Reference and Instructional Services for Information Literacy Skills in School Libraries

Lanning (reference librarian, Southern Utah Univ.) returns as solo author of this text. The second edition, Essential Reference Services for Today's School Media Specialists, was coauthored with John Bryner. Here Lanning offers chapters on how students discover information ("Finding Answers and Using Information Ethically") and information literacy instruction. Each section includes vocabulary lists, discussion questions, and assignments. The author focuses on the role of reference librarians as teachers of information literacy in a rapidly changing arena of research resources. With coverage of chat, text messaging, and social media, the textbook also succeeds in addressing contemporary tools for reference services. New and veteran K-12 school librarians are the target audience, though the realities in the trenches may not match the ideal scenarios presented by the author, especially for school librarians in "failing" schools. A competing volume is Lesley Farmer's Introduction to Reference and Information Services in Today's School Library.