Foundations of Library and Information Science

Richard E. Rubin's book has served as the authoritative introductory text for generations of library and information science practitioners, with each new edition taking in its stride the myriad societal, technological, political, and economic changes affecting our users and institutions and transforming our discipline. Rubin teams up with his daughter, Rachel G. Rubin, a rising star in the library field in her own right, for the fifth edition. Spanning all types of libraries, from public to academic, school, and special, it illuminates the major facets of LIS for students as well as current professionals. Continuing its tradition of excellence, this text addresses

• the history and mission of libraries from past to present, including the history of service to African Americans;
• critical contemporary social issues such as services to marginalized communities, tribal libraries, and immigrants;
• the rise of e-government and the crucial role of political advocacy;
• digital devices, social networking, digital publishing, e-books, virtual reality, and other technology;
• forces shaping the future of libraries, including Future Ready libraries, and sustainability as a core value of librarianship;
• the values and ethics of the profession, with new coverage of civic engagement, combatting fake news, the importance of social justice, and the role of critical librarianship;
• knowledge infrastructure and organization, including Resource Description and Access (RDA), linked data, and the Library Research Model;
• the significance of the digital divide and policy issues related to broadband access and net neutrality;
• intellectual freedom, legal issues, and copyright-related topics;
• contemporary issues in LIS education such as the ongoing tensions between information science and library science; and
• the changing character of collections and services including the role of digital libraries, preservation, and the digital humanities.

In its newest edition, Foundations of Library and Information Science remains the field’s essential resource.

Richard E. Rubin served as Director of the School of Library and Information Science at Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, from 1999–2010, and subsequently became Associate Provost for Extended (Online) Education at KSU until his retirement in 2013. He received his AB in Philosophy from Oberlin College, his MLS from Kent State University, and his PhD from the School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He has spoken and presented at workshops throughout the United States, primarily on aspects of human resource management, including hiring, performance evaluation, discipline and termination, worker motivation, and ethics in the workplace. Dr. Rubin has been active in professional associations on the national and local level, including serving as a member and Chair of the ALA Committee on Accreditation. He is the author of numerous publications, including three books, Human Resources Management in Libraries: Theory and Practice (Neal-Schuman, 1991), Hiring Library Employees (Neal-Schuman, 1994), and three editions of Foundations of Library and Information Science (Neal-Schuman 2000, 2004, 2010). His articles have appeared in a variety of journals, including Library Quarterly and Library and Information Science Research.

Rachel G. Rubin is Director of Library and Information Serivces for Capital University. Previously, Rubin was library director for Bexley Public Library and has held positions at Worthington and Columbus Metropolitan libraries. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English at Carleton College, a Master of Library and Information Sciences at Kent State University, and a Ph.D. in Managerial Leadership in the Information Professions from Simmons College. She is a 2019 Councilor-at-Large for the American Library Association.

Camila Alire is Dean Emeritus at the University of New Mexico and Colorado State University. She is Past-President of the ALA, ALA/APA, the Association for College and Research Libraries (ACRL), and also REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to the Spanish-speaking. She has co-authored books on library service to Latino communities and disaster planning and recovery. She was the first recipient of ALA’s Elizabeth Futas Catalyst for Change Award and was named by Hispanic Business Magazine as one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the United States.