It is an exciting time to be a librarian. Advances in technology have let libraries expand far beyond walls and lead the way in information delivery, while transforming the physical library into a place where customers can connect to information in new ways. It is also a challenging time to be a librarian. With continual change as the new normal, staying current can seem overwhelming. Even as they face budget shortfalls and staff reductions, librarians are tasked with finding the time and resources to keep abreast of rapid changes. This book offers a cornucopia of practical advice about how to acquire new skills (and formal and informal credentials) through all stages of a career. The 27 essays cover formal and online education, conferences, fellowships, workshops, networking, teaching, mentoring, balancing personal with professional lives, and money matters--and are filled with practical, honest and real-world advice.

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 moreThe elements of an effective Code of Conduct and how to enforce itTips on how to manage internet usage to minimize potential problemsHow to align with patrons and use language that defuses the conflictForming partnerships with service organizations, homeless shelters, mental health advocacy groups, and other community resourcesHow to know when it’s time to call the police, plus ideas for increasing law enforcement supportWays to make the library more secure through changes to facilitiesThrough 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.

"Homelessness is a perennial topic of concern at libraries. In fact, staff at public libraries interact with almost as many homeless individuals as staff at shelters do. In this book Dowd, executive director of a homeless shelter, spotlights best practices drawn from his own shelter's policies and training materials" --

A starter kit for librarians new to instruction, this resource will be useful for training coordinators as well as for self-training.

Here is a complete guide for librarians seeking to launch or refine their systematic review services. Conducting searches for systematic reviews goes beyond expert searching and requires an understanding of the entire process of the systematic review. Just as expert searching is not fully mastered by the end of a library degree, mastering the systematic review process takes a great deal of time and practice. Attending workshops and webinars can introduce the topic, but application of the knowledge through practice is required. Running a systematic review service is complicated and requires constant updating and evaluation with new standards, more efficient methods, and improved reporting guidelines. After a brief introduction to systematic reviews, the book guides librarians in defining and marketing their services, covering topics such as when it is appropriate to ask for co-authorship and how to reach out to stakeholders. Next, it addresses developing documentation and conducting the reference interview. Standards specific to systematic reviews, including PRISMA, Institute of Medicine, and Cochrane Collaboration, are discussed. Search strategy techniques, including choosing databases, harvesting search terms, selecting filters, and searching for grey literature are detailed. Data management and critical appraisal are covered in detail. Finally, the best practices for reporting the findings of systematic reviews are highlighted. Experts with experience in both systematic reviews and librarianship, including the editors of the book, contributed to the chapters. Each step (or piece) of the review process (Planning the review, Identifying the studies, Evaluating studies, Collecting and combining data, Explaining the results, and Summarizing the review into a report), are covered with emphasis on information roles. The book is for any librarian interested in conducting reviews or assisting others with reviews. It has several applications: for training librarians new to systematic reviews, for those developing a new systematic review service, for those wanting to establish protocols for a current service, and as a reference for those conducting reviews or running a service. Participating in systematic reviews is a new frontier of librarianship, in which librarians can truly become research partners with our patrons, instead of merely providing access to resources and services.

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.

Though today’s consumers have unprecedented access to health information, its quality and veracity varies widely. Public libraries can play an important role in supporting library users in their health information seeking efforts. In this book Flaherty shows how to guide library users to high quality health information by relying on up to date, authoritative sources. She also demonstrates why taking the initiative to offer health promotion programming can be a valuable form of community outreach, serving community needs while increasing visibility. Library directors, programming staff, reference librarians, and health educators will all benefit from this book’s patron-centered stance, which features a historic overview of the consumer health movement and how it intersects with public libraries;guidance on finding and evaluating the best print, electronic, and app-based health information sources, with advice on keeping up to date;an in-depth look at collaborative efforts to provide and sponsor simple health-related activities in public libraries, spotlighting programs in action at libraries across the county;instructions on creating, planning, preparing, marketing, and evaluating a public library health program;discussions of important issues surrounding health information provision efforts, including patron privacy and liability concerns; andguidelines for public libraries’ role in public health efforts, including disaster preparedness. Armed with this book’s expert advice and plentiful examples of successful initiatives, public libraries will feel empowered to make a difference in community members’ health and well-being.

This book offers a timely mix of thought-provoking chapters bringing together national and global studies on critical librarianship, and conveying the kind of research which current library managers and researchers need, mixing theory with a good dose of pragmatism.

Practicing Social Justice in Libraries provides practical strategies, tools, and resources to library and information workers and students who wish to drive change in their classrooms, institutions, and communities and incorporate social justice into their everyday practice. With contributions from a diverse group of librarians, who have experience working in different types of institutions and roles, the book showcases the actions information professionals, largely from historically marginalized groups, are taking to create a more socially responsible environment for themselves and their communities. The chapters reflect on personal experiences, best practices for programming, professional development, effective collaboration, building inclusive community partnerships, anti-racist practices in the classroom, and organizational culture. Exploring how and why library workers are incorporating anti-racist and anti-oppressive work within their everyday roles, the book demonstrates that library workers are increasingly sending messages of protest and advocating for equity, justice, and social change. Highlighting their experiences of marginalization and exclusion, contributors also reflect upon the impact social justice work has on their mental health, careers, and personal lives. Practicing Social Justice in Libraries is essential reading for library and information workers and students who are searching for practical ways to implement more inclusive practices into their work

Black, Indigenous, and Peoples of Color--reimagine library and information science through the lens of critical race theory. In Knowledge Justice, Black, Indigenous, and Peoples of Color scholars use critical race theory (CRT) to challenge the foundational principles, values, and assumptions of Library and Information Science and Studies (LIS) in the United States. They propel CRT to center stage in LIS, to push the profession to understand and reckon with how white supremacy affects practices, services, curriculum, spaces, and policies.