American Library History


Book Description

...a leaping departure in comprehensiveness, organizational format, and accessibility through indexing...A magnificent contribution to the study of American library history. --LIBRARIES & CULTURE ...a work of enormous and painstaking scholarship. --LIBRARY ASSOCIATION RECORD (UK)




History of Libraries of the Western World


Book Description

Surveys the libraries of ancient, Medieval, and modern times. Substantially revised from the 1976 third edition (first in 1965) to incorporate the new history of books, the electronic advances in communication, and the political changes in Europe since the late 1980s. The bibliographies are also updated to reflect current thinking about both the past and the current significance of libraries. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR




Dictionary of American Library Biography


Book Description

This second supplement to DALB, the Dictionary of American Library Biography (1978), adds 77 notable, deceased members of the library and archival communities to the 302 entries in the main volume and the 51 entries in the first supplement (1990). The second supplement includes primarily those figures who died between 1987 and the end of the year 2000, though some 13 entries provide sketches for notable persons whose death dates are somewhat earlier and who were not included in earlier works. Among the entries are a number of African Americans, and nearly one-half of the entries are women. Some 80 contributors from the United States and Canada provided sketches, many based on original source material. This supplement follows the practice and format of the earlier volumes, though it allows presidents of the American Library Association to compete for inclusion with other nominations.







Libraries in the Information Age


Book Description

The book Library Media Connection cited as something "all librarians need to have on their shelves" is now thoroughly revised for today's 21st-century library environment. Covering both technology and library practices, the title has been a go-to text for librarians and library school students since 2002. Since the second edition of this must-have book was published in late 2009, libraries have undergone profound changes, primarily linked to advances in technology. We've seen the debut of RDA, the release of new Pew Research library and Internet use data, and the establishment of digital repositories, community MakerSpaces, and "community reads" programs. Of course, libraries have also been affected by the expanding use of social media. This thoroughly updated title addresses all these changes and more, bringing you up to date on the monumental shifts impacting librarianship. The book is designed to introduce LIS students to the profession, preparing them to enter an exciting and evolving world. It clarifies the changing roles and responsibilities of library professionals, new paradigms for evaluating information, and characteristics and functions of today's library personnel. Among other subjects, chapters cover preparing materials for use, circulation, reference services, ethics in the information age, Internet trends, and job search basics. References, websites, and publications at the end of every chapter point to further resources, and appendices supply information such as policies, the library bill of rights, and the Freedom to Read statement.




Reference and Information Services


Book Description

This revised and updated sixth edition of Reference and Information Services continues the book's rich tradition, covering all phases of reference and information services with less emphasis on print and more emphasis on strategies and scenarios. Reference and Information Services is the go-to textbook for MSLIS and i-School courses on reference services and related topics. It is also a helpful handbook for practitioners. Authors include LIS faculty and professionals who have relevant degrees in their areas and who have published extensively on their topics. The first half of the book provides an overview of reference services and techniques for service provision, including the reference interview, ethics, instruction, reader's advisory, and services to diverse populations including children. This part of the book establishes a foundation of knowledge on reference service and frames each topic with ethical and social justice perspectives. The second part of the book offers an overview of the information life cycle and dissemination of information, followed by an in-depth examination of information sources by type—including dictionaries, encyclopedias, indexes, and abstracts—as well as by broad subject areas including government, statistics and data, health, and legal information. This second section introduces the tools and resources that reference professionals use to provide the services described in the first half of the text.




Dahl's History of the Book


Book Description

From cave paintings to computers, this overview of the history of books and communication is written for the layperson and student. It provides clear information on how books shaped and reflected major social, political, and literary developments. As a general guide, it moves from the earliest writing in the Middle East and Egypt to Greece, Rome, and early Christian contributions to book production and literacy. Major sections discuss publishing during the Middle Ages and how the invention of printing drastically changed and improved the distribution of knowledge. Later chapters take the reader from the age of encyclopedias in the seventeenth century to the great technological advances of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. For those who wish to pursue specific areas in the history of the book in greater detail, there are three parts devoted to additional reading with descriptive, critical annotations: general histories and bibliographies, scribes and printers, and printing to the modern period. Extensive notes and documentation will lead to additional sources.




Made Free and Thrown Open to the Public


Book Description

Made Free and Thrown Open to the Public charts the history of public libraries and librarianship in Pennsylvania. Based on archival research at more than fifty libraries and historical societies, it describes a long progression from private, subscription-based associations to publicly funded institutions, highlighting the dramatic period during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when libraries were “thrown open” to women, children, and the poor. Made Free explains how Pennsylvania’s physical and cultural geography, legal codes, and other unique features influenced the spread and development of libraries across the state. It also highlights Pennsylvania libraries’ many contributions to the social fabric, especially during World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. Most importantly of all, Made Free convincingly argues that Pennsylvania libraries have made their greatest strides when community activists and librarians, supported with state and local resources, have worked collaboratively.




Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences


Book Description

The Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences, comprising of seven volumes, now in its fourth edition, compiles the contributions of major researchers and practitioners and explores the cultural institutions of more than 30 countries. This major reference presents over 550 entries extensively reviewed for accuracy in seven print volumes or online. The new fourth edition, which includes 55 new entires and 60 revised entries, continues to reflect the growing convergence among the disciplines that influence information and the cultural record, with coverage of the latest topics as well as classic articles of historical and theoretical importance.




American Library History


Book Description