Index to Library Trends Volume 33

published or submitted for publicatio

Why Your Academic Library Needs a Popular Reading Collection Now More Than Ever

Do popular reading materials belong in college and university libraries? Although some librarians think not, others believe there are compelling reasons for including them. The trend towards user-focused libraries, the importance of attracting patrons to libraries in the age of the Internet, and, most importantly, the need to promote literacy at a time when it has reached its lowest levels are all reasons why academic librarians are reconsidering their ideas about popular reading materials. Librarians who decide to implement a leisure reading collection should consider a number of key issues

Marketing library services to children and young people

This paper discusses the future of Schools Library Services in the North West region of England based on a research project recently undertaken by the Centre for the Public Library and Information in Society at the University of Sheffield on behalf of MLA North West. The research has revealed somewhat of an identity crisis for Schools Library Services in the region, encouraged by educational policy, changing public library service priorities and subsequent issues surrounding service perceptions, awareness and ownership. The research has revealed a desire within the sector for a more visible alignment of Schools Library Services within the empirical services to children and young people agenda. Particular opportunities exist within the literacy development remit, building upon best practice examples in the region concerning reader development projects and family learning initiatives. Recommendations include the formation of a regional professional network designed to promote a seamless library service to children from early years to young adulthood including staff training, advocacy and proactive service marketing under a strong and identifiable regional brand

Marketing Youth Services

published or submitted for publicatio

Identifying and Encouraging Leadership Potential: Assessment Technology and the Library Profession

published or submitted for publicatio

Liaison Librarianship

This book chapter describes the work of liaison librarians. After reading this chapter, you will be able to describe common qualifications and responsibilities of liaisons in order to determine whether liaisonship is suitable for your needs and interests as a new librarian or LIS student. It will allow you to articulate skills and expertise requisite for liaison work in order to evalu¬ate your ability to provide services most effectively. You will be able to establish a plan to gain relevant skills and expertise in order to compete successfully for liaison job openings. It provides information about how to connect with faculty in their areas of responsibility in order to facilitate new outreach and deepen existing relationships. It should help you develop and assess support and outreach initiatives in order to identify gaps and provide greater support for patrons. Finally, it will help you appraise liaison work in order to advocate for promotion/tenure

Reading Matters in the Academic Library: Taking the Lead from Public Librarians

With the increasing virtualization of resources, reference service, and instruction, college students have fewer reasons to visit the academic library, a place they believe lacks relevance in their lives. This article explores the idea of revitalizing academic libraries by reconsidering the place of pleasure reading in them. Considerable research has been conducted on reading in the last quarter century. Reading serves a host of essential functions, far more than we have ever guessed. The first part of this paper looks at the social, psychological, moral, emotional, and cognitive role it plays in our lives. The second half examines readers’ advisory services that we can borrow or adapt from public libraries, services that can attract new users, promote lifelong reading, and transform academic libraries to be more community, user, and reader focused