Innovations in technology have greatly changed how and where libraries interact with their patrons. Ironically, many of today's most enthusiastic library patrons never come to the library at all. By utilizing techniques to ensure that online library resources and services are easily accessible, libraries can better serve all patrons, but this is easier said than done. Where to even begin? A Librarian's Guide to Creating Equal Access to Online Resources and Services gives you an arsenal of information and tools to take on the daunting task of providing all of the services and resources that your library offers online, in multiple formats from multiple vendors, in a way that patrons will find logical and easy to access, 24 hours a day. By making use of this invaluable guide, readers will understand how to help public and academic libraries create accessible resources and services, choose third-party vendors with accessibility in mind, and utilize the principles of universal design to engage patrons of all abilities and learning styles. The chapters comprehensively address how to supply information to patrons in the manner that they expect and have become accustomed to due to technologies such as go-everywhere, do-everything mobile devices, eBooks, streaming video media, and social media.

This book is published open access under a CC BY 4.0 licence.The book offers a concise guide for librarians, helping them understand the challenges, processes and technologies involved in managing access to online resources. After an introduction the book presents cases of general authentication and authorisation. It helps readers understand web based authentication and provides the fundamentals of IP address recognition in an easy to understand manner. A special chapter is dedicated to Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), followed by an overview of the key concepts of OpenID Connect. The book concludes with basic troubleshooting guidelines and recommendations for further assistance. Librarians will benefit from this quick and easy read, which demystifies the technologies used, features real-life scenarios, and explains how to competently employ authentication and access management.

Every person has the right to access information and the right to succeed, regardless of their capabilities or the challenges they face. These challenges can be even more difficult when accessing information online. Libraries often adopt new web technologies in an effort to quickly and widely promote information access and education, but they must always be aware that not all patrons are able to access those technologies in the same manner and at the same level. Making Library Websites Accessible provides practical information on web accessibility, specific to the processes and concerns of libraries. It includes the basics of web accessibility standards, laws and regulations, as well as accessibility testing templates. Features include: Real-life scenarios Checklists for accessibility testing Accessibility testing forms Guidelines for negotiations with library vendors

Today’s students rely heavily on electronic resources; they expect to be able to access library resources from any location and at any time of the day. Online education is ubiquitous from K-12 through graduate level coursework and is increasingly used in on-the-job training. Libraries must be prepared to guide learners to use library resources when and where they are needed. Thoughtfully designed online tutorials can be the library’s answer to providing this point-of-need instruction that learners have come to expect. When librarians don’t have the technical expertise needed to create online tutorials, Creating Online Tutorials: A Practical Guide for Librarians, Second Edition will help guide them through the basics of designing and producing an online tutorial. Using practical examples, the book leads librarians through the process of creating an online tutorial from start to finish and provides tips and strategies that will be useful to librarians with more experience in designing online tutorials. This detailed roadmap for designing and producing online tutorials covers: Is a tutorial the right solution? Assessing diverse user needs Choosing the right technology Selecting and organizing instructional content Planning tutorial design elements Integrating assessment into tutorial design Maintaining and updating tutorials Finding online tutorial resources After reading this book, new tutorial developers will have a practical, adaptable blueprint that enables them to confidently address the creation of their first online tutorials, and experienced developers will learn efficient techniques to create and enhance future tutorials that are attractive, effective teaching tools.

Public libraries can increase their impact on knowledge development, innovation, and social change by promoting parent and family engagement in children's learning. Libraries are increasingly focusing on families. Educational research confirms that family engagement in children's learning and development predicts school readiness, positive social behaviors, high school graduation, interest in STEM careers, and post-secondary education. A Librarian's Guide to Engaging Families in Learning will inspire libraries and librarians to innovate and promote family learning from a child's earliest years through adolescence. By bringing together research and practice, it will deepen librarians' understanding of families' role in education and help them to learn new ways to build positive and trusting family partnerships that honor diverse cultures and languages, as well as to develop leadership for community impact. Written by thought leaders in the fields of family engagement and library science, each of the three main sections of the book begins with a framework followed by case studies illustrating key concepts of the framework. Cases are followed by reflections from practicing librarians. All chapters focus on practical family engagement in the social infrastructure, lifelong learning, and diversity and social justice.

Reaching Diverse Audiences with Virtual Reference and Instruction features practical advice for teaching and serving diverse audiences using a mix of new technologies and old-school librarianship. The guidebook aims to provide a range of options that can be adapted for your community’s needs.

Libraries have an ethical, and usually a legal, obligation to make their services accessible to disabled patrons and employees. Making the Library Accessible for All is a single-source guide that librarians can refer to when planning, remediating, or evaluating accessibility. With a unique holistic approach, it emphasizes the perception of people with disabilities as partners in meeting a common goal rather than as a population to be “served.” Topics addressed and updated in this second edition include: Multiple interviews with librarians and other experts in the field about proven accessibility strategies for libraries, personal experiences, and cutting-edge innovations; Innovations in providing assistive digital technology, many of which are free or built into common programs; An overview of changes coming to accessibility guidelines for digital content; Up-to-date information on legislation that may affect some or all libraries; An evaluation of how the COVID pandemic has changed both library services and patron needs