library more secure through changes to facilities

Through the methods outlined in this book, Albrecht demonstrates that effective communication not only makes library users feel more comfortable but also increases staff morale, ensuring the library is place where everyone feels welcome.

The Weeding Handbook: A Shelf-by-Shelf Guide

Vnuk, Rebecca. The Weeding Handbook: A Shelf-by-Shelf Guide. ALA Editions, 2015. 

ISBN: 978-0-8389-1327-7 

Description

“No! We can’t rid of that!” Vnuk, author of the popular “Weeding Tips” column on Booklist Online, is here to show you that yes, you can. A library is an ever-changing organism; when done the right way, weeding helps a library thrive by focusing its resources on those parts of the collection that are the most useful to its users. [Publisher's description] Oriented toward public library collections.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1    The Basics
Chapter 2    Shelf by Shelf, 000, 100, 200
Chapter 3    Shelf-by-Shelf, 300s
Chapter 4    Shelf by Shelf, 400s and 500s
Chapter 5    Shelf by Shelf, 600s
Chapter 6    Shelf by Shelf, 700s
Chapter 7    Shelf by Shelf, 800s and Fiction
Chapter 8    Shelf by Shelf, 900s and Biography
Chapter 9    Other Areas of the Collection
Chapter 10    Special Considerations for Youth Collections
Chapter 11    Weeding Gone Wrong
Chapter 12    The Importance of a Collection-Development Plan

Appendix: Sample Collection Development Plans
Suggested Reading
Index 

School Library Infographics

Creighton, Peggy Milam. School Library Infographics: How to Create Them, Why to Use Them. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-4408-3677-0

Publisher's Description

Find out how you can increase the impact of your school library instruction, promotion, and organization with the utilization of infographics created with do-it-yourself tips found within this guidebook.

Infographics have become increasingly popular educational tools for visually conveying ideas and information—in class projects, in daily lessons, and for promoting school and library programs. This book—the only one of its kind—helps you create your own computer-generated visuals for your class and library using common software platforms and free web-based applications. A perfect primer for educators with little or no technological savvy, this resource features charts, tables, screenshots, bars, and graphs for making infographics easy to reproduce and create.

Author Peggy Milam Creighton discusses the benefits of utilizing visuals with students and provides tips and strategies for creating your own graphics for various educational settings. The reference is organized into three topics: how to create infographics with Microsoft software such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; how to use graphics to support school library programs; and why using these visual-based learning tools is important. The work features easy-to-use tutorials, lesson plans, and project ideas for students.

Features

• Includes more than 30 original visuals available for reproduction
• Provides tips for sharing infographics through social media
• Demonstrates how to effectively pair infographics and education to maximize your library's impact on students
• Shows how graphics can be used to enhance instruction
• Features a list of applications and tools for creating your own infographics using basic, easy-to-access, and free software

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Out With Posters, In With Infographics
Chapter 2: Planning and Organizing Information
Chapter 3: Creating an Infographic in Microsoft Word
Chapter 4: Creating an Infographic in Microsoft Excel
Chapter 5: Creating an Infographic in Microsoft PowerPoint
Chapter 6: Apps and Tools for Creation
Chapter 7: Using Infographics in the School Library Program
Chapter 8: Infographics Projects for Students
Chapter 9: Presenting Infographics Online
Chapter 10: Sharing Infographics through Social Media
Chapter 11: Printing Infographics
Chapter 12: Why Use Infographics in Education?

Librarian's Guide to Online Searching

 

Bell, Suzanne. Librarian's Guide to Online Searching: Cultivating Database Skills for Research and Instruction. 4th ed. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2015.
ISBN: 978-1-61069-998-3

Publisher's Description

This groundbreaking textbook and guide for library school students and librarians will help you—regardless of experience level or environment—learn the ins and outs of working with online databases, the best tactics for effective research online, and the methods for conveying these search skills to others.

Experienced librarian and instructor Suzanne S. Bell presents methods for effectively searching across disciplines and interfaces in this updated guide, the first edition of which was a pioneer in the field of online research and methodology. Extensively revised and updated throughout with additional features, fresh content, and the latest in web-based resources, the book focuses on two broad themes: effective searching of library databases and mentoring your library patrons to do the same.

Each chapter includes discussions, concrete examples, exercises, and points to consider on such topics as the design of online databases, strategies for indexing, and tips for teaching users both online and in person. Arranged by content, the guide showcases the most popular databases in areas ranging from science to statistical data to the humanities, providing you with helpful search examples along the way. The updated content—some based on reader feedback—includes virtual interviews, dealing with public speaking anxiety, and coverage of a variety of new databases available for research.
 

Features

• Features discussions of databases by discipline, including social science, science, medicine, and humanities, covering both bibliographic and numerical databases
• Provides readers with a toolkit of fundamental search skills to increase research effectiveness
•  Presents advice and techniques for both virtual and in-person teaching
• Offers a companion website with additional information and exercises
• Includes new "Additional Resources" sections for each database chapter, providing exposure to more database names and vendors, as well as a new section on discovery services

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction to Library Databases
Chapter 2: Database Structure for Everyone: Records, Fields, and Indexes
Chapter 3: The Searcher’s Toolkit: Part 1
Chapter 4: The Searcher’s Toolkit: Part 2
Chapter 5: Social Science Databases
Chapter 6: Databases for Science and Medicine
Chapter 7: Bibliographic Databases
Chapter 8: Humanities Databases
Chapter 9: Numerical Databases
Chapter 10: Focus on People
Chapter 11: Choosing the Right Resource for the Question
Chapter 12: Evaluating Databases
Chapter 13: Teaching Other People About Databases
Chapter 14: Database Teaching Opportunities