Cover -- Title Page -- Contents -- Figures and Tables -- Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- About the Website -- Introduction -- Part I Basic Library Principles -- Chapter 1 What Is a Librarian? -- Why We Become Librarians -- How We Become Librarians -- Library School Education -- Kinds of Librarians -- What Is an Accidental Librarian? -- Sidebar: How I Discovered That Not All Librarians Have MLS Degrees -- Sidebar: Linda Hardy Dydo, Assistant Library Director, Los Gatos (CA) Public Library -- The Facts About Accidental Librarians -- What Makes a Librarian? -- Sidebar: Eileen Gilbert, Director, Boscawen (NH) Public Library -- What Do Librarians Do? -- What Else Do Librarians Do? -- Sidebar: What Do Librarians Need to Know? -- What Skills Do Librarians Need? -- What Are the Characteristics of Librarians? -- Chapter 2 What Are Libraries? -- Types of Libraries -- Who Uses Libraries? -- Library Standards -- The Future of Libraries -- Libraries as Community Centers -- Chapter 3 The People Libraries Serve -- Who Does Your Library Serve? -- Your Community's Profile -- Chapter 4 Determining the Needs of the People Libraries Serve -- Community Needs Assessment -- Decide What You Want to Know -- Assessment Tools -- Customer Satisfaction Surveys vs. Needs Assessments -- Analyzing the Data and Sharing the Results -- Using the Results in Library Planning -- Sidebar: Tamara Sandia, Director, Jemez Pueblo (NM) Community Library -- Chapter 5 Letting Your Vision, Mission, and Plan Be Your Guides -- Does Your Library Have a Real Vision, Mission, and Plan? -- Common Reasons Why Libraries Don't Have a Vision, Mission, or Plan -- The Vision Statement -- The Mission Statement -- Sidebar: Do You Need Both a Vision Statement and a Mission Statement? -- The Library Plan -- Part II Basic Library Practice -- Chapter 6 Developing the Library's Collection.

Performing a Collection Assessment or Collection Evaluation -- Creating or Updating Your Collection Development Policy -- Selection -- Donations -- Weeding -- Preservation -- Chapter 7 Acquiring Information for the Library -- Automated Acquisitions -- Steps in the Acquisitions Process -- Sidebar: Cathy Butterfield, Circulation Manager, The Community Library, Ketchum, Idaho -- Approval Plans -- Electronic Products -- Acquisitions Budgets -- Chapter 8 Organizing the Library's Information -- The Importance of Cataloging and Classification -- Library Catalogs -- Providing Access to Information -- Cataloging -- Classification -- Copy Cataloging -- Authority Control -- Sidebar: Finding Sean Combs Using Authority Headings -- The Price of Saving Money -- How Is Your Library Doing? -- Cataloging Is Not Dead -- Chapter 9 Retrieving and Disseminating Information -- The Library Collection -- Knowing Your Library's Collection -- Information Retrieval Defined -- Online Catalogs -- Databases and Electronic Resources -- Determining the Best Resource -- Making It Easy for Others to Retrieve Information -- Disseminating Information -- Chapter 10 Library Services -- Customer Service -- The Library Building -- Online and Computer Access to Information -- Reference Service -- Interlibrary Loan (ILL) -- Readers' Advisory -- Children's Programs -- Young Adult Services -- Sidebar: Lita Slaggle, Library Director, Baylor County (TX) Free Library -- Adult Programs -- Services for the Underserved -- Sidebar: Jessica Fenster-Sparber, Library Coordinator, Passages Academy, Bronx, New York -- Chapter 11 Library Policies -- Purpose of Library Policies -- The Four Tests -- Fair and Equitable Service -- What Is the Big Deal About Policies? -- How Does This Happen? -- Policies Every Library Needs -- Tips to Get You Started -- How to Write a Library Policy -- Policy Changes.

Chapter 12 Library Management Essentials -- What a Library Manager Does -- Sidebar: Patti Newell, Assistant Director, Sullivan Free Library, Chittenango, New York -- Personnel -- Communication -- Governing Boards -- Sidebar: Diana Lorton, Librarian, Camino Nuevo Correctional Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico -- Local Government -- Friends of the Library -- Budgets -- Volunteers -- Are You a Micromanager? -- Chapter 13 Library Marketing -- Marketing Plan -- Branding -- Your Library's Public Image -- Communicating to the People You Serve -- Events and Themes -- Sidebar: Seven Things You Can Do Now to Market Your Library -- Staying Connected to the Larger Organization -- Social Software -- Chapter 14 Removing Barriers -- Barrier 1: Your Library Is Disadvantaged -- Barrier 2: Things Are Fine Just the Way They Are -- Barrier 3: You Know All There Is to Know About Librarianship -- Barrier 4: You Know All There Is to Know About Your Community -- Barrier 5: Your Library Is Different -- Removing Barriers -- Sidebar: Martha Liebert, Retired Director, Martha Liebert Public Library, Bernalillo, New Mexico -- Part III Technology and the Library -- Chapter 15 Public Access Computers -- What Makes a Computer a PAC? -- Software for PACs -- Security, Maintenance, and Management -- Sidebar: What Is Malware and What Can You Do About It? -- The "Look" and Location of PACs -- Selecting PACs -- What PAC Support Staff Must Know -- What PAC Users Need to Know -- Internet Connectivity -- Technology Planning and PACs -- Computer Use Policies -- Chapter 16 Automated Catalogs -- To Automate or Not to Automate -- Integrated Library Systems -- Selecting Automation Software -- Selecting a User-Friendly OPAC -- Chapter 17 Online Reference Tools -- Online Reference Resources -- Electronic Reference Tools -- Knowledgeable Reference Staff.

How Has the Internet Changed Reference Service? -- Chapter 18 Library 2.0 -- What Is Library 2.0? -- What Does Library 2.0 Mean for You? -- What Can You Do to 2.0 Your Library? -- Library 2.0 Technology Tools -- Library 2.0 Nontechnology Tools -- Planning, Promoting, and Educating -- Part IV Career Development -- Chapter 19 Getting Connected and Finding Support -- Your Own Library -- State and Regional Library Associations -- Library Systems and Consortia -- Online Communities -- National Library Associations -- Sidebar: Evelyn Pockrass, Librarian, Indianapolis (IN) Hebrew Congregation -- Publications -- Chapter 20 Librarian Certification -- Public Librarian Certification -- Sidebar: Michele Haytko, Branch Manager, Perkiomen Valley Library, Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library, Schwenksville, Pennsylvania -- Library Practitioner Certificate Program -- School Librarian Certification -- Academic and Special Librarian Certification -- Certified Public Library Administrator -- Chapter 21 Continuing Education, Distance Education, and Degree Programs -- Colleges, Universities, and Postsecondary Institutions -- Sidebar: Felicia Cheney, Director, Edgartown (MA) Free Public Library -- Library Associations -- Other Associations -- Conferences -- State Library Continuing Education Departments -- Library Membership Organizations and Cooperatives -- Free Web-Based Training and Tutorials -- Appendix A Sample Library Policies -- Appendix B LIS Education Resources -- Appendix C Library Issues and Legislation -- Recommended Reading -- Websites -- About the Author -- Index.