Reimagining Reference In The 21st Century

Libraries today provide a wider variety of services, collections, and tools than at any time in the past. This book explores how reference librarianship is changing to continue to help users find information they need in this shifting environment.

“Mitch Kowalski has translated his considerable understanding of tomorrow’s legal profession into an original, provocative and entertaining narrative.” —Professor Richard Susskind, author of The End of Lawyers? “This is the most innovative law practice management book I’ve ever seen. Mitch has deftly combined an engaging novel about the lives of working lawyers with an illuminating treatise on how law firms must respond to extraordinary change in the legal marketplace. Avoiding Extinction is as entertaining as it is instructive -- and it couldn’t be more timely.” —Jordan Furlong, Partner, Edge International “This is a must read for managing partners, and for all lawyers under the age of 50. Written as a parable, once you pick it up it’s difficult to put down. And it literally screams relevance to the lives of those lawyers today who worry about the sustainability of the current model of legal practice. Big firm or small. City or rural – no matter, this book is for you. Can the law be both a profession and a business? Is it possible to escape the tyranny of the billable hour? Is it realistic to imagine being a truly happy lawyer in private practice in the twenty-first century? You bet – and Mitch Kowalski shows us how! —Ian Holloway QC, Dean of Law, The University of Calgary “Avoiding Extinction is the most original, far-thinking and innovative book on transforming the way that law is practised that I have ever read. Mitch has taken the traditional law firm and turned it upside down. In the process he has reworked the law firm model and given us an insight into how a firm could be structured and run. If you are looking for a creative vision into what a new, truly different law firm could look like, then this book is manna from heaven.” —David J. Bilinsky, Practice Management Advisor, lawyer and writer on law practice management and technology. Creator of the law blog, Thoughtful Legal Management.

Providing ways of reimagining home, this book demonstrates that thinking differently about home advances our understanding of processes of belonging. Authors in this collection explore home in relation to the figure of the stranger and public space, as well as with a focus on practices of dwelling and materialities. Through these frameworks, the collection as whole suggests that our home does not ‘belong’ to us, rather we ‘belong’ to home.

Understanding How Students Develop is a one-stop source of practical advice for both librarians who are just beginning to work with students from elementary school through college, as well as helpful tips for seasoned library user services professionals, including school, reference, instruction, and outreach librarians. The book supplies a detailed roadmap for applying key development theories to daily interactions with students. Subjects covered include: Integrating development theories into practice Intellectual development theories Identity development theory Involvement theory Assessing the impact of using development theories Throughout the book sidebars highlight practical applications, important quotations from key texts, and case studies for consideration. After reading this book, librarians who work with a wide range of users will have a practical approach for incorporating development theories into their daily practice, making them more responsive to the varying needs of their users, and more understanding of what elements of their user services programs can be better tailored to meet students at a range of developmental stages.

This volume will explore the current purpose of librarianship and libraries, how we become “Masters of our Domains”, develop expertise in various elements of the profession, and how we extend outward into our communities.

Outreach and engagement initiatives are crucial in promoting community development. This can be achieved through a number of methods, including institutions of higher education. Changing Urban Landscapes Through Public Higher Education is a critical scholarly resource that examines the unique ways in which the faculty and students of the public institution of higher learning, in and for the nation’s capital, connect to the community. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as civic engagement, service learning, and teacher preparation, this book is geared towards educators, administration, academicians, researchers, and students seeking current research on collaborative efforts between communities and institutions of higher education.

What do Christianity and librarianship have in common? Netherlands Prime Minister and theologian Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920) was among the first in the modern era to attempt to rejoin the dichotomy of sacred vs. secular study when he said, "no single piece of our mental world is to be hermetically sealed off from the rest." Over the years a number of publications have followed Kuyper's lead yet little has been written on the subject since Greg A. Smith's notable Christian Librarianship (2002). Building on Smith's work, this volume seeks to bridge the sacred/secular divide with an exploration of how Christianity and the gospel are manifested through the profession of librarianship.

In this update of the ideal introduction to the library profession, the core competencies of professional librarians are presented in 14 essays supplemented with foundational principles and context. The original edition of this book gained popularity as a required work for LIS because it uniquely provided a broad, accessible overview of the core curricular areas and foundations for the library profession. What distinguishes the book as an introduction to the work of professional librarians is that it's not just about information in context or about libraries and their mission. Importantly, it also covers the required competencies of professional librarians, laying a firm foundation for future courses. In this second edition, each chapter has been revised and updated to take into account current thinking and references. As with the first edition, the book is organized around the foundations of the profession and key functional areas. Questions such as how to think like a librarian and how to facilitate community development are specifically and explicitly addressed. In compiling the book, the editors sought out the leading thinkers, educators, and practitioners in each core area as chapter authors. Each of the contributors provides an introduction to the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with their respective area of expertise, discusses current and emerging applications, and explores trends and issues.