Good Books Satisfy

Rethinking How We Help Those Who Don’t Ask

"Rethinking How We Help Those Who Don’t Ask." American Libraries / Meredith Farkas.
Chicago: American Libraries Online, October 23rd 2012.

"For years, my experiences fueled my desire to make the reference desk more approachable. There’s considerable research on library anxiety, and many people see libraries as a place with lots of rules they don’t understand. I still believe in the value of making the library more user-friendly, but I don’t think approachability is the only reason why people aren’t using reference services.

Like me, many people simply want to figure things out for themselves. And when there’s something about the library they don’t understand, they won’t go to the reference desk. They’ll go elsewhere."

Professional Competencies for Reference & User Services Librarians

Professional Competencies for Reference & User Services Librarians / Reference & User Services Association.
Chicago: RUSA for American Library Association, 2003.

See Also:

Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference & InformationService Providers

Always good to brush up on!

Libraries Connect Communities

Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2011-2012 / ALA.
Chicago: American Libraries Association Digital Supplement, Summer 2012.

"Some Cardinal Principles of Librarians' Work." Public Libraries / Sam Walter Foss.

Chicago, IL: Public Libraries 14 77-81, 1909.

  

“Don't stay in the library all the time yourself and stagnate in the musty atmosphere of your dead books. Be a public and not a private man. Get out and feel the dynamic thrill that comes from contact with live men. The club, the exchange, the street, the philanthropic and economic organizations that are feeling out for the betterment of mankind are the places where the librarian should be found frequently. He should be the best known man or woman in the city.”

Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2010-2011

Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2010-2011 / American Library Association.
Chicago: ALA, 2011.

Job Satisfaction of Canadian University Librarians: A National Survey

"Job Satisfaction of Canadian University Librarians: A National Survey." College & Research Libraries / Gloria J. Leckie & Jim Brett.
America: ACRL pages 31-47, July 1997.

We Want Books!

Save Our Libraries, Fire the Librarians

"Save Our Libraries, Fire the Librarians." News Leader / Mike Thompson & Amelia Island.
Fernandina Beach, Florida: News Leader Online, June 27th 2011.

"Nonetheless, as so often is the nature of government, our local stewards are ignoring the real problem: It is not the perfectly good Fernandina Beach downtown library building that needs to be replaced, but the self-styled "Radical Militant" Fernandina Beach librarians who must go. Pronto.

Because commissioners collectively have failed to perform the one simple and basic function of government (to use "due diligence" before spending taxpayers' money), documented here are a few powerful and shocking reasons to root out of our library system those brazen, self-proclaimed Radical Militants who posture as mild-mannered, shushing librarians:

Reason 1: Our library is corrupted by the far-left ALA"

Uhhh, yikes. 

Confronting the Future: Strategic Visions for the 21st-Century Public Library

Confronting the Future: Strategic Visions for the 21st-Century Public Library / ALA Office for Information Technology Policy.
America: ALA, June 2011.

"••People—People are the library’s greatest advantage.  The library’s staff of professionals are available to provide unbiased service to individuals at no charge and often with little or no delay. They have no commercial or political incentives affecting their advice, adhere to a professional code of ethics, and generally are experts in one or more segments of the library’s collections. They play an active role in creating the collections; in arranging for speakers, convening events, and organizing exhibits; in selecting technology to meet user needs and offering training in its use; in organizing services to meet user needs; and in general, in fashioning the library to serve its patrons and its community. These professionals will serve as the library’s driving force for adaptive change.

•• Place—Most libraries offer the advantage of place— physical facilities that are quiet, private, and  comfortable for reading and reflection, as well as meeting places for small or large groups. These facilities exist today in many libraries throughout the country, representing a valuable physical infrastructure.

•• Price—Virtually all public libraries provide services to their patrons at no charge, a price that it is difficult for their commercial competitors to meet, except with the help of advertisements."

Public Libraries Fight to Stay Relevant in Digital Age

"Public Libraries Fight to Stay Relevant in Digital Age." Christian Science Monitor /
Boston: Christian Science Monitor Online, June 27th 2011.

"According to a recent ALA report issued by Mr. Inouye's office, it is vital that libraries adapt to the shift in how patrons seek resources.

"The purely physical library is no longer strategically realistic," the report reads, adding that while most public libraries are maintaining their physical branches, they are increasingly being drawn toward the "virtual endpoint."

In addition to making technological strides, librarians are stressing the many free resources available to patrons. With more adults out of work and money tight, the library is a place where people can conduct employment search efforts and even continue with leisurely endeavors."

Why I Need My High School Library

Millennial Librarians: Who They Are & How They Are Different from the Rest of Us

"Millennial Librarians: Who They Are & How They Are Different from the Rest of Us." ACRL / Jenny Emanuel.
Philadelphia: Association of College & Research Libraries, April 2011.

"Now that NextGen librarianship has matured, a new generation of Millennials is starting to become librarians, who are the Millennials. No scholarly studies in the library literature have yet to critically examine the traits of the Millennials, how to recruit and retain them to the profession, and the traits they are bringing to librarianship.

Academic librarians have discussed the Millennial generation as students for several years now. However, the same students are now choosing careers and some are choosing academic librarianship. Now is the time to stop looking at the Millennials as students and start seeing them as career entrants to librarianship. The library profession needs to start looking at how its culture can accept and grow new librarians who are members of the Millennial generation and stop looking at them only as students using library services and resources."

Should We Allow Porn in Libraries?

"Should We Allow Porn in Libraries?" Salon / Tracy Clark-Flory.
San Francisco: Salon Online, April 28th 2011.

Social Networking Literacy Competencies for Librarians

"Social Networking Literacy Competencies for Librarians: Exploring Considerations & Engaging Participation." ALA Seattle National Papers / Joe Murphy & Heather Moulaison.
Seattle: ACRL 14th National Conference, 2009.

2011's 11 Crucial Trends

"2011's 11 Crucial Trends." American Libraries / Sean Fitzpatrick.
Chicago: American Libraries Magazine Online, December 1st 2010.

"11. Owner-less

According to Trendwatching, access is more important than ownership in 2011. This one is a natural opportunity for libraries. Most of the materials libraries lend and services they offer are far too expensive for most consumers to afford. From books and DVDs to databases, videogame platforms, and even ad hoc office or meeting spaces, libraries can offer serious benefits in an ownerless society."

Serving Non-English Speakers in U.S. Public Libraries

Serving Non-English Speakers in U.S. Public Libraries / ALA Office for Research & Statistics.
America: ALA, 2008.

"There are 21 million people in America who speak little or no English -- one of every 15 persons."

See Also:
Resources for Serving Non-English Speakers in U.S. Public Libraries

12 Ways Libraries Are Good for the Country

"12 Ways Libraries Are Good for the Country." American Libraries / Leonard Kniffel.
America: American Libraries Online, December 21st 2010.

"7. Libraries return high dividends.

Libraries offer big returns to the communities they serve—anywhere from $1.30 to $10 in services for every $1 invested in them. Strong public and school libraries make a city or town more desirable as a business location. Americans check out an average of more than seven books a year from public libraries, and it costs them roughly $34 in taxes—about the cost of a single hardcover book."

With Dignity & Respect: Serving Homeless People in Library Communities

"With Dignity & Respect: Serving Homeless People in Library Communities." American Library Association / Michael Santangelo.
America: ALA, 2009.

War Service Library