A picture of all 10 new books added to the ALS professional collection.

New Professional Collection Titles

The Arrowhead Library System has added a number of new books to our Professional Collection that are available to borrow now! This post includes the description for the recent books, along with helpful links for more details. All these items can be found and requested in the online library catalog. If you are a library worker and want to learn more about the Professional Collection or would like to suggest a book for purchase for this collection, please contact Stephanie at stephanie.wichlacz@alslib.info.

25 Ready-to-Use Sustainable Living Programs for Libraries

A picture of the cover of 25 Ready-to-Use Sustainable Living Programs for Libraries.

Ellyssa Kroski

Complete with step-by-step instructions, this book will walk you through planning, organizing, and running sustainable living programs at your library.  

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, library patrons of all ages are becoming ever more interested in sustainability and self-reliance topics. And libraries are enhancing their programming to embrace these timely concerns by organizing instructional workshops, forming gardening clubs, creating community gardens, building beekeeping exhibits, teaching patrons about reducing waste and sustainable food sources, and more. Drawing on real-world initiatives from public, school, and academic libraries across the country, this all-in-one guide walks you through how to plan, organize, and run sustainable living programs at your own library. Complete with a materials and equipment list, budget, and recommendations for age ranges and type of library, the programs you’ll learn about include

  • Mason jar hydroponic gardening, straw bale gardening, growing vegetables outside in winter, and a variety of other gardening activities;
  • sharing fixing skills and fostering sustainable culture through repair events;
  • family-friendly programs such as how to make rolled beeswax candles and glycerin soap;
  • upcycled jewelry for teens and adults; 
  • a hands-on canning workshop;
  • making herbal tea blends;
  • how to start a food waste collection, the basics of composting, raising chicks and chickens, and more homesteading programs; and
  • coordinating gardening and sustainability programs with local experts. 

Item link to learn more: https://alastore.ala.org/sustainableliving

Checklist of Library Building Design Considerations, Seventh Edition

A picture of the cover of Checklist of Library Building Design Considerations, Seventh Edition.

William W. Sannwald

Library managers, administrators, and facilities staff will find this newly updated and revised resource an indispensable tool for any construction or renovation project regardless of size or complexity.

With staff time at a premium, and library budgets that leave little room for overages, undertaking a successful library building or renovation project requires precision planning, effective communication, and focused coordination. Using a checklist approach that will ensure that no detail is overlooked, this new edition of Sannwald’s classic guide will help you stay prepared and organized for every phase of your project from conception through the dedication ceremony. This planner covers crucial considerations like

  • the impacts of COVID-19, such as air quality, proper ventilation, CDC recommendations, collaborative spaces, and designing with open space in mind;
  • how the shift to digital affects library building design, completely new to this edition;
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) factors, structured to match the federal code;
  • sustainable design features, including sensors that save energy and water, and other “healthy building” topics;
  • designing makerspaces, digital media labs, or leased library enterprises;
  • disaster and recovery planning;
  • creating quiet spaces;
  • storage requirements for collections and materials-handling efficiency; and
  • important aspects of virtual services to bear in mind during physical space decisions.

Item link to learn more: https://alastore.ala.org/clbdc7

Collaborate (Shared Foundations Series)

A picture of the cover of Collaborate (Shared Foundations Series).

Mary Catherine Coleman

NOTE: All 6 books in the Shared Foundation series (Collaborate, Curate, Engage, Explore, Include, Inquire) are available to borrow through ALS.

If your goal is to create a collaborative culture that enhances learning and enriches the entire school community, you’ll want this book! Part of the Shared Foundations series, this book examines effective implementation of the Shared Foundation Collaborate from the National School Library Standards. Readers will discover strategies for establishing deeper connections to school curriculum and mission, activating collaborative opportunities, facilitating learning networks, modeling respect while working in diverse groups, and moving beyond support and resources to instructional partners. Examining the Domains of Think, Create, Share, and Grow reveals the development of the collaborative mindset in learners at different grade levels and how making both physical space and time space contribute to shaping a culture of collaboration across the learning community. Brimming with authentic examples of Collaborate in action, this book offers

  • strategies for strengthening collaborative relationships with administrators and other educators by leading mission-based professional development;  
  • engaging lesson ideas and projects that scaffold learning and promote voice and choice while building the mindset of Collaborate in learners;
  • trajectories for developing Collaborate skills in grades K-12 and mapping or documenting learners’ growth; and
  • complete renovations and smaller incremental changes to school libraries that demonstrate opportunities to rethink learning and create space for collaboration in all settings.  

By understanding what the Shared Foundation of Collaborate can look like in K-12 environments, school librarians can better position themselves as essential to cultivating collaborative learning communities.

Examination copies are available for instructors who are interested in adopting this title for course use.

Item link to learn more: https://alastore.ala.org/content/collaborate-shared-foundations-series

Inclusive Cataloging: Histories, Context, and Reparative Approaches

Amber Billey, Elizabeth Nelson, Rebecca Uhl, Core

Filling a gap in the literature, this volume provides librarians and catalogers with practical approaches to reparative cataloging as well as a broader understanding of the topic and its place in the technical services landscape.

As part of the profession’s ongoing EDISJ efforts to redress librarianship’s problematic past, practitioners from across the field are questioning long-held library authorities and standards. They’re undertaking a critical and rigorous re-examination of so-called “best” practices and the decisionmakers behind them, pointing out heretofore unscrutinized injustices within our library systems of organization and making concrete steps towards progressive change. This collection from Core details the efforts of some of the many librarians who are working to improve our systems and collections, in the process inspiring those who have yet to enact change by demonstrating that this work is scalable, possible, and necessary. From this book, readers will

  • gain an understanding of the theoretical underpinning for the actions that create our history and be challenged to reconsider their perspectives;
  • learn about the important role of the library catalog in real-world EDISJ initiatives through examples ranging from accessibility metadata and gendered information to inclusive comics cataloging and revising LC call numbers for Black people and Indigenous people;
  • discover more than a dozen case studies drawn from a variety of contexts including archives, academic and public libraries, and research institutions; and
  • see ways to incorporate these ideas into their own work, with a variety of sample policies, “how to” documents, and other helpful tools provided in the text.    

Item link to learn more: https://alastore.ala.org/inclusivecat

Inquire (Shared Foundations Series)

A picture of the cover of Inquire (Shared Foundations Series).

Lori E. Donovan

NOTE: All 6 books in the Shared Foundation series (Collaborate, Curate, Engage, Explore, Include, Inquire) are available to borrow through ALS.

Building on inquiry-learning theory and research, this text explores how inquiry process models and questioning protocols can be used and modified to develop curious and reflective lifelong learners and problem solvers while simultaneously fostering a school-wide inquiry culture. Part of the Shared Foundations series, this book examines effective implementation of the Shared Foundation Inquire from the National School Library Standards. By studying Inquire through the Domains, readers will see how the Competencies and Alignments support and demonstrate learner growth in the inquiry process and can reflect on their practices in a variety of K-12 settings. Loaded with ideas and strategies to grow critical, systematic thinkers who design solutions to authentic problems, this book features

  • theoretical discussion of the research framing Inquire and strategies for cultivating inquiry cultures that extend beyond the school library;
  • application of common process models and questioning techniques aligned with the Inquire Domains, showing learner growth in the inquiry process through personalized inquiry paths;
  • no-tech, low-tech, and high-tech tools and examples for supporting inquiry learning in school library settings with various levels of support;
  • lesson plans contributed by K-12 school librarians demonstrating integration of the Inquire Competencies with core content areas; and
  • figures and tables to illustrate more complex ideas in both theory and practice.

This deep dive into Inquire supports school librarians working with other educators to design inquiry-based learning experiences that improve learner outcomes, personalize inquiry paths, and engage learners with core content.

Examination copies are available for instructors who are interested in adopting this title for course use.

Item link to learn more: https://alastore.ala.org/content/inquire-shared-foundations-series

Liberatory Librarianship: Stories of Community, Connection, and Justice

A picture of the cover of Liberatory Librarianship: Stories of Community, Connection, and Justice.

Brian W. Keith, Laurie Taylor, Shamin Renwick, Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures, a new division of ALA

Contributors representing a variety of contexts demonstrate the ways in which libraries can leverage their systems and resources to support the work of underrepresented, minoritized, or marginalized people to increase freedom, justice, community, and broader awareness.

How can librarianship be liberatory? How does librarianship help people to be free? How is library capacity and expertise used to increase freedom, justice, and community? This invigorating collected volume from Core unpacks these questions, and many others besides, to reveal the many ways that library workers and their institutions are applying skills, knowledge, abilities, professional ethics, and personal commitment to practice liberatory librarianship. These examples will serve as guideposts and inspiration for readers undertaking their own efforts. With a special emphasis on the voices of non-white practitioners, the themes and stories explored in this volume include

  • histories of several liberatory efforts, such as the Digital Library of the Caribbean’s (dLOC) open access repository of Caribbean and circum-Caribbean resources, restorative justice at the UK’s SOAS Library, and examples of unsiloing DEI work;
  • the work of visionary, liberatory librarians such as Dr. Alma Jordan, Lillian Marrero, Rosa Quintero Mesa, and Judith Rogers;
  • innovative programs such as those at Oakland Public Library and Stanford University’s KNOW System Racism Project;
  • library instruction for college students with intellectual and developmental disabilities and a liberatory archival training program; and
  • the radical and liberatory power of empathy in librarianship for imagining and enacting change.

Read a blog post by co-editor Brian W. Keith now!

Item link to learn more: https://alastore.ala.org/liberatorylib

Prepared Libraries, Empowered Teams: A Workbook for Navigating Intellectual Freedom Challenges Together

A picture of the cover of Prepared Libraries, Empowered Teams: A Workbook for Navigating Intellectual Freedom Challenges Together.

Becky Calzada, Val Edwards, Maegan Coffin Heindel

Foreword by Steven D. Yates

Whether a book challenge is upon you, on the horizon, in your rearview mirror, or not yet in sight, now is the time to start envisioning what a challenge-ready team looks like in your organization. This unique workbook will equip you and your colleagues with the tools and resources to tailor a challenge preparedness action plan to the needs of your library and community.

Preliminary data for 2023 from ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) shows an all-time high number of book challenges, shattering the previous record set only the year before. Anticipating and preparing for challenges can only be done effectively when the library has a unified team. This workbook will help library directors and managers at all types of libraries ensure that all members of their staff understand the essential role they have to play when challenges arise. Simultaneously, it will guide you towards managing the stress of the circumstances with lessened impact on team well-being and organizational reputation. Solo librarians will also find resources for coalition-building in the absence of library colleagues within their institution. Assisting you as a library worker in creating your own challenge readiness roadmap, this workbook

  • surveys the national intellectual freedom landscape, then guides you through a review of your current circumstances, structures, and team member strengths;
  • provides considerations for developing strong policies and procedures on which your action plan rests;
  • shares recommendations for gathering team input and building team capacity at every step of the way;
  • includes planning templates, strategies, checklists, and suggested scripts to assist in co-constructing a unified approach with your team;
  • identifies methods for developing deep knowledge of your organization’s selection policy in your team members;
  • uses a conflict mediation perspective to show how to de-escalate tense conversations involving patrons, members of the community, and team members;
  • outlines best practices for communication and capacity-building in the face of all manner of challenges, helping you stay clear and intentional in your interactions with stakeholders; and
  • includes numerous real-world examples of different book challenges, showing how this approach to team preparedness can be applied.

Item link to learn more: https://alastore.ala.org/pletworkbook

The Safe Library: Keeping Users, Staff, and Collections Secure

A picture of the cover of The Safe Library: Keeping Users, Staff, and Collections Secure.

Steve Albrecht

For over 22 years, Steve Albrecht has trained thousands of library employees around the country on the dos and don’ts of handling challenging, entitled, eccentric, demanding, harassing, or even threatening patrons. His articles, blogs, podcasts, and keynote speeches have helped empower and equip library employees at all levels to be more empowered, assertive, and confident when helping users who are struggling with homelessness, mental health issues, trauma backgrounds, and substance use problems.

The Safe Library offers practical and realistic tools which will make every library facility a better, safer place to work. Readers will learn:

  • de-escalation skills
  • communication tools
  • safe workplace habits
  • security measures
  • personal protection methods, and,
  • how to activate one’s best customer service skills, even under stress.

This book provides advice and support to help library employees best deal with sexually harassing patrons, unruly groups of students, thieves, Internet hogs, and others who can disrupt the safe library environment. It offers best practices for helping patrons experiencing homelessness to follow library rules while staff treat them with dignity and respect; helping staff stay motivated to deal with the same challenging patrons and their accompanying demands, day after day; protecting smaller or rural library facilities and keeping one-room, one-librarian facilities safe; working more effectively with onsite security guards and responding law enforcement officers, to create more consistent responses; and using daily, monthly, quarterly, and yearly facility security checklists to regularly assess the state of your buildings and IT systems.

This book is for all levels of library employees, from longtime staffers to part-timers and even library volunteers. It will especially appeal to library directors, managers, and supervisors who have to manage different types of staffs and patrons in different types of facilities, ranging from downtown locations to rural library buildings.

Here’s the book that answers the most common (and even uncommon) user behavior and customer service questions, or as many attendees have said after experiencing Steve’s dynamic training programs, “Here’s what they don’t teach you in library school.”

Item link to learn more: https://www.amazon.com/Safe-Library-Keeping-Collections-Secure/dp/1538169592

Strengthening Library Ecosystems: Collaborate for Advocacy and Impact

A picture of the cover of Strengthening Library Ecosystems: Collaborate for Advocacy and Impact.

Dorcas Hand, Sara Kelly Johns, Michelle Robertson, Eryn Duffee

As more libraries face attacks on core values such as access and intellectual freedom, this adaptable resource demonstrates a variety of methods library workers can use to kindle and strengthen legislative and public awareness advocacy efforts with colleagues from across library types and geographic areas.

A patron of one library is the potential patron of any other library at a different time of life or location. And though each library serves its own unique community, when different kinds of libraries speak together with one voice, the entire library ecosystem is stronger. Distilling the work of ALA’s Ecosystem Task Force, this book will guide library organizations in assessing and extending the strength of their ecosystems by identifying priorities for advocacy and legislation. Its flexible framework can apply to the library ecosystem at any level and can accommodate all types of libraries and library organizations, including Friends groups and trustees, vendors, and literacy groups. In this book, readers will

  • learn what constitutes a library ecosystem and how diverse libraries can unite around common goals and values;
  • see the ways in which various library types (school, public, and academic) overlap in mission, share the same core values, and can better view each another as essential allies;
  • be introduced to the elements of ecosystem thinking, including components such as effective leadership, communication, collaboration, and sustainability for advocacy success;
  • come to understand how to apply ecosystem ideas to bolster legislative advocacy and combat censorship attempts;
  • grasp the contrasts between “going it alone,” which can devolve into fragmented messaging and unfocused action at cross-purposes with other libraries, and speaking together with One Voice, as illustrated through real-world examples and case studies; and
  • get an assortment of practical tip sheets, discussion questions, points to consider, and other helpful prompts and guideposts for setting out on their own ecosystem journey.

Item link to learn more: https://alastore.ala.org/libeco

The Ultimate Privacy Field Guide: A Workbook of Best Practices

A picture of the cover of The Ultimate Privacy Field Guide: A Workbook of Best Practices.

Erin Berman, Bonnie Tijerina, Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF)

Designed for use in school, public, and academic settings of all types and sizes, this easy-to-use workbook is packed with practical, hands-on exercises to guide you towards creating a more privacy-focused library.

Privacy is a core value of librarianship, yet it often feels like an overwhelming and onerous undertaking. With the creation of ever larger datasets and methods to track users’ every movement, library workers need to have a deep understanding of privacy, confidentiality, and security. Written by library privacy experts and based on input and guidance from a wide cross-section of stakeholders, this resource is structured to give library workers the tools needed to create and be advocates for privacy-protecting practices and policies. Complete with an introduction to each topic and several exercises for you to implement privacy changes at your library, with the help of this guide you will 

  • learn about creating strong passwords, multifactor authentication, how to avoid malware, and other basic digital security concepts as well as where to go for more help;
  • be able to communicate the importance of privacy and why libraries should care by understanding the people you are trying to reach;
  • navigate areas in your physical library space to help protect users’ privacy;
  • see how user data travels through the library and what you can do to protect it;
  • build an audit framework, perform an audit, and tell the audit story;
  • read, understand, and write privacy policies applicable to your library; and
  • gain key strategies to employ while protecting user privacy when engaging vendors.

Item link to learn more: https://alastore.ala.org/upfg

Winning Grants, Third Edition

A picture of the cover of Winning Grants, Third Edition.

Stephanie K. Gerding

Foreword by Patricia “Patty” Wong

Combining easy‐to‐understand advice with a toolkit of practical worksheets and checklists, this book offers a proven, immediately applicable method for success that will enable libraries to find the funding and resources they need.

Newly updated and comprehensive, this invaluable manual is a must-have for library directors, grant writers, board members, consultants, and anyone navigating the intricacies of library grant funding. Whether you’re starting from scratch and don’t know where to begin, or you’re an experienced grant writer looking to tap into new funding sources, you’ll find this book an invaluable resource. Authored by a well-respected library grants expert with a keen knowledge of the current state of libraries’ needs and funder priorities, Winning Grants

  • explains the grant process cycle and outlines a clear path to success;
  • shares inspiring grant success stories in action from diverse libraries;
  • presents a Grant Proposal Deconstruction template, new to this edition, that distills the often-complex grant proposal guidelines into a succinct outline that will help you ensure eligibility, track important details, and measure compliance;
  • offers guidance on gathering knowledge and conducting research, with updated resource lists and a comprehensive list of the various types of library funders;
  • covers every stage of planning, including how to cultivate community involvement, methods for needs assessment, advice on organizing the grant team, and exercises to help you write realistic goals and objectives;
  • provides insightful tips for proposal writing, such as where to find the best statistics and census data to support your statement of needs;
  • features ready-to-use tools such as grant project and needs statement worksheets, budget templates, a decision matrix, and grant partnership documents;
  • advises how to announce a successful grant to the community, and other first steps of implementation, including the basic principles of project management; and
  • provides guidance on what to do when you’re turned down and how to conduct an effective evaluation that keeps the process moving forward.

Examination copies are available for instructors who are interested in adopting this title for course use. Supplementary materials can be found at http://www.stephaniegerding.com/webextras.html.

Item link to learn more: https://alastore.ala.org/wingrants3

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