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A solid purchase for librarians seeking to expand year-round programming with healthy ideas.
Librarians will appreciate the list of questions that let them analyze their own institution’s situation, the spotlights on successful programs, and the sample surveys. For academic librarians looking to help first-generation college students flourish.
A slim volume packed with practical information on recognizing those dealing with substance abuse issues, planning services for them and their families, and safeguarding spaces and training staff for emergencies.
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Audiobooks have enjoyed major gains in popularity in recent years, as the public has grown increasingly aware of the convenience and pleasure of consuming audio-based content. According to the Audio Publishers Association, U.S. audiobook sales rose 16 percent from 2018 to 2019, continuing an eight-year trend of double-digit growth.
PREMIUM
Academic Library Services for Graduate Students: Supporting Future Academics and Professionals
Librarians looking to develop services targeted to graduate students will find solid ideas and models for consideration.
Essential titles reviewed in our September 2020 print issue, spanning mystery & suspense, sf/fantasy, romance, fiction, social sciences, and more.
A necessary title for those working in archives and essential reading for anyone establishing a community archive without previous archival experience.
Pedley addresses salient points related to privacy in libraries and directs readers to helpful sources for more in-depth information. A strong text, especially for librarians whose institutions are considering creating a privacy policy statement or other formal documentation regarding policy.
Adult service librarians will find practical ideas that can easily be adapted to fit their own community.
Essential reading for all librarians, particularly those with a concentration in reference and bibliographic instruction.
Essential titles reviewed in our July 2020 print issue, spanning mystery & suspense, sf/fantasy, romance, fiction, social sciences, and more.
Each year, the American Library Association’s Listen List Council publishes a list of outstanding audiobooks. The eight librarian experts from this year’s council had many favorites, some of which didn’t make the final list. Below, council members share their top runners-up from the past year.
A worthy contribution to the dynamic field of data science, suited for library professionals in all types of libraries.
This is a solid work for understanding the past, present, and future of participatory archives. Archivists and MLIS students and their professors will benefit from engaging in conversation about this topic and worthwhile read.
Experienced instruction librarians will find themselves in familiar territory here, but new professionals might welcome the overview and reflection questions.
Librarians will find useful advice as they evaluate, select, and integrate new technologies. The book can be read à la carte to consider a specific technology or cover to cover for an overview of a range of possibilities.
An intense police procedural, a delightfully inventive journey through Oona's out-of-order life, and Brian Greene's latest exploration of the beginnings and end of our universe earned starred reviews in our June issue.
Essential titles reviewed in our June 2020 print issue, spanning mystery & suspense, sf/fantasy, graphic novels, fiction, social sciences, and more.
All library staff should read this reminder of the ever-increasing diversity of students seeking support in libraries and consider suggested improvements to the inclusivity of systems, supports, and spaces for nontraditional students., Winnipeg
An efficient and well-organized resource for UK reference desks and novice staff looking to gain confidence in that setting.
This superb work is essential reading for reference and user-service librarians looking to improve their professional capabilities.
The latest audio reviews include a finely voiced literary novel by the inimitable Isabel Allende, a taut thriller set in the 1920s, and an updated edition of the wildly popular Lies My Teacher Told Me.
Several restored classics, a stirring romance starring Issa Rae, a collection of Martin Scorsese's early shorts, and a tribute to Chuck Berry are now available on DVD/Blu-ray.
May's top indie, foreign, and classic DVD/Blu-ray picks include a British New Wave classic with a star turn by Julie Christie, the recent Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner, and a Soviet cinema landmark.
Meet Vikas Adam, Priya Ayyar, Ewan Chung, and Greta Jung—Asian American narrators at various stages of their performance careers, from hundreds of credits (Adam) to not yet quite a dozen (Chung). Each is proof that authentic representation truly matters—linguistic credibility, cultural awareness, and nuanced accuracy—as they embody titles from around the world to create the best possible literary experience for discerning, eager listeners.
PREMIUM
Coaching Copyright
Academic librarians will appreciate the practical advice found here, while librarians in other settings with an interest in copyright will discover methods to connect with users.
A must-read for anyone involved in marketing activities in libraries and related organizations.
Librarians aspiring to administrative positions may find some useful career development ideas. Practical advice such as pursuing an advanced degree early in one’s career and becoming professionally engaged may be helpful in personal career planning.
Nine new films and one documentary now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
LJ's film columnist picks the month's top indie, foreign, and classic films, now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
LJ's documentary film reviewer picks four stirring new works, now available on DVD/Blu-ray.
The latest audio reviews include Joyce Carol Oates's curated collection of crime fiction penned by women writers, Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler's look at the impact on technology on future industry, and Michael Korda's moving memoir about losing his wife to cancer.
Librarians who lack formal instructional design training but who find themselves tasked with meeting the teaching and learning needs of their campuses will discover an invaluable primer here, as will librarians who have some expertise but have yet to formalize their workflows.
A hefty yet convincing look at the international dimensions of U.S. academic library work. Especially recommended to those new to or interested in international librarianship, but valuable for others in academic libraries as well.
PREMIUM
Library Services for Online Patrons: A Manual for Facilitating Access, Learning, and Engagement
A strong addition for any academic libraries starting to offer distance learning support services.
Librarians need information on how to obtain fair salaries and workloads, create more welcoming workplaces for librarians of color and LGBT colleagues, get more women and people of color into management, and navigate burnout; this superficial work offers little new or useful.
This is a solid guide for understanding, creating, and managing licensing agreements. Even readers with little experience will gain confidence and be able to approach contract negotiations from a position of knowledge and strength. Library professionals without ready access to legal advisers will refer to this work time and again.
Librarians, artists, and educators will find this a valuable and inspiring guide for developing creative community programs.
Whether you're a fan of classic films or more modern picks, LJ reviews the best of recent and re-released DVDs.
LJ's top picks for documentaries from the February 2020 issue include gripping films on historical tragedies, social commentary, and modern issues.
LJ's top picks for forthcoming DVD and Blu-Ray titles include Roma, Fleabag, and After Parkland.
Essential titles reviewed in our February 2020 print issue, spanning fiction, graphic novels, and mystery/suspense.
Library science students, as well as information professional seeking encouragement and motivation, will benefit from Stephens’s stirring work.
Well worth reading for library staff at any level seeking to improve their gender-inclusive practices.
This is a worthwhile source for all librarians, especially MLIS students and reference librarians working with adults.
Librarians interested in the intersection of information literacy and politics will find that the concepts and approaches here provide ample food for thought. Pair this provocative, reflective work with a text focused more broadly on information literacy, such as Samantha Godbey, Susan Beth Wainscott, and Xan Goodman’s Disciplinary Applications of Information Literacy Threshold Concepts.
Along with the latest edition of ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Manual, Oltmann’s thoughtful work is an important resource for LIS students, librarians, and administrators alike.
A welcome resource for librarians across the profession in understanding issues related to intellectual property.
This is a well-researched and practical guide recommended for those in the library and social worker professions.
While the field is crowded, this updated edition is a solid primer for new library managers. It will appeal to those looking for a broad understanding of the theory and best practices of library management.
All librarians will find useful ideas here, particularly library administrators marketing their institution’s value to the community. Essential for every collection.
Required reading for all librarians, particularly those in K–12 and academic libraries, and a solid choice for all educational professionals.
Though Bengtson offers many introductory resources throughout the book, this title is not intended to be a primer or introduction to web development. Library staff who are mostly self-trained web developers will likely find this helpful in navigating the dynamic and complex web development landscape.
Those looking to understand current technological trends, especially in academic libraries, will find this a valuable text. Readers seeking a more expansive discussion may also want to consult Peter D. Fernandez and Kelly Tilton’s Applying Library Values to Emerging Technology.
Would-be gardeners will find practical resources for new projects, and libraries that already have gardens will discover constructive ideas and advice.
Readers will appreciate Pekoll’s authoritative, clear discussion. Invaluable to anyone interested in resisting censorship attempts on all varieties of resources.
A handy primer and quick reference on library management and leadership.
Essential titles reviewed in our August 2019 print issue, spanning fiction, nonfiction, and media.
Essential for librarians, library employees, and board members who don’t want to be left in the dust when it comes to funding.
While community technology projects present multiple challenges, Heller demonstrates that they can succeed with effort and a willingness to adapt. For library technology managers, scholars, and project managers.
This practical, straightforward guide is highly recommended for those following in Geoffrey Chaucer’s footsteps who would gladly learn and gladly teach.
A must-see for anyone with an interest in WWII or military history.
Although containing useful elements, this work is limited by its basis in superseded learning theories.
PREMIUM
The Guilty
Reassigned to emergency dispatching duties while awaiting a disciplinary hearing, a sidelined cop (Jakob Cedergren) at the end of his shift gets a frantic call from a woman being abducted by her husband...
PREMIUM
Poetry in America: Season 1
Viewers should freely sample the videos from the series website if they are still unconvinced that poetry discussions can be that fascinating. A quality addition to libraries' literature collections.
PREMIUM
Angry Inuk
This beautifully shot production makes a strong case to viewers. However, the argument is complex, and the group's resources are tiny and no match for the organizations that apparently intend to stop all commercial seal hunting.
This is a fascinating look at the kinds of "mind-set, skill sets" academic libraries and librarians need to excel in the 21st century. For library science students and professionals seeking a worldwide perspective on the essential values of academic librarianship.
PREMIUM
Obsession
Wealthy New Orleans real estate developer Michael Courtland (Cliff Robertson) loses his wife, Elizabeth (Genevieve Bujold), and nine-year-old daughter during a bungled kidnap rescue...
PREMIUM
Purdah
A multilayered chronicle that highlights many of the challenges facing young women worldwide, this will appeal to those concerned with women's rights and the global climate for women's sports.
A fascinating film about a flawed man who shares his point of view, literally, this could inspire future photojournalists or anyone with a camera to look past the selfie and toward creating a narrative with a picture. [See Trailers, LJ Winter 2018.]
PREMIUM
No Offence: Series 2
Fast-moving and entertaining, No Offence features an outstandingly strong female cast. Recommended for viewers who enjoy a particular style of British irreverence.
Outreach librarians will appreciate the variety of institutions represented and the scope of activities described.
PREMIUM
Charly
Experimental brain surgery makes a genius out of a mentally challenged man who cannot outwit a mouse, but his emotional development does not keep up in Ralph Nelson's big-screen adaptation of the classic Daniel Keyes short story-cum-novel Flowers for Algernon...
PREMIUM
No Date, No Signature
A forensic pathologist (Amir Aghaee) blames himself when the boy he injured in a car accident turns up in the morgue, in spite of an autopsy showing food poisoning as the most probable cause of death...
PREMIUM
Berlin Alexanderplatz
Recently released from prison for murdering a prostitute, Franz Biberkopf (Günter Lamprecht) tries hard to go straight by taking a series a menial jobs in Depression-era Germany...
PREMIUM
When Giants Fall
This film is often difficult to watch. Though elephants have survived for two million years, human ambition for unlimited wealth and living space seem to be dooming these intelligent social behemoths. Environmentalists of all stripes will be intrigued.
PREMIUM
Black Leopard, Red Wolf
This challenging book rewards listeners willing to commit time and mental energy to contemplating the meaning of truth, the consequences of decisions, and the depths of pain. Unfortunately, the many maps and lists of characters that appear in the print and ebooks are not available here. ["An unglorified if gloriously delivered story that feels eminently real despite the hobgoblins": LJ 2/19 starred review of the Riverhead hc.]
PREMIUM
The Silent Patient
The book is receiving much-deserved buzz, but the audio production and exceptional narration make the characters feel real. ["Dark, edgy, and compulsively readable": LJ 11/1/18 review of the Celadon hc.]
PREMIUM
The Bird King
An emotional and often melancholy historical fantasy that will appeal to fans of Guy Gavriel Kay and Helene Wecker.
Particularly useful to therapeutic riding instructors, horse rescue workers, and anyone who likes to spend time around horses.
Though written for general consumption, this work will be of value to academics as well.
PREMIUM
Gift
Recommended for art and philosophy lovers. This film is especially valuable for its profile of the late Alfred (1981–2016).
This unusual sequel by visionary director Boorman delivers a powerful view of a world in which science, magic, and religion combine as an antidote to demonic horrors. Imperfections exist in editing and script, but the results remain boldly evocative.
PREMIUM
Chef Flynn
An examination of talent, ambition, maturity, and parent-child interaction in the context of exquisite cuisine.
PREMIUM
Elizabeth I and Her Enemies
Fans of the History Channel as well as readers who have devoured the novels of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir will be equally entertained.
PREMIUM
Left Behind America
The documentary sums up the region's problems astutely and is highly recommended to everyone with an interest in the region or the nation's economy overall.
PREMIUM
Yellowstone: Season 1
Complicated, violent, and tension-filled, this series for adults should appeal to Western fans as well as those who enjoy family drama.
Impeccably researched, this compelling historical novel, with its important message about social justice, is essential for fiction collections.
Highly recommended for anyone looking for adventure stories or tales of Wild West history. ["Fans of Dodge City and general readers will find this detail-laden volume appealing": Xpress Reviews 12/21/18 review of the St. Martin's hc.]
Recommended to listeners with an interest in contemporary working conditions and those who enjoyed Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed. ["An illuminating read that should inspire outrage, hope, and change": LJ 12/18 review of the Hachette hc.]
Music fans will be captivated, as will readers of character-driven fiction, not to mention the audience acknowledged in Daisy's Grammy speech—"all of you out there hung up on somebody or something"—that is, most listeners. Enthusiastically recommended. ["For music lovers, romance fans, and anyone who wants to feel invincible with youth, intoxicated by music, and a powerful longing for days gone by": LJ 3/19 review of the Random hc.]
A treat for Lipman followers, this romantic comedy/caper will divert anyone seeking clever but warmhearted fiction (e.g., Cathleen Schine), as well as fans of classic screwball comedies. Ideal for public libraries. ["Funny, warm, sharp, smart, and full of love for family, no matter how flawed": LJ 12/18 review of the Houghton Harcourt hc.]
A must-have for serious collections—appealing to casual TCM fans even if best treasured by die-hard film buffs. [See Trailers, LJ 10/1/18.]
This story of a life and death fight against an antibiotic-resistant superbug is pertinent to every person on the planet and written to be accessible to a general audience. Both fiction and nonfiction fans will relish this story.
Fans of Kugel's work in the Times or his YouTube channel "Amigo Gringo" or Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown, as well as anyone looking for unique travel experiences, will truly enjoy this fun audiobook.
PREMIUM
The Dreamers
This dreamlike novel with sf overtones blends philosophical musings on dreams and the nature of reality with human interest stories that keep listeners riveted. Recommended for readers seeking an unusual and fanciful story told in elegant prose. ["A satisfying, suspenseful page-turner that leaves readers curious about the possibility of dreams": LJ 9/15/18 review of the Random hc.]
An excellent resource for any library that serves graduate and professional students.
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