Library & Information Services books

Assessment and outcomes evaluation have become increasingly important in librarianship. Although initially used in educational contexts to measure student learning, the strategy has migrated to other contexts such as hiring, employee development, overall organizational and institutional successes, measuring the outcomes of projects and operational changes, and self assessment at the personal level. This growing emphasis is partly due to increasingly stringent requirements that funds are used effectively to improve services and operations. The current economic climate and retrenchments in non-profit agencies, have raised the need for assessment and outcomes evaluation to a critical level. 'Contexts for Assessment and Outcome Evaluation in Librarianship' focuses not on the how of undertaking assessment and outcomes evaluation, but rather on their successes and failures in various contexts in which these tools have been and will be used.

This book offers a series of arguments, critical analyses, and case studies on how today’s information professionals/librarians can sustain their strong traditions of best practices in community government information services, organization, access, and preservation. Building on their paper and print traditions the chapters will offer several ways information professionals build the next century of theory and effective government information expertise, and take advantage of new ways to become civically engaged. The chapters do not just react in a tactical (or operational) fashion. Rather, they clearly acknowledge that all aspects of government information services and organization will expect new foundations of theory and technique. They will also challenge readers to build a better narrative on how librarians, archivists, and other information researchers can shape, and be shaped by, the Internet’s digital revolutions especially in their roles as civic stewards/advocates critical to the successful sustainability of public information.

The field of librarianship has undergone traumatic shifts (mostly downward) due to the global financial meltdown that began in the fall of 2008. Libraries have been deeply affected by the worst recession since the Great Depression. While "Advances in Librarianship" endeavors to identify trends and innovations, the trend addressed in this volume is admittedly not a happy one. The current climate does however, present opportunities for analysis, and far reaching searches for solutions and innovations that can alleviate the challenges created by the clash of fiscal retrenchment with steadily increasing use of libraries. Therefore this volume addresses the ripple effects of the economic recession from the point of view of librarianship, the need for advocacy, and the necessity to tout the value that libraries bring to their communities. Chapters focus on identifying means to change library and library related organizations so that they focus on distinctive assets and strengths, use free or low cost resources and technologies, and position themselves to take advantage of collaborative initiatives.

Libraries are supposed to serve all people in the community, but some still struggle to provide support for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In an age of increasing social consciousness and awareness of diversity, individuals with IDD deserve the greatest attention and support to achieve equality, yet how to do so remains a legitimate question as most library services are not yet prepared to offer the help needed. In Libraries and Reading, expert authors Matthew Conner and Leah Plocharczyk examine the modern history of libraries and diversity, the recent legislative history of those with IDD such as No Child Left Behind and mainstreaming policies; learning theories such as social constructivism, cognitivism, preliteracy, and Universal Design for Learning; and case studies of library outreach around the globe. Including real-world examples, they show how we can make big changes through small steps.  In a climate of tightened budgets and severe demands on public literacy resources, the moral imperative of helping those with IDD runs up against practical barriers. Conner and Plocharczyk go to the foundations of social justice in Cultural Studies to show how the means of integrating those with disabilities into libraries and communities can be found in our everyday practices.

Academic, public, school, and special libraries are all institutions of human rights and social justice, with an increasingly apparent commitment to equality, to ethical principles based on rights and justice, and to programs that meet needs related to human rights and social justice. Key topics at the intersection of information, human rights, social justice, and technology include information access and literacy, digital inclusion, education, and social services, among many others. Edited by Ursula Gorham, Natalie Greene Taylor, and Paul T. Jaeger, this volume is devoted to the ideals, activities, and programs in libraries that protect human rights and promote social justice. With contributions from researchers, educators, and practitioners from a range of fields, this book is an important resource for library professionals in all types of libraries, a reference for researchers and educators about all types of libraries, and an introduction to those in other fields about the contributions of libraries to human rights and social justice.