Front Line Librarianship

Front-Line Librarianship: Life on the Job for Librarians presents a diverse range of observations, viewpoints and useful commentary on the current workplace experiences of librarians and their associates. The book's author presents an unrivalled portrait of front-line librarianship that is based upon his unique experience and voice. Chapters consider workplace matters, the fate of hardcopy books, speechmaking at conferences, the effects of recessions on libraries, continuing education, and corporate gift-giving programs. This book will make an excellent and useful addition to library collections in library science. Tells stories and presents interviews, bringing color and texture to library experience Shows librarianship from the perspective of a long-term practitioner Gives different approaches to a great range of real-life workplace issues

Whole Person Librarianship guides librarians through the practical process of facilitating connections among libraries, social workers, and social services; explains why those connections are important; and puts them in the context of a national movement. Collaboration between libraries and social workers is an exploding trend that will continue to be relevant to the future of public and academic libraries. Whole Person Librarianship incorporates practical examples with insights from librarians and social workers. The result is a new vision of library services. The authors provide multiple examples of how public and academic librarians are connecting their patrons with social services. They explore skills and techniques librarians can learn from social workers, such as how to set healthy boundaries and work with patrons experiencing homelessness; they also offer ideas for how librarians can self-educate on these topics. The book additionally provides insights for social work partners on how they can benefit from working with librarians. While librarians and social workers share social justice motivations, their methods are complementary and yet still distinct—librarians do not have to become social workers. Librarian readers will come away with many practical ideas for collaboration as well as the ability to explain why collaboration with social workers is important for the future of librarianship.

Showcases strategies for successfully embedding librarians and library services across higher education. Chapters feature case studies and reports on projects from a wide variety of colleges and universities. --from publisher description.

Since the spread of COVID-19, conferences have been canceled, schools have closed, and libraries around the world are facing difficult decisions on which services to offer and how, ranging from minimal restrictions to full closures. Depending on the country, state, or city, a government may have a different approach, sometimes ordering the closure of all institutions, others indicating that it’s business as usual, and others simply leaving decisions up to library directors. All libraries worldwide have been affected, from university libraries to public library systems and national libraries. Throughout these closures, libraries continue to provide services to their communities, which has led to an emerging area of research on library services, new emerging technologies, and the advancements made to libraries during this global health crisis. The Handbook of Research on Library Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic consists of chapters that contain essential library services and emerging research and technology that evolved and/or has continued during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the challenges and opportunities that have been undertaken as a result. The chapters provide in-depth research, surveys, and information on areas such as remote working, machine learning, data management, and the role of information during COVID-19. This book is a valuable reference tool for practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students who are interested in the current state of libraries during a pandemic and the future outlook.

Assessment is increasingly important to higher education. Tight budgets and scarce resources demand accountability from the entire academy, including the library. Librarians must be prepared to document the impact of the programs they create, the collections they develop, and the services they offer. Liaison librarians in academic libraries focus on engagement with academic units and outreach to students, faculty, and the community of scholars. In a series of scholarly essays, Assessing Liaison Librarians: Documenting Impact for Positive Change examines how academic libraries assess liaison activities and offers recommendations for documenting the impact of programs and services. Individual chapters address liaison activities relating to collection development; library instruction; research services; engagement and outreach; online, blended and other learning environments, including MOOCs; scholarly communications and information technology; the importance of assessment in the 21st century research library; and professional development of liaisons librarians.

This book shows how LIS schools and professional organizations can help information professionals to continue their education after finishing formal programs to keep up with the growing demands of the field. As technology rapidly advances, the need for continuing education increases at an accelerating rate. Within 10–12 years of completing formal education, most information professionals' knowledge and skills become out of date, leaving them only half as able to meet the new demands of the profession. Additionally, the increase in online education programs for LIS students can limit their connection with practicing professionals and, in some locations, their engagement with diverse populations. LIS schools and professional development organizations, however, can support professional development in new and exciting ways. Readers will learn how faculty in LIS schools are innovating their courses and providing continuing education experiences. Taking advantage of the benefits of online, digital, and experiential learning projects, they are creating meaningful, collaborative learning opportunities between students and practitioners in the field. The book also addresses how social media tools can help online students experience interactive community learning and network within the profession before they start their positions.

Put simply, there is no text about public librarianship more rigorous or comprehensive than McCook's survey. Now, the REFORMA Lifetime Achievement Award-winning author has teamed up with noted public library scholar and advocate Bossaller to update and expand her work to incorporate the field's renewed emphasis on outcomes and transformation. This "essential tool" (Library Journal) remains the definitive handbook on this branch of the profession. It covers every aspect of the public library, from its earliest history through its current incarnation on the cutting edge of the information environment, including statistics, standards, planning, evaluations, and results;legal issues, funding, and politics;organization, administration, and staffing;all aspects of library technology, from structure and infrastructure to websites and makerspaces;adult services, youth services, and children's services;associations, state library agencies, and other professional organizations;global perspectives on public libraries; andadvocacy, outreach, and human rights. Exhaustively researched and expansive in its scope, this benchmark text continues to serve both LIS students and working professionals.