This book was written, as stated by the author, to specifically cover the competences required by the American Library Association Library Support Staff certification group (ALA LSS). The author ha...
for people who want to know how to reach out and communicate more effectively with their customer base, and how to market and promote library services. The book has been written so that it can either be read sequentially, or readers can jump straight to particular areas of interest. As an innovative tie-in to his book, Phil has produced a series of videos to complement each chapter of the book, which is hosted on the Facet Publishing you Tube channel. At the end of each book chapter is a link to the video. i discovered that there are five videos available for viewing, each lasting about 15 min. They are quite informative and Phil presents the material in a straightforward way (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zssloDyvug). social media is not going away. As new platforms emerge, libraries will need to optimise the channels that work best for their patrons. Whatever platforms they choose, Phil believes they must have some kind of actionable plan to support interactivity with their communities. so, when Phil bradley talks about libraries getting creative with social media, libraries should listen. he has been working with and writing about this topic for over 10 years, and is regarded as a bit of a guru, given his following amongst the twitterati and blog followers. his new book targets the message part of the medium and that’s the real gist of why libraries use Facebook, Twitter et al. – to reach out to their patrons who are online now.
Health, housing, education, employment opportunities, income levels, involvement with crime and civic participation for individuals in our society can all be affected by an ability to read, with negative outcomes for those who are unable to read. Children who enter formal education behind in early literacy skills often struggle to catch up through the rest of their schooling, and on into their adult lives. An overseas study tour, enabled by the author winning a Kay Poustie Scholarship from the State Library of Western Australia Foundation, investigated how public libraries in four countries work with the early childhood sector to develop confidence in children's literacy skills before entering formal schooling. Philosophies of library service were explored, along with specific programmes delivered by libraries to the community. The adaptability of ideas was assessed for use within the Australian public library system, and practitioners can use these ideas as starting points for presentation of early literacy skills according to the particular needs of their local children and parents/carers. The emphasis is on practical activities that libraries of all sizes can be encouraged to offer, including libraries of small size and limited staff. With the development of literacy being a social skill that requires effective and positive relationships between adults and small children, libraries can be a space and place where those relationships can be beneficially nurtured.
