A career in librarianship constantly challenges us to reimagine our roles and revitalize our knowledge to meet the evolving nature of the information environment and the changing needs of those we serve. Becoming a librarian is a commitment to being a lifetime learner. “Learning” is an action word. It means actively exploring new possibilities, beyond what is … Continue reading Learners for a Lifetime
Have you watched American Libraries Live, our free, streaming library program? If you want to sample it, we have an excerpt in our June issue from our mobile technology in the library program. Hosted by Heather Moorefield-Lang, education and applied social sciences librarian for Virginia Tech, the expert panel included Bohyun Kim, digital access librarian … Continue reading Don’t Let It Stay in Vegas
Five years ago, I wrote about the value of screencasting software—software that films the action on your computer’s desktop—to create instructional videos on how to use the library and its resources (“Your Desktop: The Movie,” AL, Nov. 2009). Since then, librarians have created thousands of instructional videos on information literacy concepts, library resources, and services. Through … Continue reading More than Words
After years of practicing adult collection development skills in a medium-sized suburban public library, I have discovered that specific “shortcut” rules have become second nature to me. I present here an annotated rundown of my shortcuts that can help anyone create and maintain viable and successful collections for customers older than 10. My guide begins … Continue reading The Practical Librarian’s Guide to Collection Development
In Recognizing Public Value, Mark H. Moore, professor at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, uses seven case studies to highlight the problems of recognizing and measuring social value. Publicly supported agencies and institutions gain social value not just for the good they do but because the public has agreed … Continue reading Businesslike Management
Media is a complicated format for librarians: Issues involving fair use limitations and allowances, individual versus institutional rights, closed-circuit rights, public-performance rights, streaming rights, licensing details, and copyright and access questions are ever-present. Finding titles in a required format can also be problematic. The payoff comes in the many video resources available, both for free … Continue reading Media in the Classroom
In our more modern, connected, and ever-busy age, however, traditional library book clubs have been undergoing a quiet revolution. Lack of time, scheduling conflicts, mobility issues, desire for anonymity, and other factors have moved the conversation online—namely onto social media. Tech-savvy librarians aware of these trends are using emerging technologies to both enhance physical book … Continue reading A Novel Idea
The era of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in American education carries both promise and peril. Pundits readily discuss varied perspectives about CCSS in everything from traditional journals to social media. While it is vital for school librarians to participate in this discussion, many are realizing how important it is to work with fellow educators … Continue reading Knowing What Readers Need
Librarians have always welcomed users’ suggestions for titles to add to the collection. When those titles meet the guidelines on subject matter, format, and price, librarians are happy to buy patron-suggested material. Some libraries even offer suggestion forms on their website. However, in the same way that many librarians have moved away from title-by-title selection … Continue reading Patrons: Your New Partners in Collection Development
It seems unlikely that people will give up their reliance on general-purpose search engines or their practice of beginning a search using Google or one of its competitors. But people should be encouraged to use other research tools when needed, such as databases and more specialized search engines—otherwise known as the Invisible Web. What makes … Continue reading Going Beyond Google Again
Way back when, a library I worked at had a standard survey we gave to every student at the end of an instruction session. It included a bunch of Likert scale questions like “How satisfied were you with the session?” and “How useful was the session?” We dutifully collected the surveys and someone went through … Continue reading Asking the Right Questions
On April 22, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the names of 10 public libraries selected to participate in an 18-month community engagement training program as part of the Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) Public Innovators Cohort. More than 80 libraries applied to be part of the cohort, which is part of ALA’s LTC initiative—a national plan … Continue reading ALA Selects 10 Public Libraries for Community Engagement Training
