Professional Reading

This book is geared toward K-5 school librarians. Through various activities, the 50 lessons teach the parts of a book, how books are arranged, call numbers, indexes, Newbery and Caldecott winners, etc. Cali presents the ideas in an easy-to-grab-and-go fashion. Any of the activities can be adjusted to meet individual needs, and there is a decent variety for different earning and teaching styles. Most of the activities include copy-ready pages, but many lessons would be pretty solid without the worksheets. Unfortunately, the lessons are not tied to AASL Standards. Objectives are stated plainly, such as, "Students will learn about the information found in the table of contents." This source would be good for anyone looking for supplemental activities for existing curricula or fresh ideas to teach basic library and literary skills. It will also be handy for substitute-teacher lesson plans.—Sharon R. Pearce, Longfellow Elementary School, Oak Park, IL

Through 20 chapters that include literature reviews, research summaries, best practices, and how-to articles, librarians and educators can gain a better understanding of the net generation and their information and educational needs. The editors include gaming, online learning, mobile technologies, Web 2.0 technologies, and the information-search process. It is interesting to note that while some of the authors mention such terms as "net native," neither the popular term "digital native" nor its originator, Mark Prensky (who has written extensively on how digital natives learn), appears in the index. Nevertheless, the book is an excellent addition to professional collections and should be required reading for high school and college librarians who serve today's high-tech young adults, particularly since many practicing librarians are digital immigrants and are not part of the net generation. This text will help them speak the language and provide meaningful and relevant experiences for young adults. The book should be mandatory reading for pre-service librarians and educators who will impact the young adults with whom they will come into contact.—Angela Washington-Blair, Emmett J. Conrad High School, Dallas, TX

Two information professionals begin by distinguishing between the visible Web and the Invisible Web. The visible, or surface Web, contains information found by general-purpose search engines like Google. The Invisible Web is composed of more information, with some studies indicating it is 500 times larger than the visible Web. Because this material is not accessible through general-purpose search engines, it is important to learn how to access it and teach it to students. The authors examine studies compiled about research regarding use of the visible Web and then map teaching the use of the Invisible Web to the standards of ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries, American Library Association). Discussions of instruction include concepts of Web searching, sample assignments, suggested venues for teaching, and activities. A chapter on Internet-research strategies incorporates case studies. The section on tools for searching the Invisible Web contains a selection of general-subject directories, databases, specialized search engines, and niche search engines. The final chapter examines the shifting boundaries of the visible and Invisible Web and includes descriptions of initiatives to bring both types of content more easily to searchers through common search mechanisms. Throughout the text are tables, graphics, and screen shots of detailed searches. Suggested audio and video materials available on the Web are included in Appendix B. This creditable text is a stimulating exploration of ways to teach Invisible Web research and is highly recommended for all professionals.—Rebecca Sheridan, Easttown Library & Information Center, Berwyn, PA

School library media specialists who need policies or procedures will surely find what they are looking for in this thorough book. Downs lays the foundation by describing necessary forms and policies for a school library media center, then provides a variety of examples and templates. The book includes mission statements, goals and objectives, budgeting, facilities use, circulation, collection development, disaster management, weeding, copyright, ILL, ethics, and accessibility policies. An excellent table of contents and index allow easy access to the information. While many school districts have templates, and many policy examples can be found online in PDF format, this book pulls together excellent examples that can be quickly modified for any school library.—Angela Washington-Blair, Emmett J. Conrad High School, Dallas, TX

The newest edition of the "big pink bible" continues to serve as an essential resource for anyone serving teens. The changes are not just cosmetic; a new chapter on information literacy has been added, bound to be a beneficial addition for librarians in school settings. Both the index and table of contents have been expanded, permitting easier access to information. Another added bonus that greatly improves the work is a CD-ROM with forms, calendars, and sample policies. The text shows some revisions and edits, creating a new tone for the work. Yet through it all, the message stays the same: to serve effectively young adults within the library and to support those teens in their journey to adulthood. The changes and additions make this edition a valuable tool for both new and experienced librarians. Even if you already own an earlier version, you should make room for this one.—Melissa Rabey, Frederick County Public Libraries, Frederick, MD

This is an excellent guide for librarians interested in building a popular film collection to satisfy their teen audiences. It offers professionals an organized look at current films that have young adult appeal and provides analysis of the importance of such a collection. Subject areas include exploring issues of identity, hero appeal, strong emotions, and education/arts. Librarians will especially enjoy the section on films with literary origins that can help teens connect to literature through film. Within each category, alphabetical, annotated filmographies are easy to search and have ratings clearly listed. Additionally, there are up-to-date resources for print and online film reviews. Another cool feature for librarians to pass along to their teen customers is a listing of Web sites for teen filmmakers.—Jessica Breslin, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH

Written to assist librarians who may be isolated from professional contacts, this book serves as a tool to help them find ways to connect with others and to obtain information about trends, issues, and new teaching methods by building a personal learning network. Harlan's text focuses on using Web 2.0 tools, including RSS feeds, wikis, blogs, twitter, social bookmarking, social networks, podcasts, and vidcasts. Each section contains clear and concise descriptions of the tool followed by suggested sites with descriptions and URLs. For many library professionals, funding for workshops, classes, and conferences has decreased or ceased to exist. Harlan offers ways to be involved in national, state, and local organizations and online conferences and courses (many are low-cost or free). Although this book was written for school librarians, it is highly recommended for all librarians who are new to using social networking tools.—Rebecca Sheridan, Easttown Library & Information Center, Berwyn, PA

This volume offers a meticulous examination of several hundred titles from award winners to the more obscure novels. While it is relatively easy to find reviews of animal-themed books for younger readers, this is the first book-length study of the topic for YA novels. The five chapters include a historical overview, wild-animal encounters, working and performing animals, companion animals, and fantastic animals. Sensitive subjects include animal breeding and the killing of animals. This is a well-researched book that answers the question: "Are animals important to adolescents?" Although it reads like a major research work, it deserves to be read cover to cover, particularly since it not only discusses teens' relationships with animals, but also their relationships with family, friends, and others. An extensive bibliography and author/title and subject indexes are included.—Angela Washington-Blair, Emmett J. Conrad High School, Dallas, TX

Karle has written and hosted six successful library mysteries that serve as an orientation to the library and staff members, provide a tour of the library, and offer instruction concerning the use of library resources. Preparation begins with discerning the purpose of the event, the theme, the goals, and the resources needed. Clues are researched and written based on the presentation of the mystery, which may involve role playing by staff and participants as individuals or in teams. The text provides sample grids to track the location and sequence of clues with instructions detailing the structure of each clue and the leads to the next one. Suggestions are made for promotion, physical surroundings, registration details, staff, props, decorations, prizes, and certificates, followed by a sample event checklist. Stolen Painting Mystery, an orientation tour; Salem Witch Trials Mystery, a psychology discipline script; Unfriendly Friends, a character-driven script; Merlin's Minions, a deduction script; and Treasure Island, a tween patron script, are intriguing, and the fun sample scripts are adaptable for individual libraries. This complete and enthusiastic guide is recommended for any academic, school, or public library interested in library mystery programming.—Rebecca Sheridan, Easttown Library & Information Center, Berwyn, PA

With a conversational, can-do tone, this book lays the groundwork for a successful first year as a school librarian. Part I outlines the basics: learning the collection, time management, and communicating with stakeholders. The next three parts address the main functions of the library media specialist and include invaluable information on managing a budget, weeding, selecting and processing materials, and teaching. Concluding sections cover how to close out the school year, sample policies, and directories of review sources and vendors. Chapters are illustrated with sample forms and reports. Advice includes some common business sense (spell-check emails to avoid embarrassing typos) but is primarily geared to library-specific tasks such as conducting inventory, performing collection analyses, and creating a school curriculum overview. Recommendations will also help seasoned librarians evaluate their practices with a fresh eye. Inclusion of Web 2.0 topics and AASL's Standards for the 21st Century Learner makes this a truly current guide. Due to the breadth of topics covered, some depth is sacrificed: only six pages are devoted to library programming. However, titles dedicated to this topic abound, such as Kristine Mahood's A Passion for Print (Libraries Unlimited, 2006). This volume deserves a place on the shelf next to Blanche Woolls's The School Library Media Manager (Libraries Unlimited, 2008). It will be especially useful for new librarians without a district coordinator to mentor them through their first year.—Amy Pickett, Ridley High School, Folsom, PA

Part I explains the basics of family literacy storytimes and how to meet the needs of adults and children in this format. Special attention is given to working with low-income families who are struggling with, or are new to, the English language. The author suggests that, with an adjustment in focus, storytimes can provide a language-learning environment for parents as well as children. Part II gives detailed planning ideas and 25 ready-to-use themed programs. Other chapters include music (with original songs), nursery rhymes, stories, and action rhymes, all with reproducible illustrations. These can be used as connecting activities and also can be given to families to extend the experience at home. Each session includes an annotated list of picture books and a reference to the prereading skills demonstrated. An occasional out-of-print title shouldn't deter anyone from purchasing this useful guide.—Renee McGrath, Nassau Library System, Uniondale, NY