Sources: Introduction to Reference and Information Services in Today's School Library
Introduction to Reference and Information Services in Today's School Library. By Leslie S. J. Farmer. New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2014. 196 p. Paper $55 (ISBN: 978-0-8108-8718-3).
School librarians who would like to improve or revamp their reference materials, reference area, and reference practices will find a wealth of information in this book. Farmer takes the reader through many different aspects of reference and information services (RIS), including today's school library, community needs, information behaviors at different ages and levels of maturity, collection development, physical access, reference interviews, legal considerations, and management issues. The book exhibits a natural progression, starting with a needs assessment and progressing to collection development (both physical and virtual) and ongoing management of the library's reference services. Farmer includes information to consider when working with various ages and special populations and provides a wealth of sources that support librarians and librarianship.
The beginning of the book provides an overview of what information gathering looks like for today's K-12 students. Farmer also defines the terms included in RIS and provides questions to guide a needs assessment. Some of the information included in these first few chapters might be overwhelming for solo school librarians or those new to their campus; however, it does serve as a useful starting point. The collection development chapter includes a helpful list of core titles for elementary, middle, and high schools. The chapter on reference interactions is helpful to everyone who staffs a reference desk or answers reference questions at any type of library. Finally, the last chapters focus on teaching instruction sessions, providing materials, and managing legal issues.
This book is full of useful information, and its clear, logical structure suggest that it would be an excellent textbook for a library science course. Library coordinators and supervisors would also find Farmer's book valuable when considering physical layouts of libraries, purchasing print and electronic materials, and providing reference and information services. This is a solid text for librarians, even for those who do not work in a school library.—Melanie Wachsmann, Reference/Teen Librarian, Lone Star College-CyFair Branch, Cypress, Texas