The policies that make up children's services must be guided by imagination and insight. Mae Benne covers fully the organizational policies and patterns that accompany professional services. Her discussion of purely administrative and organizational matters is comprehensive - one that recognizes client need as motivating organizational possibilities. She translates theory before organizations meet children's needs, children's librarians must recognize them into practice.

"This revised edition features policy statements, reports, and research studies not readily identified in any one source and serves to update coverage of the print materials listed in Library Service to Children: A Guide to the Research, Planning, and Policy Literature (1992). All electronic sources are new, and the coverage of biographical literature and materials about the history of children's services and children's librarianship has been expanded."--BOOK JACKET.

Children's services are the heart of the library. This overview provides hands-on, proven strategies for librarians, addressing questions critical to the long-term success of children's library services. Experienced, new and trainee children's librarians, library administrators & trustees will all welcome this new 'bible'.

Here, one of America’s foremost experts in public library services to children cover the basics of library services for children. Jeanette Larson highlights best practices and "toolkits" that provide tools and resources to quickly implement programs and services. She includes model programs, checklists and forms, and ready-to-use examples of programs, with an emphasis on programs that are inexpensive to implement and simple to replicate. From start to finish, learn how to plan, implement, and manage public library programs and services for children, ages birth to twelve years old. Children's services are a critical part of today's library services and staff need basic background information, practical advice, and specific examples of how to perform the fundamental duties required of them. Special features of the book include: Basic information on how to implement the fundamental services and programs of library services to children Background and rationale for the provision of these services and programs Enhancements for children's programs and services that support literacy and learning Templates for successful programs Examples of inexpensive and ready-to-use programs ranging from simple to on-going and more elaborate programs Children’s Services Today: A Practical Guide for Librarians offers basic background, practical experience, and best practices necessary for the successful provision of children's services in today's public library. Whether you are a part-time children's librarian in a small, rural library, a generalist assigned to provide children's programming in a medium-sized library, or a paraprofessional working in the children's department in a large urban library, this practical guide will help you implement dynamic programs and services that meet the needs of today's children and families