In the last decade library collections have rapidly evolved from a predominance of print books and journals to an ever growing mix of digital and print resources. Library patrons are predominately served by support staff that is expected to know how to help patrons select and use digital resources. Yet most library support staff (LSS) has not had training to become proficient in finding, using, and instructing others in the abundance of the digital resources of websites, databases, e-texts, digital libraries and their related technologies. Library Technology and Digital Resources: An Introduction for Support Staff is both a text for professors who teach in library support staff programs and an introductory reference manual for support staff who work in libraries. This book will guide the LSS to be able to: Distinguish key features and enhancements found among vendors and providers of digital libraries, digital collections, databases, and e-texts; Plan, budget, fund and write grants for digital resources; Understand the complexity and options of licensing and usage agreements for digital resources; Know copyright permissions and acceptable use guidelines for digital resources. Understand the basic technologies that support library digital resources including network structures, software applications, and protocols; Distinguish between directories and search engines as they relate to digital resources as well as be able to employ advance search skills effectively; Explore the resources of global, national, and state digital libraries and their collections; Use government databases and other digitized systems and information sources; Find exemplary digital resources though other agencies such as museums, university collections and other sources that librarians can share with patrons. Create local digital resources of primary and historical materials and artifacts with metadata and cataloging for searchable access. Interpret meaning from library digital resources using visual literacy skills. Promote library digital resources through a variety of means including social media and online options.

The real-world initiatives and straightforward advice in this collection will embolden technical services managers and administrators to demonstrate the value of their work to stakeholders throughout their organization.

Electronic Resources Librarianship: A Practical Guide for Librarians will help new e-resources librarians to hit the ground running. Simultaneously a step-by-step guide and comprehensive toolkit, the book walks readers through their first few days on the job, giving them the practical skills to immediately begin engaging with vendors, diagnosing access issues, tracking usage, and making well-informed retention decisions. Further, it sets readers up for long-term success by talking about project planning and goal setting in an environment of continuous change, as well as advice on how to pass on their newly acquired e-resource knowledge to others. This easy-to-read guide addresses several ever-present issues for both new and established e-resource librarians: the need for concrete tools to implement in their day-to-day tasks, the need to gain goal setting and project management skills to thrive and not just survive, and the need to overcome feelings of anxiety and isolation. Acting as a ready reference, Electronic Resources Librarianship will help steer librarians through the intricacies of the daily e-resource grind while giving them the tools and the confidence to handle even the most complex challenges. Special Features include: Extensive technology toolkit Sample worksheets, email scripts, and checklists Real-world troubleshooting problems and solutions Practical strategies for organizing and prioritizing work Comprehensive list of support groups, so readers are never at a dead end

In a world of users that routinely click “I Agree” buttons, librarians may be the lone voice raising an alert to the privacy, use, and ownership issues arising in connection with the design and implementation of digital rights management (DRM) technologies. DRM reflects the efforts of copyright owners to prevent the illegal distribution of copyrighted material – an admirable goal on its face. A common misunderstanding is that DRM is copyright law. It is not. Rather it is a method of preventing copyright infringement; however, if unchecked, DRM has the potential to violate privacy, limit ownership rights, and undermine the delicate balance of rights and policies established by our current system of copyright. All three of these arenas are critical for both librarians and their users. Reflecting the shift from ownership to access, libraries are increasingly providing access to rights-protected digital content. Libraries strive to provide access to rights-protected content in a manner that protects both the content creator and the privacy of the user. DRM encompasses a variety of technologies and strategies utilized by content owners and managers to limit access to and the use of rights-protected content. Librarians need to understand DRM to effectively enable users to access and use rights-protected digital content while at the same time protecting the privacy of the user. Designed to address the practical operational and planning issues related to DRM, this guide explores the critical issues and challenges faced by librarians. After reading it, librarians will better understand: the digital content rights protection scheme; the various DRM technologies and how they are used; how to use authentication and authorization standards, strategies, and technologies; and, the privacy and security issues related to DRM. Edited by two librarians who also hold law degrees, this is a best practices guide for front-line librarians on how to best respond to the impact of DRM schemes on collection development, staffing, budget, service, and other library concerns.

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.

This volume emphasizes the changes wrought by technology. Chapters are arranged by type of service - reference services and sources, bibliographic instruction, interlibrary loan, circulation, reserve services, special collections, serials, media services and government documents.

Using this guide, collection managers and acquisitions librarians, preservation librarians, catalogers, and library managers will understand how to utilize the technical services workflow to process and showcase this unique material.