Outstanding Library Service to Children: Putting the Core Competencies to Work - Softcover

Cerny, Rosanne; Markey, Penny; Williams, Amanda

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0838909221 ISBN 13: 9780838909225

Publisher: ALA Editions, 2006

Synopsis

What does it truly take to provide excellent library service to children? The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) has outlined seven core competencies skills and best practices that are the building blocks for professional development for children s librarians.

In this practical guide, three children s services experts bring these best practices to life. Each chapter, focusing on one of the competencies, gets new and experienced librarians up to speed fast by offering explanations, examples, and a substantial bibliography for more in-depth learning. Library managers gain training and assessment tools.

Highly skilled children s librarians draw on a wide array of talents to serve the needs of their audience, although few are equally adept in all seven areas. Use this primer to develop and sharpen skills and access resources to improve professionalism and skills in:

* Knowledge of the client group

* Administration and management

* Communication

* Materials and collection development

* Programming

* Advocacy, public relations, and networking

Children s librarians, administrators, trainers, and LIS educators will welcome this professional development mentor that gives them the resources to strengthen the practice of children s librarianship.

About this title

About the Author:

Rosanne Cerny is Coordinator of Children s Services for New York s Queens Library. She holds her MLS from Rutgers University.

Penny Markey is Coordinator of Youth Services for the County of Los Angeles Public Library. She holds her MSLS from Case Western Reserve University.

Amanda Williams, a consultant specializing in youth services, works with the Central Texas Library System. She holds her MLS from the University of North Texas (Denton) and PhD from the University of Texas at Austin.

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is committed to exemplary library service to children, their families, and others who work with children.

From School Library Journal:

This book aimed at children's librarians, library administrators, and educators seeks to elaborate on the Association of Library Services to Children's Competencies for Librarians Serving Children in Public Libraries. Best suited for those relatively unfamiliar with children's services, the book examines the competencies in broad categories, succinctly defining core values and providing background and suggestions for building skills. The resource lists that end each chapter contain the occasional outdated title, but they also point to an impressive variety of sources, including materials produced by state associations and thinkers outside the library profession. The text occasionally relies on language geared toward female practitioners (Your goal is to be perceived as an expert adult, not a child in high heels) that isn't balanced by language geared toward men, a surprising oversight in a book seeking to welcome both genders to the profession. This isn't meant to replace standard texts such as Virginia Walter's Children and Libraries (ALA, 2001), but it's a fine resource for staff new to children's services and those who train them.–Adrienne Furness, Webster Public Library, NY
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About this edition

• Publisher: ALA Editions
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0838909221
• ISBN 13: 9780838909225
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 94