Arrowhead Library System (ALS) has a long-standing commitment to maintaining a collection of current publication titles of interest to librarians, library staff and library trustees. The collection is housed at the ALS Headquarters in Mountain Iron, but all titles can be requested via the online catalog (if you have a borrower’s card from an ALS library) or via the statewide MNLINK catalog (if you have a borrower’s card from Duluth Public Library). If you have questions about borrowing titles from the ALS Professional Collection, feel free to call ALS staff! Here are the latest additions to the ALS collection:
Scholarly Communication Librarianship and Open Knowledge
Edited by Maria Bonn, Josh Bolick, and Will Cross
Association of College and Research Libraries, 2023
001.2 SCH 2023
The intersection of scholarly communication librarianship and open education offers a unique opportunity to expand knowledge of scholarly communication topics in both education and practice. Open resources can address the gap in teaching timely and critical scholarly communication topics—copyright in teaching and research environments, academic publishing, emerging modes of scholarship, impact measurement—while increasing access to resources and equitable participation in education and scholarly communication. Scholarly Communication Librarianship and Open Knowledge is an open textbook and practitioner’s guide that collects theory, practice, and case studies from nearly 80 experts in scholarly communication and open education. Divided into three parts:
- What is Scholarly Communication?
- Scholarly Communication and Open Culture
- Voices from the Field: Perspectives, Intersections, and Case Studies
The book delves into the economic, social, policy, and legal aspects of scholarly communication as well as open access, open data, open education, and open science and infrastructure. Practitioners provide insight into the relationship between university presses and academic libraries, defining collection development as operational scholarly communication, and promotion and tenure and the challenge for open access.
This book is also available as an open access edition at https://bit.ly/SCLAOK
The Library’s Guide to Sexual and Reproductive Health Information
Barbara A. Alvarez
ALA Editions, 2023
021.2 ALV 2023
The need to find accurate information about sexual and reproductive health care has never felt more urgent. At the same time, mis- and disinformation proliferates as never before. Libraries are uniquely positioned community organizations that can cut through the miasma and provide facts about sensitive health topics like contraception, fertility, pregnancy options, and sexually transmitted infections. Geared towards public libraries but applicable to other settings, this book from reference expert Alvarez
- introduces the basic concept of sexual and reproductive health as a human right and the framework of reproductive justice, incorporating discussion of relevant legislation and historical concepts;
- presents practical collection development and reference strategies, highlighting a wide variety of books, websites, databases, and other resources that provide evidence-based sexual and reproductive health information;
- shares key facts and guidance on how to provide inclusive, non-judgmental services to all communities, including LGBTQIA+ and underrepresented populations;
- ideas for addressing community health needs through educational programs, services, and collaborations with local health centers and organizations; and
- includes suggestions for continued reading and education, with an appendix of recommended resources.
The Experimental Library: A Guide to Taking Risks, Failing Forward, and Creating Change
Cathryn M. Cooper
ALA Editions, 2024
025.1 COO 2024
The last five years have demonstrated that sticking with the status quo is not an option; instead, as the experiences of many libraries have shown, those that experiment are better positioned to adapt to rapidly changing environments and evolving user needs and behaviors. This guide shows how to draw from new approaches and technologies to harness experimentation as a tool for testing ideas and responding to change. It borrows ideas and inspiration from the startup sector to teach you how to take a human-centered and design thinking-based perspective on problem solving. Inside this book, you will discover
- why experimentation is possible on any budget and can be undertaken by anyone at an organization;
- ways to foster a culture of experimentation, which recognizes the importance of incorporating curiosity into work and daily life;
- the distinctive characteristics of technology companies and startups that make them experimentative, and what libraries can learn from these sectors’ techniques;
- dozens of examples of experimentation from academic, public, and school libraries as well as non-library governmental settings;
- the basics of design thinking, which plays a leading role in brainstorming;
- guidance on employing IDEEA (Ideate, Design, Experiment, Engage, Assess) as a five-part process for trying out ideas by formulating prototypes;
- how to engage users in testing to identify the pros and cons of a prototype; and
- a concrete roadmap for bringing the culture and method of experimenting to your library, from understanding how to embrace failures in order to learn from them to acquiring the skills necessary to experiment, creating teams that thrive with experimentation, and communicating successfully around experiments.
Narratives of (Dis)Engagement: Exploring Black and African American Students’ Experiences in Libraries
Amanda L. Folk & Tracey Overbey
ALA Editions, 2022
027.0089 FOL 2022
Librarianship is still a predominantly white profession. It is essential that current practitioners as well as those about to enter the field take an unflinching look at the profession’s legacy of racial discrimination, including the ways in which race might impact service to users such as students in school, public, and academic libraries. Given the prevalence of implicit and explicit bias against Black and African American people, authors Folk and Overbey argue that we must speak to these students directly to hear their stories and thereby understand their experiences. This Special Report (which follows Narratives of (Dis)Enfranchisement: Reckoning with the History of Libraries and the Black and African American Experience) shares the findings of a qualitative research study that explored the library experiences of Black and African American undergraduate students both before and during college, grounding it within an equity framework. From this Report readers will
- learn details about the study, which focused on the potential role of race in the students’ interactions with library staff, including white staff and staff of color;
- gain insight into Black and African American users’ perceptions of libraries and library staff, attitudes towards reading, frequency of library usage, and the importance of family;
- understand the implications of the study’s findings for our practice and for librarianship more broadly, including our ongoing commitment to diversifying the profession; and
- walk away with recommendations that can be applied to every library and educational context, such as guidance for developing an antiracist organization and more equitable service provision.
Narratives of (Dis)Enfranchisement: Reckoning with the History of Libraries and the Black and African American Experience
Tracey Overbey & Amanda L. Folk
ALA Editions, 2022
027.0089 OVE 2022
Still a predominantly white profession, librarianship has a legacy of racial discrimination, and it is essential that we face the ways that race impacts how we meet the needs of diverse user communities. Identifying and acknowledging implicit and learned bias is a necessary step toward transforming not only our professional practice but also our scholarship, assessment, and evaluation practices. From this Special Report, readers will
- learn the hidden history of Africa’s contributions to libraries and educational institutions, which are often omitted from K-12, higher education, and library school curricula;
- engage with the racist legacies of libraries as well as contemporary scholarship related to Black and African American users’ experiences with libraries;
- be introduced to frameworks and theories that can help to identify and unpack the role of race in librarianship and in library users’ experiences; and
- garner practical takeaways to bring to their own views and practice of librarianship.
Cultural Humility
David A. Hurley, Sarah R. Kostelecky, and Lori Townsend
ALA Editions, 2022
027.6 HUR 2022
Cultural humility is emerging as a preferred approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts within librarianship. At a time when library workers are critically examining their professional practices, cultural humility offers a potentially transformative framework of compassionate accountability; it asks us to recognize the limits to our knowledge, reckon with our ongoing fallibility, educate ourselves about the power imbalances in our organizations, and commit to making change. This Special Report introduces the concept and outlines its core tenets. As relevant to those currently studying librarianship as it is to long-time professionals, and applicable across multiple settings including archives and museums, from this book readers will
- learn why cultural humility offers an ideal approach for navigating the spontaneous interpersonal interactions in libraries, whether between patrons and staff or amongst staff members themselves;
- understand how it intersects with cultural competence models and critical race theory;
- see the ways in which cultural humility’s awareness of and commitment to challenging inequitable structures of power can act as a powerful catalyst for community engagement;
- come to recognize how a culturally humble approach supports DEI work by acknowledging the need for mindfulness in day-to-day interactions;
- reflect upon cultural humility’s limitations and the criticisms that some have leveled against it; and
- take away concrete tools for undertaking and continuing such work with patience and hope.
Leading for School Librarians, 2nd Edition
Hilda K. Weisburg
ALA Neal-Schuman, 2023
027.8 WEI 2023
Deemed “essential” by Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), “a great read” by School Library Journal, and “comprehensive” by Reference & User Services Quarterly, the first edition of Weisburg’s guide won plaudits for its inspirational yet pragmatic approach. At a time when school librarians are facing challenges as never before, from straightened budgets and censorship battles to uncertainty about the future and burnout, the updated second edition is timelier than ever. Weisburg builds on her decades of experience and mentorship in school libraries to offer a carefully crafted roadmap that guides readers step by step through the process of transforming into a leader, from becoming aware of what’s at stake to learning and mastering the necessary skills for leadership. From this book, which offers “Key Ideas” at the end of each chapter, you will learn
- why you can’t be an effective advocate for your school library unless you’re a leader;
- how to tackle common fears about taking on a leadership role, and ways to move past them and gain confidence;
- guidance on managing classes in the library and the importance of leading with your attitude;
- approaches that will help you become an expert teacher, from “Creating a Climate for Questions” to inquiry-based learning and other variations;
- techniques for uncovering your strengths, identifying your skill set, and improving your leadership expertise;
- methods for building credibility among stakeholders and peers through strategic risk-taking;
- pointers on communicating effectively, becoming visible, behaving ethically, dealing with Imposter Syndrome, maintaining a healthy life-work balance, and navigating other important career issues; and
- how to create a three-year strategic plan to further your mission and your vision, enabling you to become a local educational leader who also has a presence on the state and national level.
Assessing Learners: Using the AASL Standards to Measure Competency and Growth
Elizabeth A. Burns
ALA Editions/AASL, 2023
027.80973 BUR 2023
Assessing Learners unpacks a complex and critical area of school library instruction aligned to the National School Library Standards. Readers will be able to appropriately select or design assessment tools to measure learner understanding and growth. As pre-service and in-service school librarians become more fluent with the AASL Standards and more confident in their assessment practices, this text will continue to serve as a guide for building effective lesson plans. A bridge between learner assessment and school librarian practice, this professional guide provides
- discussions of common assessments used in the school library in the context of the AASL Standards and with an emphasis on growth mindset and personalized learning;
- competency-based assessment examples situated in learning scenarios that integrate instruction with content areas; and
- strategies for a variety of settings and learners, including remote and low-tech assessments.
Engage (Shared Foundations Series)
Kathryn Roots Lewis & Marcia A. Mardis
ALA Editions/AASL, 2023
027.80973 LEW 2023
The final volume in the six-book series, Engage is both anchor and sail in the Shared Foundations, providing a culmination of knowledge and a starting point for new thinking that promotes learners’ dynamic, spiral, and cyclical journey with the AASL Standards. Examine Engage through the learning cycle of the Shared Foundations in AASL’s National School Library Standards. This book will help school librarians contextualize and complement the other Shared Foundations while providing learners with the skills and knowledge for their engagements with reading, information, learning, and life. To support school librarians as they help all learners navigate the complex future of information, this book provides
- grade-band specific learner trajectories that accompany learning scenarios for each Domain within Engage;
- action lists, reflective questions, strategies, policies, and resources to engage learners and school librarians and shape the school library;
- five cross-cutting themes—design thinking; equity, diversity, and inclusion; information quality; inquiry learning; and social-emotional learning—that will resonate with readers as necessary to ensure Engage throughout learners’ academic lives and beyond; and
- web companion pieces that demonstrate professional learning scenarios which can be replicated and modified for use with practicing and pre-service school librarians and adapted for use with other educators and learners.
LGBTQIA+ Books for Children and Teens, 2nd Edition
Kathleen Breitenbach & Liz Deskins
ALA Editions, 2023
028.70866 BRE 2023
Books for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, asexual, and intersex readers and their allies continue to thrive and evolve in reflection of the variety of families and individual identities today. Deemed “an essential purchase” in a starred review by School Library Journal, this matchless guide returns in an updated edition. The authors highlight the best in LGBTQIA+ lit for young people while also addressing urgent topics such as the rise in book challenges. Offering library workers and teachers the information and tools they need to build a diverse, inclusive collection and confidently share it with the patrons they support, this resource
- provides hundreds of annotated book entries, complete with author and illustrator, publisher, date of publication, descriptions of each book’s LGBTQIA+ representation, and helpful prompts to foster discussion;
- surveys the current censorship push against books with LGBTQIA+ topics, themes, and characters, discussing its effect on young people and how to deal with objections and book challenges head on;
- includes interviews with noted authors that explain not only why they write for children, but what they feel librarians and teachers should understand when working with queer children and their classmates;
- spotlights picture books for young children that depict kids, parents, and families with a variety of gender and sexual dynamics;
- introduces books for middle-grade readers, focusing on titles with young people who are questioning and finding themselves while searching for where they belong;
- shares books for teens that range from stories touching on mental health and other issues that develop as youth start high school to others that explore housing insecurity and other concerns that impact older teens; and
- shares ideas for programming and marketing, advice on outreach to stakeholders, and best practices for supporting LGBTQIA+ students.
