IASL's Reviews of Professional Materials

BoydBoyd, Suzette. The connected library: A handbook for engaging users. Hawthorn West, Australia: Utopia Press, 2006. 120 pp. ISBN 0-646-46138-9 (pbk.). AUD 60.00

In the foreword to this new volume, John Marsden is accurate in writing: “I’ve never read such a wonderful distillation of ideas, presented in such a compact and accessible form.” The connected library: a handbook for engaging users is an excellent companion for all who work in school libraries.

From the first chapter, Engaging, enabling and educating users, to the last page of its thorough index, it is both thought-provoking and challenging. It is certainly not a library procedures manual or a how to perform day-to-day library tasks. Instead it provides library staff with the opportunity to review and reinvigorate their existing library programs. It challenges the reader to take a wider view of what a school library can be.

The book covers a myriad of aspects of excellent library practice. Chapter one encourages the reader to identify major stakeholders and reflect on the type of services these stakeholders may require. Chapter two looks at the importance of strategic planning and the development of a comprehensive mission statement. Chapter three investigates how library staff can build influence within the school. Chapter four delves into the importance of marketing and promotion, an area that is often overlooked during the day-to-day running of a busy library. Chapter five examines reading programs and reminds us that encouraging our communities to develop a love of reading is one of our key roles. The crucial role of a well-developed library homepage in any library program is the focus of chapter six. The value of evaluating and surveying stakeholders is the focal point of chapter seven.

It would be unfortunate if chapter eight - Imagine: a day in the life of a connected library - was to dishearten or distract the reader from the message of this thought-provoking book. For those in smaller libraries (especially in the primary area with little budget and minimal staffing) this scenario may seem an unattainable nirvana. It would also be unfortunate if the gender-specific language and cartoons that appear in chapter one dissuaded male colleagues from the further investigation of this handbook.

The strength of this book is in its unique format, with the reader being first introduced to the objectives of each chapter and then being challenged to consider current practice. The reader is able to connect easily with each clear message. The use of questioning to provoke deep thinking and reflection is a clever way to ensure that the reader remains engaged and focused on their own situation. At the end of each chapter the reader is provided with tips and tactics and the last sentence is always ‘re-read this chapter and plan one new initiative to …..’. What a sensible way to encourage even the most reluctant of us to try new ideas and review existing ways.

The sources cited and Additional reading sections are thorough. The appendices, a challenged items procedure document and position descriptions of teacher librarians and librarians are useful working documents.

This volume should be a very welcome addition to any professional library. It is clear and precise in its format and is really the first of its kind - a handbook and workbook for school libraries. Its simplicity makes it accessible to both the novice and the long term practitioner. There are a multitude of professional development opportunities throughout the book. It can be used for benchmarking, encouraging libraries to review, evaluate and launch library programs. The connected library is a very comprehensive and must-have resource for all school libraries.

For more information about this book, visit the website.

Reviewed by Helen Reynolds, Head of Library, The Southport School, Queensland, Australia.

Reprinted, with permission, from Access, Volume 21, Issue 2, 2007, p. 37.

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Last Updated 19 August 2007 (KSB)