Professional Media, October 1, 2010
Oct 1, 2010Alire, Camila A. & G. Edward Evans. Academic Librarianship. Neal-Schuman. 2010. 383p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781555707026. pap. $65. PRO MEDIA
Often librarians spend too much time contemplating the detailed mechanisms of their own libraries and much less time considering the larger environment. Refreshingly, Alire (past president, American Library Association; Serving Latino Communities) and Evans (Developing Library and Information Center Collections), a semiretired academic librarian, do an excellent job of balancing an overview of the academic library's place within the university and higher education as a whole, while also examining the details of the library's inner workings. Though not a library-management manual, this is an excellent text—covering topics such as funding, facilities, staffing, services, and collections, as well as academic career development—for preparing librarians to take their places in academia, particularly as academic library directors. Each chapter is dense with information though very readable and ends with a list of additional readings termed a "Launching Pad." VERDICT Essential reading for academic librarians.—Margaret Sylvia, St. Mary's Univ. Lib., San Antonio, TX
Ennis, Lisa A. & Nicole Mitchell. The Accidental Health Sciences Librarian. Information Today. 2010. c.232p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781573873956. pap. $29.50. PRO MEDIA
This well-written, entertaining book is designed to serve as a starting point for beginners in the field of health sciences librarianship, providing an excellent overview with numerous URLs for professional resources. Unlike in other such guides, Ennis and Mitchell (systems librarian and reference librarian, respectively, Lister Hill Lib. of the Health Sciences, Univ. of Alabama, Birmingham) also include information compiled through responses and personal testimonies obtained from a 2008 survey they devised (included in the appendixes). They take readers on a touching journey into the lives of those in the field and provide realistic insight into what it is really like within the profession. VERDICT The personal touch, clarity, and humor make this book essential not only for beginners but also for seasoned professionals. Here is some truth from the text: "You have the unique opportunity to get real experience in an area that many consider too specialized or too difficult to tackle. Once you have that experience it is worth its weight in gold."[Ennis and Mitchell are both book reviewers for LJ in a number of subject categories.—Ed.]—Kristen Young, Univ. of Maryland Health Sciences & Human Services Lib., Baltimore
MacKellar, Pamela H. & Stephanie K. Gerding Winning Grants: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians with Multimedia Tutorials and Grant Development Tools. Neal-Schuman. (How To Do It). 2010. 275p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781555707002. pap. $99.95 with DVD. PRO MEDIA
The authors of the popular "Library Grants" blog (librarygrants.blogspot.com) here share their knowledge in this restructured, expanded, and modernized (especially the resources) edition of their 2006 book, Grants for Libraries. Their useful, step-by-step guide leads users through each phase of the process and demystifies the procedure of finding library funding in these difficult economic times. Particularly helpful for beginners is the chapter on funding sources, as well as the book's accompanying multimedia toolkit and DVD, which offer ten minitutorials and downloadable tools, including real samples of successful grants from all types of libraries, which can be modified to fit any project proposal. (None of these success stories was in the earlier edition.) VERDICT Libraries who bought the earlier version may think twice about spending the money, since many of the resources can be found elsewhere. Nonetheless, this great all-around resource should be a staple for those just entering the challenging world of grant seeking and for the well-rounded library collection.—Jane Hebert, Orange Cty. Lib. Syst., Orlando, FL
Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Assn. Intellectual Freedom Manual. 8th ed. ALA. 2010. c.464p. index. ISBN 9780838935903. pap. $65. PRO MEDIA
Now in its eighth edition, this classic go-to reference helps answer practical questions on interpreting the principles of intellectual freedom in libraries. This new version was written by eight intellectual-freedom experts, mostly officers at ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom. Updates and additions include more than a dozen revised interpretations; a resolution on the "Retention of Library Usage Records"; "RFID in Libraries: Privacy and Confidentiality Guidelines"; "Resolution on Workplace Speech"; "Minors and Internet Interactivity"; material on social networks; a discussion on "Services to Persons with Disabilities"; two Code of Ethics explanatory statements; and, most important, material on the latest U.S. Patriot Act. Use this book in conjunction with ALA's website. VERDICT All libraries should have a copy of this book to use when writing or revising policies; indispensable.—Marie Bruni, Huntington Memorial Lib., Oneonta, NY
