Drawing on his expertise as research and instruction librarian at the Baron-Forness Library of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, McAdoo offers in this book an overview of library instruction, including how to assess what information students need and how to reach them. The book opens with a look at the history of library instruction, outlining various approaches and terms used. According to the author, instruction must evolve continuously to meet the changing needs of library users. This concise volume, a part of the ALA Fundamentals series, is intended as a primer for library instruction and attempts to fill what the author perceives as a gap in the library literature. According to McAdoo, resources that address library instruction are “noticeably limited” (p. x) and focus on how-tos, specific exercises, or searching methods.

He looks at librarians’ role as teachers and the methods they employ to reach students as information proliferates. The ever-increasing amount of information available to library users leads to a continuous need to guide users in its access and use. In his discussion of how students learn and how librarians can reach them more effectively, McAdoo integrates information about learning theories, learning styles, and obstacles to learning.

Content and delivery are important, but McAdoo asserts that several other considerations must come first. The instruction librarian must determine how to develop content to deliver and, in doing so, must consider class size, the use of technology, publicity efforts, the library-specific resources and services, the students’ characteristics, the location (whether in-person or online), and the amount of time available. The author also lists characteristics of effective instruction and offers strategies for creating effective instruction experiences. Other useful advice addresses how to manage common concerns, such as disruptive behavior, nerves, absent teachers, and emergencies.

In addition to his advice on how to prepare for and conduct instruction, McAdoo offers a detailed look at how to assess instruction efforts and how to collect and interpret data. The book provides a broad overview of instruction and offers suggestions for the future. It ends with a look at challenges and concerns, emphasizing the need to adapt to changing information needs. Although written for an academic library audience, this book would also be useful for public and school libraries.