People are recognizing that food in the library is an irresistible force. Fed by a desire to make libraries more inviting places for students to work in groups, many colleges are installing cafes in their libraries. Food has always been a part of late-night study gatherings. If eating encourages collaborative learning, the theory goes, let there…

In commemoration of the Librarian of the Year Award's 20th anniversary, this article presents brief vignettes on all 19 of the title holders. When "Library Journal" named them Librarians of the Year, these inimitable 19 (for the 20th, Norma Blake, see EJ788676) had singled themselves out as risk takers, visionaries, bulldogs, pragmatists,…

Books on the topic of pregnancy abound; in fact, publishers are more attentive to the subject than ever. According to R.R. Bowker's "Books in Print," 226 nonfiction pregnancy titles were published in 2006, a 30 percent increase over the decade before. Add to this glut all the magazines, DVDs, web sites, and TV programs available on the topic, and…

As published critics of Hennen's American Public Library Ratings (HAPLR), the authors propose a new ranking system that focuses more transparently on ranking libraries based on their performance. These annual rankings are intended to contribute to self-evaluation and peer comparison, prompt questions about the statistics and how to improve them,…

Gone are the days of tiptoeing to the dumpsters with boxes of weeded books in tow. Lots of libraries are now taking advantage of the many low-cost services and solutions that promise to help extend the lives of collection discards. Some of these options can be very profitable. Some create goodwill within the local community. Some may seem more…

The author describes how she was able to broadcast her whereabouts, her moods, and her desire to connect with friends for dinner to over 150 conference attendees simultaneously, using her mobile phone through a service called Twitter. Twitter enables social butterflies like the author to instantly publish brief messages to a network of contacts.…

The paper presents a Sub-Saharan African academic Librarian's experience in trying to address the changing needs and practices of university library users. Special reference is made to Makerere University Library. Most of the changes have been brought about by the various paradigm shifts in teaching, learning and research, as well as advances in…

To mark its founding in 1558 by Albrecht V., Duke of Bavaria, the Bavarian State Library (BSB) has issued a splendid catalogue (358 pages) with many sumptuous full-page coloured plates, taken from 113 works which were in the Library during its formative period 1558-1599). These works include manuscripts, church and secular music and early printed…

In 2007, "Library Journal" and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation named Hanover's Howe Library one of four "Best Small Libraries in America." Hanover is an affluent community with a long history of support for the public library. In fact, the town's taxpayers support two: Howe and Etna Library, a small, independent institution in the village of…

This article documents the development of delivery services of library materials to remote borrowers at Milner Library, Illinois State University. Responding to a university mandate and guidelines for distance learning authored by the Association of College and Research Libraries, the Access Services librarians at Milner Library investigated the…

Many professional library associations and affiliates "strongly encourage" the marketing of libraries and their wares. These organizations present awards, certificates, and monetary enticements to honor outstanding marketing programs. For most individuals or teams who are already working on and implementing marketing programs, the added effort of…

With celebrities discussing Twitter on television talk shows, Facebook being used by people to share pictures of their grandchildren, and academic seminars being delivered in Second Life, it is hard to get through a day without being faced with some sort of social networking tool. Librarians often talk about the importance of outreach and of…

Encompassing a wide range of responsibilities, Access Services means many different things to many different people, with global variations in what it means to the end user. However, for almost all it means facilitating access to the wealth of information at their library. This particular interview is an attempt to shed light on how the current…

This article identifies 13 cultural trends that libraries can turn into opportunites to reach patrons. These trends include: Twitter, online reputation management, value added content, mobile marketing, and emotional connection.

There has been a significant spike among school librarians in talk about the process of learning since the 2007 release of the "Standards for the 21st-Century Learner" by the American Association of School Librarians. How do children really learn best? The AASL Standards make it clear that 21st-century school librarianship is not just about…