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| Vol.
30 No. 5 — Sep/Oct 2016 |
BOOK REVIEW
A Roundup of Recent Books
by
Susan Brudno |
| [Usually, MLS has one full book review in each issue. But sometimes I find myself with an overabundance of titles that I can’t include in a timely manner. To make sure you’re aware of them all, I commissioned a quick summary of them for this issue. Some will be fully reviewed in coming issues. —Ed.] |
 Creative Library Marketing and Publicity: Best Practices
edited by Robert J. Lackie and M. Sandra Wood.
Rowman & Littlefield, 2015.
ISBN-13: 978-1442254206.
204 pp., $90.
Paperback: $45, Ebook: $45.
https://rowman.com/ISBN/97814422 54220/Creative-Library-Marketing-and-Publicity-Best-Practices
This book focuses on specific real-life examples of marketing in academic, public, school, and special libraries. It dives into planning, promotion, and ultimately determining the success of a marketing plan. The book’s worth lies in examining marketing plans as well as how to use social media, stay within a tight budget, and create a buzz about your library through the use of video.
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Assessing Service Quality: Satisfying the Expectations of Library Customers, Third Edition
by Peter Hernon, Ellen Altman, and Robert E. Dugan.
ALA Editions, 2015.
ISBN-13: 978-0838913086.
232 pp., $75.
Ebook: $60, Print/Ebook bundle: $88.
www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx ?ID=11342
While this book may, at first glance, appear to be directed at librarians tasked with assessments, it contains information from across the spectrum of library work. This edition has been drastically updated and revised to provide additional information on the relationship between available technologies and customer service. The standard metrics are challenged with innovative ways to evaluate library services. Both quantitative and qualitative measures are addressed. This book provides specific steps that librarians can take to become more customer-centric and more adept at increasing customer satisfaction. |
Becoming an Embedded Librarian: Making Connections in the Classroom
by Michelle Reale.
ALA Editions, 2015.
ISBN-13: 978-0838913673.
128 pp., $54.
Ebook: $43, Print/Ebook bundle: $63.
www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID =11597
This book is a primer on the life of an embedded librarian. Reale draws on her real-world experience as a classroom librarian at a university to divulge lessons learned. She outlines exactly what an embedded librarian is and is not. She stresses classroom work and how essential it is to build lasting relationships with customers, and she covers teaching styles as well. The result is a down-to-earth book that will be valuable for any embedded librarian. |
Infographics: A Practical Guide for Librarians
by Beverley E. Crane.
Rowman & Littlefield, 2015.
ISBN-13: 978-1442260351.
206 pp., $99.
Paperback: $65, Ebook: $64.99.
https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442260351/
Infographics-A-Practical-Guide-for-Librarians
Good infographics are essential for effective information sharing, and this publication is a go-to reference for any library professional who needs to create them. Crane presents a comprehensive approach to using infographics in librarianship. Section 1 of the book goes through the basics of infographics, including definitions and design tips. The second section deals with the practical application of infographics in all types of libraries. In each section, the author has provided exercises and links to additional material. |
Marketing for Special and Academic Libraries: A Planning and Best Practices Sourcebook
by Valerie S. Gordon and Patricia C. Higginbottom.
Rowman & Littlefield, 2016.
ISBN-13: 978-1442262690.
178 pp., $75.
Paperback: $38, Ebook: $37.99. https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442262690/Marketing-for-Special-and-Academic-Libraries-A-Planning-and-Best-Practices-Sourcebook
Two practicing librarians came together to write a step-by-step book designed to generate an urge to market your special or academic library and to provide the necessary tools to help. The topics include how to plan a successful marketing campaign in today’s world with today’s resources and how to evaluate the success of the campaign at its conclusion. The authors discuss the importance of branding and how consistency in branding can augment your marketing goals. The book covers multiple tools, including digital publications, traditional print materials, social media, and personal interactions.
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Marketing on a Shoestring Budget: A Guide for Small Museums and Historic Sites
by Deborah Pitel.
Rowman & Littlefield, 2016.
ISBN-13: 978-1442263505.
184 pp., $75.
Paperback: $35, Ebook: $34.99. https://rowman.com/ISBN/978144226 3505/Marketing-on-a-Shoestring- Budget-A-Guide-for-Small-Museums- and-Historic-Sites
This book is targeted toward people who have to work within tight budgets. The author explains the cycle wherein lower marketing budgets lead to lower attendance, which can lead to decreased revenue. She evaluates marketing tools using a pro versus con approach to enable librarians who might not have any formal marketing training to choose which tools are the best fit for them. The book concludes with real-world examples of what works for small museums and historic sites, which those in small libraries can learn from. |
Collaborative Grant-Seeking: A Practical Guide for Librarians
by Bess G. De Farber.
Rowman & Littlefield, 2016.
ISBN-13: 978-1442263260.
164 pp., $99.
Paperback: $65, Ebook: $64.99. https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442263260/
Collaborative-Grant-Seeking-A-Practical-Guide-for-Librarians
A successful grant-writing program can assist your library in achieving revenue goals. This book provides a practical resource for seeking and winning grants. By partnering with members of the community and following the steps provided in this book, librarians can increase their chances of success. If you have never sought a grant, the process can seem overwhelming, but De Farber’s guide can get you started. |
Inside Content Marketing: EContent Magazine’s Guide to Roles, Tools, and Strategies for Thriving in the Age of Brand Journalism
by Theresa Cramer.
Information Today, Inc., 2016.
ISBN-13: 978-1937290061.
208 pp., $17.95.
Web orders: $16.15.
https://books.infotoday.com/books/ inside-content-marketing.shtml
Cramer explains that many businesses are using content marketing, but not all are having success. A study shows that of the 90% of business-to-consumer marketers who are using content marketing, only 34% feel that their efforts are successful. This disparity is due to the nature of content marketing, which is rife with potential pitfalls. Cramer presents concrete strategies and tools used by successful content marketers. The book acts as a primer, with definitions and background material provided; it even details potential pitfalls to help readers avoid them. |
Marketing and Outreach for the Academic Library: New Approaches and Initiatives
edited by Bradford Lee Eden.
Rowman & Littlefield, 2016.
ISBN-13: 978-1442262539.
164 pp., $90.
Paperback: $45, Ebook: $45.
https://rowman.com/ISBN/978144226 2553/Marketing-and-Outreach-for-the-Academic-Library-New-Approaches-and-Initiatives
This is volume 7 of the series Creating the 21st-Century Academic Library, and it concentrates on marketing and outreach tactics as well as specific techniques. Partnerships and collaborations, both internal and external, are explained through examples provided throughout this book. By using social media strategies, as well as library space, you can plan community events and coordinate user-centered programs. Eden examines numerous effective techniques to engage technology-centric patrons, including using Instagram to create a library character and constructing an interesting digital collection.
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Susan Brudno is an attorney with Xerox in Cherry Hill, N.J. She has a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law and an M.L.I.S. from Drexel University. She was formerly an associate editor at Information Today, Inc. Her email address is susanbrudno@gmail.com.
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