Reaching Diverse Audiences with Virtual Reference and Instruction: A Practical Guide for Librarians is designed to help new and experienced librarians with practical advice for teaching and serving diverse audiences using a mix of new technologies and old-school librarianship. Just as today’s library users come from different backgrounds and experiences, and range from the tech-averse to internet-savvy, there’s no one-size-fits all method for effectively teaching information literacy or providing reference and research assistance! The guidebook aims to provide a range of options that can be adapted for your community’s needs, and includes advice for reaching many kinds of learners with virtual technologies for reference and instruction. Topics covered include how to: Identify and assess the needs of diverse communities Make the most of online reference services Implement and incorporate online teaching tools into your practice Develop and evaluate goals, objectives, and outcomes for teaching & services Though this book is predominantly aimed at the academic librarian, other sections on identifying and assessing community needs, managing virtual reference, and evaluating the effectiveness of library services are applicable for librarians in public, school, academic, and all types of libraries! In short, this is a one-stop shop for librarians who are seriously considering how to leverage new technologies to meet their community’s needs—this guide walks through planning, implementing, managing, and evaluating teaching and reference services, and teaches the skills required to meet the needs of a diverse range of library users.

Reference and information services are more important than ever for today’s young people. By analyzing key features of reference and information services to young people in school and public library environments, including the research behind the trends and issues, librarians can make sure that those services are appropriately responsive to children and teens. Based on standards and evidence-based practice, this book helps you to optimize those resources and services by: providing guidance in assessing youth communities, determining youth’s information needs and information behaviors, developing and maintaining age-appropriate reference collections (starting with the book’s core list of print and online resources), optimizing physical and virtual access to reference and information sources, interacting with youth and facilitating their reference and information literacy skills, curating and producing reference and information products, dealing with relevant legal and ethical issues, and planning effective library reference and information services for youth. Chapter sidebar examples provide food for thought.

This book can help you create, encourage, and participate in an environment that is conducive to creativity, helping make change a more natural and organic part of the library's culture.

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.

Written by two librarians with extensive publication experience, this book provides practical techniques and tools to prepare librarians to publish successfully. This book is neither a research methodology nor a ‘craft of writing’ book. Instead, its sole goal is to help librarians (and other information science professionals) start writing, identify an outlet for publication, and publish successfully. It dispels the mythos surrounding “scholarly writing” by providing practical tools and advice to help soon-to-be authors get started on the publication journey now. This book will guide aspiring authors step-by-step through the writing and publication process, from nurturing an idea to fruition all the way to enjoying a successful publication. Along the way, readers will learn how to identify the best publication type and venue, gather the needed information to make a convincing argument, and skillfully manage even the most complex project. Topics range from cerebral (such as how to maintain motivation through a project) to technical (such as common grammar and vocabulary errors), but all are designed to be practical and of immediate use to a writer. Whether a graduate student at the beginning of your career in the field of information sciences, a newly minted librarian fresh out of graduate school, a library administrator at the peak of your career, or somewhere in between, publishing can keep you engaged in the issues facing the profession and enhance your career and professional success. Readers will be inspired and ready to contribute to library scholarship and start building their own successful scholarly habit.

Yoga and meditation have a proven track record of lowering stress levels, helping to treat mental health issues such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, building community, and contributing to an overall sense of wellbeing in their practitioners. According to recent surveys, 1/4 of North American libraries have offered meditation programs and 2/3 have offered yoga classes. Carson, a professional yoga teacher and library director, has been leading yoga and meditation programs in schools and libraries for over a decade, and she presents this guidebook to give others the tools for serving library patrons of all ages and abilities. Inside Yoga and Meditation at the Library, you will find 21 program models, including choreographed yoga sequences complete with pictures, passive program ideas, alternative collections suggestions, budget considerations, literacy tie-ins, and checklists for prep, teardown, and follow-up, as well as advice from real-world program delivery. Chapters include: What are Mindfulness and Meditation? What is Yoga? Implementing Yoga and Meditation Programs in Your Library Choosing Resources and Designing Spaces Passive Programs and Alternative Collections Policies and Procedures for Avoiding and Handling Problems Yoga and Meditation for the Early Years Yoga and Meditation for Elementary-Age Students Yoga and Meditation for Teens and Young Adults Yoga and Meditation for Adults and Seniors Yoga for Every Body: Inclusive Programming through Outreach and Inreach This book is for any programming librarian, administrator, yoga and meditation teacher, or outreach coordinator looking to boost circulation stats, program numbers, literacy rates, and foster health and wellness in their community.

Developing a Library Accessibility Plan: A Practical Guide for Librarians provides library professionals with the knowledge, tools and templates, and practical examples necessary for developing a tailored and comprehensive accessibility plan for their institution. Part One provides foundational knowledge about disability experiences in libraries, including an overview of existing legislation and a breakdown of the disability community in the United States. This part also names and defines the impact of different accessibility barriers within online, physical, and instructional settings for different populations. Part Two outlines the initial stages of a developing a comprehensive plan for resolving accessibility issues. These chapters explore how to conduct an environmental scan of existing challenges, strategies for identifying potential partners in the resolution of these problems, and how to prioritize accessibility initiatives and projects. Part Three provides several practical, real life examples of projects and initiatives drawn from the author's professional experiences. These case studies offer a summary of each accessibility project along the corresponding impact, finished by an analysis of "lessons learned" from the experience. A copy of all tools, templates, and other planning documents are available in the chapter itself. The book will help readers understand how to inventory, prioritize, plan, implement, and assess a comprehensive improvement plan for electronic, physical, and instructional and/or programming-related accessibility issues within their library.