WebJunction has just completed an update of the Competency Index for the Library Field. The original 2009 edition has been a valuable resource for libraries, helping staff identify and obtain the knowledge, skills and support needed to power relevant and vibrant libraries. However, it was time for an update. With ever-increasing economic, social, and educational demands, libraries have experienced dramatic changes in community needs and the tools available to serve those needs. Three elements in particular have been emphasized throughout: 21st century skills, accountability, and community engagement. WebJunction intends for the Index to be widely shared and adapted by a variety of libraries to meet their individual needs. -- Publisher description.

The news and scholarly literature are replete with stories and articles describing the challenges that diverse individuals face in their local communities and workplaces. Diversity and Inclusion in Libraries: A Call to Action and Strategies for Success is arranged in three parts: Why Diversity and Inclusion Matter, Equipping the Library Staff, and Voices from the Field. This book tackles these issues head on and should appeal to a broad audience interested in diversity as it relates to libraries and librarianship, including professional librarians and paraprofessional library staff. Offering best practices strategies tempered by experiences and wisdom, this book will help libraries realize a high level of inclusion.

As high school enrollment continues to rise, the need for effective librarianship serving young adults is greater than ever before. "Young Adults Deserve the Best: Competencies for Librarians Serving Youth,” developed by Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), is a document outlining areas of focus for providing quality library service in collaboration with teenagers. In this book, Sarah Flowers identifies and expands on these competency areas. This useful work includes Anecdotes and success stories from the field Guidelines which can be used to create evaluation instruments, determine staffing needs, and develop job descriptions Additional professional resources following each chapter that will help librarians turn theory into practiceThe first book to thoroughly expand on this important document, Young Adults Deserve the Best is a key foundational tool not only for librarians but also for young adult specialists, youth advocacy professionals, and school administrators.

With the introduction of the Bologna Process, the emphasis on the importance of international librarianship and its activity between governmental or non-governmental institutions, organizations, and groups of nations has continued to grow. Collaboration in International and Comparative Librarianship highlights the importance of international librarianship in governmental and non-governmental institutions, organizations, and groups in order to promote, develop, and maintain librarianship and the library profession around the world. This publication is essential for graduate students, researchers, teachers, and LIS administrators in the field of library science.

This book, offered by "practitioner-scholars," is an exploration and identification of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are central to supporting effective community engagement practices between higher education and communities. The discussion and review of these core competencies are framed within a broader context of the changing landscape of institutional community engagement and the emergence of the Community Engagement Professional as a facilitator of engaged teaching, research, and institutional partnerships distinct from other academic professionals. This research, conducted as part of Campus Compact's Project on the Community Engagement Professional, seeks to identify the shared knowledge and practices of Community Engagement Professionals by looking to empirical practice literature. Chapters include an exploration of competencies applicable to those in Community Engagement Professional roles generally, and also to those specializing in specific areas such as faculty development, partnership facilitation, and other areas of responsibility. The authors trace the evolution of engagement administration over time and the role of those facilitating community-campus engagement toward a "Second Generation" professional who is at once a "tempered radical, transformational leader, and social entrepreneur." Central to the work is a presentation of the core competency findings, along with suggestions for continued exploration. Dostilio and her colleagues argue that Community Engagement Professionals should claim a professional identity grounded in a set of core competencies, values, and knowledge, and through association with a community of scholar practitioners similarly dedicated. Additional work to understand and empower Community Engagement Professionals in their role as distinct from other higher education professional types will enable both broader impact for institutions and communities now with a view to prepare those coming to the role for a dynamic and demanding environment without distinct boundaries.

The emerging generation of research and academic library users expect the delivery of user-centered information services. 'Apomediation' refers to the supporting role librarians can give users by stepping in when users need help. Library 3.0 explores the ongoing debates on the "point oh phenomenon and its impact on service delivery in libraries. This title analyses Library 3.0 and its potential in creating intelligent libraries capable of meeting contemporary needs, and the growing role of librarians as apomediators. Library 3.0 is divided into four chapters. The first chapter introduces and places the topic in context. The second chapter considers "point oh libraries. The third chapter covers library 3.0 librarianship, while the final chapter explores ways libraries can move towards '3.0'. - Focuses on social media in research and academic libraries - Gives context to the discussion of apomediation in librarianship and information services provision - Provides a balance between more traditional and more progressive approaches

Information in today’s modernized world has become much more attainable with the use of technology. A resource that has fallen victim to this are library services. What was once a staple of knowledge and communication has failed to keep pace with recent advancements in information service providers. Library practitioners need to learn how to manage change, build influence, and adapt their services to remain relevant within local communities. Libraries can continue to play a key role in future aspects of information provision, but proper research is a necessity. Managing and Adapting Library Information Services for Future Users is a collection of innovative research that encapsulates practices, concepts, ideas, and proposals that would chart pathways for libraries of all types to envision and understand how to thrive and remain relevant in the competitive information provision environment. It is expected to motivate librarians and information scientists to probe further into how libraries would better serve user communities of the 21st century who have options of accessing information from sources other than from libraries. While highlighting topics including artificial intelligence, human design thinking, and alternative finance, this book is ideally designed for librarians, information specialists, architects, data scientists, researchers, community development practitioners, policymakers, faculty members, and students seeking current research on emerging advancements in library optimization.

‘Represents the culmination of an 18-month-long project that aims to be the definitive review of this important topic. Accompanied by a scholarly literature review, some new analysis, and a wealth of evidence and insight... the report is a tour de force; a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take stock.’ – Dr Steven Hill, Head of Policy, HEFCE, LSE Impact of Social Sciences Blog ‘A must-read if you are interested in having a deeper understanding of research culture, management issues and the range of information we have on this field. It should be disseminated and discussed within institutions, disciplines and other sites of research collaboration.’ – Dr Meera Sabaratnam, Lecturer in International Relations at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, LSE Impact of Social Sciences Blog Metrics evoke a mixed reaction from the research community. A commitment to using data and evidence to inform decisions makes many of us sympathetic, even enthusiastic, about the prospect of granular, real-time analysis of our own activities. Yet we only have to look around us at the blunt use of metrics to be reminded of the pitfalls. Metrics hold real power: they are constitutive of values, identities and livelihoods. How to exercise that power to positive ends is the focus of this book. Using extensive evidence-gathering, analysis and consultation, the authors take a thorough look at potential uses and limitations of research metrics and indicators. They explore the use of metrics across different disciplines, assess their potential contribution to the development of research excellence and impact and consider the changing ways in which universities are using quantitative indicators in their management systems. Finally, they consider the negative or unintended effects of metrics on various aspects of research culture. Including an updated introduction from James Wilsdon, the book proposes a framework for responsible metrics and makes a series of targeted recommendations to show how responsible metrics can be applied in research management, by funders, and in the next cycle of the Research Excellence Framework. The metric tide is certainly rising. Unlike King Canute, we have the agency and opportunity – and in this book, a serious body of evidence – to influence how it washes through higher education and research.

The forming and nurturing of new partnerships and collaborations is a critical component of librarianship. Academic libraries have a long history of collaboration within the library, across their institutions, and in their local communities. However, forming new partnerships can be time-consuming, and at times frustrating, leaving important opportunities, connections, and projects unrealized. Cases on Establishing Effective Collaborations in Academic Libraries presents case studies on effective collaborations in a variety of settings with different objectives, staffing levels, and budgets that have proven to be successful in creating and maintaining strong and productive partnerships. It identifies and shares the role of the academic library in developing effective partnerships and collaborations within academia and the broader community. Covering topics such as controlled digital lending, research computing, and college readiness enhancement, this premier reference source is a vital resource for librarians and libraries, consortiums, university administrators, students and educators of higher education, community leaders, researchers, and academicians.