Now more than ever, librarians need good communication skills. They are no longer unseen collectors, classifiers, and cultural guardians. Information professionals are doing more public speaking at conferences, in meetings, classes, book talks and countless other situations, but many of them dislike, even fear, the thought of getting up in front of a group of people and giving a presentation. Librarians and other information professionals can find in this work help in overcoming their hesitation. Part one offers basic principles for better speech preparation and delivery, discussing such topics as the importance of good listening skills to being a good speaker, doing the necessary research beforehand, applying organizational skills to a presentation, engaging an audience, practicing a presentation before actually giving it, and putting oneself at ease, among others. Part Two discusses the specific situations in which librarians often have to communicate, including interviews, interpersonal communication, library instruction, meetings and presentations to large groups.

In today's economic climate, many libraries are work cooperatively and sharing facilities, staffs, and resources. This book gives you practical examples of how to make joint use a POSITIVE reality! The first book of its kind, Joint-Use Libraries presents nine examples of situations in which libraries of different types share a building. In some cases one library takes the lead and staffs the operation. In other cases, two or more staffs inhabit the same building and divide the work. This essential book illustrates the variety of ways that public libraries, community college libraries, and college/university libraries have found to stretch their resources and better serve their users. This book explores team-based strategies for joint-use libraries and shows how various libraries have addressed questions such as, “Which library's online catalog will be used?” “How will costs for maintenance and utilities be shared?” and “Will there be one integrated staff, or separate staffs inhabiting the same building?” The libraries described range from a very small library shared by Front Range Community College and the City of Fort Collins, Colorado, to a mammoth new joint library now being built in San Jose, California. In Joint-Use Libraries, you'll encounter fascinating case studies of successful joint use that examine: school libraries that double as public library facilities a county-wide public library system in South Florida that has created partnerships with university, community college, public, and private school libraries a joint library located on a Florida community college campus but also serving a major university another joint library on a Washington state campus that is shared by both a university and a community college—with the university acting as primary provider of library services by contract with the community college a three-way library in which a community college, a university, and a public library provide their own staffing, collections, and other resources to offer services in a small community where none of them alone could afford a first-rate facility a complex situation in which St. Petersburg College and the City of Seminole, Florida are building a joint-use facility which will serve not only the city and the college, but will also serve the students of 14 other institutions of higher education a joint-use library where one institution is clearly the senior partner, but a largely new, integrated staff has been hired to minimize resistance to the new joint mission and to serve all users equally and more!

"Creativity is just connecting things," observed Steve Jobs. In today's diverse, ever-changing job market, creativity is more necessary than ever. In a profession offering a broad range of job opportunities, librarians are surrounded by myriad connections to be made. They are trained to recognize them. This collection of new essays covers a wide spectrum of methods for cultivating creativity. Topics include learning through role-playing games, libraries as publishers, setting up and using makerspaces, developing in-house support for early-career staff, creating travelling exhibits, creative problem solving, and organizing no-cost conferences.

Libraries are always looking for new ways to engage with their patrons, and well-planned programming is one way to accomplish this goal. Library programming accomplishes this. Successful programming can be found in offering a variety of events, focusing activities on specific constituents, and providing meaningful library experiences. It can also be seen in advertising, social media, and the careful planning and execution of programs that ensure high quality engagement and participation. This book provides in-depth practical advice and examples of public and academic library programming activities. Included in this volume are methods for identifying target audiences, activities and ways to find and generate even more ideas, tools for assessment and budgeting, and tips on planning programs from inception to execution. Chapters include: Making a Case for Programming Discovering the Best Programs for Your Library Finding Programming Partners Funding and Budgeting Getting Organized and Executing Programs Advertising Your Programs for Success Public and Academic Library Programming Assessment and Evaluation Libraries use programming to build and maintain strong partnerships and collaborative opportunities that actively engage their users. In addition to these community-building measures programming can provide assessment tools that help inform future decision-making within the library environment while also assuring quality events and activities. Use this book to attract new patrons, highlight library services and resources, and showcase the overall quality and value of your library.

Guidance for Librarians Transitioning to a New Environment offers practical advice for those hoping to transition into a different type or size of institution. Written by librarians who have successfully navigated such changes, the book encourages consideration of unexplored opportunities. Drawing on the authors’ own experiences, as well as surveys and interviews conducted with those working in different types of libraries, the book will provide librarians with a fi eld guide for surviving and thriving in their new environment. It will do so by making suggestions for how librarians can orient themselves to their new library, add context to their CV or résumé, get started with presenting and publishing, and manage culture shock and emotions. Each chapter will also provide the opportunity for the librarian to refl ect on relevant aspects of their own situation and move forward with the help of action items. Guidance for Librarians Transitioning to a New Environment is essential reading for librarians who are considering or in the process of making a career move, as well as those working on career planning. The book will also be helpful for library science school faculty and career counselors who are advising current students and library managers who want to help their new hires transition in the most effective way.

Libraries have recently begun doing more to support entrepreneurship and innovation within their communities. This volume explores how this has come about, looking at libraries from across North America, Europe and Africa, and helps position readers to better understand what is happening, and how this can be brought to further institutions.

"With librarians at all levels in mind, noted reference librarian and researcher Marta Lee offers her ideas for an experience with establishing a formal mentoring process at the library"--Page 4 of cover.