Welsh, Megan E.

English

University of Denver

Collaborative LibrarianshipVolume 6 | Issue 4 Article 12014Review of The Embedded Librarian’s CookbookMegan E. WelshUniversity of Colorado Boulder, Megan.Welsh@colorado.eduFollow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/collaborativelibrarianshipPart of the Scholarly Publishing CommonsThis Review is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Collaborative Librarianship byan authorized editor of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact jennifer.cox@du.edu,dig-commons@du.edu.Recommended CitationWelsh, Megan E. (2014) "Review of The Embedded Librarian’s Cookbook," Collaborative Librarianship: Vol. 6 : Iss. 4 , Article 1.Available at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/collaborativelibrarianship/vol6/iss4/1Welsh: Review of The Embedded Librarian’s Cookbook   Collaborative Librarianship 6(4):180-181 (2014) 180 Review of The Embedded Librarian’s Cookbook  Megan E. Welsh (megan.welsh@colorado.edu)  University of Colorado Boulder   Cassandra Kvenild and Kaijsa Calkins, eds. The Embedded Librarian's Cookbook, (Chicago: Associ-ation of College and Research Libraries, 2014), 180 p. Second in a series of “cookbooks” published by the Association of College and Research Librar-ies (ACRL), Cassandra Kvenild and Kaijsa Cal-kins “serve up” their own edited volume com-prised of recipes for successful embedded li-brary initiatives in The Embedded Librarian’s Cookbook. This title employs the successful struc-ture of Sittler and Cook’s The Library Instruction Cookbook1 and complements content Calkins and Kvenild’s previously published in Embedded Li-brarians: Moving Beyond One-Shot Instruction.2 The editors, both from the University of Wyo-ming in Laramie, Wyoming, gather contribu-tions on the general topic of embedded librari-anship from librarians employed at community colleges, four-year institutions, and major re-search institutions located around the world. Though entries detail projects at specific institu-tions, the versatility of the recipes transcends the location and type of the originating institution, allowing these projects to be adapted according to the readers’ own library environment. The audience for this title is clear: academic librari-ans interested in embedding librarians and li-brary services in the broader institution should read this book. Those involved with planning and implementing instruction-related activities and those charged with outreach and promotion responsibilities will also be interested in this title.  This book contains valuable information ranging from simple advice about contacting and foster-ing positive relationships with subject faculty (see Ferrer-Vinent’s recipe about embedding in Organic Chemistry labs, p. 62) to creating more complex concoctions like information literacy websites that can be embedded in an online classroom environment (see Simning & Ben-nett’s recipe, p. 156). Cookbook entries are di-vided among the book’s two main parts: the first details a variety of embedded instruction oppor-tunities while the second focuses on assessment and long term planning. Maintaining the “cook-book” metaphor within these two parts, recipes are filed in appropriate sections with catchy ti-tles such as “Regional Cuisine: Embedding in the Disciplines” and “Menu Planning: Creating a Long Term Plan for Embedded Instruction.” Each “recipe” represents a different project con-taining complete details about the experience with information about the intended audience, steps for preparation and implementation, equipment needed, and more. A favorite com-ponent of many recipes is the “Allergy Warn-ings” section containing “useful cautions from the authors, based on their experiences over time” (ix). For those readers interested in more information about each project, they may con-tact the authors directly using their email ad-dresses that are clearly printed in the author line at the beginning of each entry. The cookbook metaphor is a benefit to the read-er who is immediately empowered to take these “kitchen tested” projects and adapt them for his/her own purposes. Authors provide the reader with inspiration to take the project idea and make it work in the reader’s own library setting. Entries in this book are short, easy to follow, and the “recipe” model is this book’s greatest strength, making the projects seem more approachable to the reader. Each contrib-1Welsh: Welsh: Review of The Embedded Librarian’s CookbookPublished by Digital Commons @ DU, 2014Welsh: Review of The Embedded Librarian’s Cookbook   Collaborative Librarianship 6(4):180-181 (2014) 181 uted recipe is reminiscent of a concise poster presentation, demonstrating a consideration for the time-constrained librarian who is able to read a three page entry more readily than a twenty page research paper. Though short, and avoiding an over-emphasis in research, many entries still contain notes and a list of recom-mended resources.  Criticisms of this title are minimal. A handful of authors connected the ACRL Information Liter-acy Standards with their entries, identifying how each project aligned with the established standards in the field. This was a welcome addi-tion to the description of the project, but it would have been beneficial to the reader if addi-tional authors connected their entries to specific standards. Also, the quality of images used to highlight the text-based entries was inconsistent throughout this volume. Some visuals were more clear and readable than others. Despite this, the author contact information is so easily available at the beginning of each entry that the reader could easily request images from the au-thors directly if needed. Recipes are structured formulas for culinary success, yet they also allow for improvisation and individual tastes. Here, Cassandra Kvenild and Kaijsa Calkins have provided librarians with the opportunity to satiate their appetite for opportunities to embed librarians at their insti-tutions. Readers will be inspired to transform these recipes to create individualized success. This is an excellent addition to the literature on embedded librarianship and a must-read book that would find good company next to The In-struction Librarian’s Cookbook and Embedded Li-brarians on any professional bookshelf.     Endnotes 1 Ryan L. Sittler and Douglas Cook, The Library Instruction Cookbook (Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2009), 196 p. 2 Cassandra Kvenild and Kaijsa Calkins, eds., Embedded Librarians: Moving Beyond One-Shot Instruction (Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2011), 248 p.                     2Collaborative Librarianship, Vol. 6 [2014], Iss. 4, Art. 1https://digitalcommons.du.edu/collaborativelibrarianship/vol6/iss4/1

Review of The Embedded Librarian’s Cookbook

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Review of The Embedded Librarian’s Cookbook

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