It should come as no surprise that a large share of this year's business books focus squarely on the 2008-09 financial crisis and security-backed mortgage implosion. Investing books followed the trend as either alarmist titles advocating selling stocks, or books urging readers to take advantage of this time to buy undervalued investments. An…

In 2008, as business increasingly became the news, business publishing showed a growing awareness of the big picture, putting out fewer personality-driven titles. In this list, one will see that business histories embrace recent technological innovation as much as longevity. The best management/HR books look at the big picture through pushing…

America's subprime mortgage crisis of 2007 spiraled into a global financial crisis in 2008. For much of the year, attention was riveted on the presidential primaries. A worsening economy made the election somewhat anticlimactic, but everybody rejoiced with the choice of the first "international" President. With stocks tumbling and major firms…

The Dow's losses over this year's first 12 days of trading erased nearly all of last year's gains; the pace of new home-building was, in January, reportedly at its lowest in 16 years; and recession rumblings, too, are making themselves heard. In 2007, though the economy was hardly soaring, readers would not have felt much was amiss. The year saw…

When the first career test, back in high school, pointed to librarianship, Miguel Figueroa "just blew it off." But when a similar test in the senior year of college produced the same result, Figueroa, like the librarian and editor that he is today, did his research and called three libraries (a public, an academic, and a school media…

This article details the work of Cathy Hartman of the University of North Texas Libraries. After 15 years alone in her studio, working as an artist, Cathy Hartman wanted to get out into the world. Career testing suggested librarianship (also military officer because of her penchant for taking charge). Her strong belief that citizens had a right to…

Leslie Monsalve-Jones is a library technician with the New Mexico State Library, responsible for claiming documents that state agencies don't submit. She also maintains the collection and can immediately track down any requested document. In short, she is the kind of worker whose price is above rubies but whose pay is slightly above pebbles. And…

Considering Kirsten Thompson's career in the Milwaukee Public Library (MPL), it is no surprise that as an undergraduate she studied both computer programming and psychology. The combination is the driving force behind her multiple projects at MPL, which have all focused on bringing technology to users. "Having the computers is great, but you…

As early as junior high school, after she had gone to see The Music Man and came out idolizing Marian, Karen Bersche knew she was destined for librarianship. But she didn't get around to it until after she got a degree in counseling, started her family, and opened her own daycare center. She has more than made up for lost time since, first as…

This article is about the work of Nick Bogaty, executive director of the Open eBook Forum. Nick Bogaty is not a librarian, but he plays nicely with them, along with publishers, hardware manufacturers, software producers, database vendors, and disability rights advocates. All are groups that share an interest in making e-books work for their…

This article details the work of Gail Staines, who is probably the only Mover & Shaker who lists the U.S.A. Equestrians Association among her professional memberships. But it is not that far a leap from what she does in her work as director of the Western New York Library Resources Council (WNYLRC), where she is responsible for making 98…

It bothers Michelle Jeske that many people still don't know all that their public libraries can do for them, even in Denver, where 80 percent of the population has a library card. Fortunately, as manager of web information services at the Denver Public Library (DPL), she can reach out to people who never come through the library doors. Jeske and…

The New Americans Program at Queens Borough Public Library (QBPL) is well known for the innovative collections and programs it provides to one of the nation's most diverse communities. What is less known is the rigorous analysis of demographic data that provides direction to the program. Wai Sze (Lacey) Chan uses demographics to create as complete…

Troy Johnson was a devoted reader and library user even as a teen living in Alaska. His experiences with librarians there and at the University of Nebraska College of Law made law librarianship an appealing career choice when he received his law degree and realized he had no idea what he wanted to do with it. Now, as Electronic Services and…

This brief article focuses on the career and accomplishments of Coordinator of Information Services, New York Public Library (NYPL), Jane Fisher. Her professional and academic career has spanned the fields of librarianship, health care, and public administration. Based on her most recent experiences and advancements, she has learned how libraries…