Despite the proliferation of online homework websites and tutoring services, public libraries still have an important role to play when it comes to supporting young people's educational needs. Public libraries that take a proactive approach--by setting up organized homework centers--have the potential to become catalysts for better performance in…

The best kind of learning is that which never ends--and a culture of training means that staff will be more flexible and responsive to new ideas and strategies, imperative in today's libraries. In this practical resource, leading workplace trainers Reed and Signorelli offer guidance on improving the effectiveness of training programs. Their book…

Fewer employees, shorter hours, diminished collection budgets, reduced programs and services--all at a time of record library usage. In this book, library expert Carol Smallwood demonstrates that despite the obvious downsides, the necessity of doing business differently can be positive, leading to partnering, sharing, and innovating. This…

The latest and most comprehensive assessment of public librarians' education and career paths to date, this important volume reports on a large-scale research project performed by authors Jose-Marie Griffiths and Donald W. King. Presented in collaboration with the Office for Research and Statistics (ORS), the book includes an examination of trends…

Children's and young adult librarians are crucial links to effective learning for students. This straightforward handbook is filled with nuts-and-bolts advice on the best ways to help young people with their homework, no matter what the assignment. Carol F. Intner, a certified English teacher and experienced tutor, concentrates on the practical,…

Technology may not be a magic wand, but innovative technology programming can genuinely help children become adept at navigating our increasingly wired world while also helping them develop deductive reasoning, math, and other vital literacy skills. One of the simplest and most powerful tools for technology-based public library programming is…

Do we add that edgy urban novel to our teen collection? Should we initiate social networking? What about abandoning Dewey for a bookstore arrangement? Change is risky business, but librarians must be prepared to initiate change to best serve teens. YA (young adult) service innovators Linda W. Braun, Hillias J. Martin, and Connie Urquhart explain…

Among public institutions, the library has great potential for helping the poor and disenfranchised. For many, the library is the only refuge for information, literacy, entertainment, language skills, employment help, free computer use and even safety and shelter. Experts Glen and Leslie Holt, with decades of service to inner city communities…

This book provides a broad, introductory overview of issues affecting the marketing of public library collections, with examples and research results from more than 200 libraries of all sizes. This new edition of the work updates and expands the original, referencing new studies (published since 1992), encompassing more of the literature from…

This handbook is a guide to the complex process of library facility siting and location. It includes relevant research and professionals' siting experiences, as well as actual case studies of closures, openings, mergers, and relocations of library facilities. While the bulk of the volume provides practical information, the work also presents an…

The need to approach library management from an entrepreneurial business perspective is vital, whether the information facility is in a corporate, academic, public or school setting. Although librarianship is not a business, library management must be driven by the same characteristics-- responsibility, performance, and control--as any other…

Public libraries are often a vastly underused resource for businesses and business people. This book shows librarians how to aggressively pursue businesses until they turn naturally to libraries for their information needs. The book provides a step-by-step process which teaches librarians how to identify the information needs of businesses,…

This book highlights techniques that can be implemented to build library collections on jobs and careers. The authors explore demographic and economic changes that influence the job market and the future of the workforce. They also examine how resources have shifted from books to collections incorporating Web pages, CD-ROMs, and audiovisual…

This book assesses the current condition and direction of the American public library. It considers the challenges and opportunities presented by new electronic technologies, changing public policy, fiscal realities, and cultural trends. The authors draw on site visits and interviews conducted across the country, as well as extensive reading of…

This book provides a systematic, step-by-step process and includes practical ideas and program materials for library staff to use in their development of library services to Latinos. Designed primarily for public libraries, much of the information in the book can be adapted to school library media centers. The information in the book can also be…