The Indispensable Academic Librarian: Teaching and Collaborating for Change - Softcover

Reale, Michelle

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0838916384 ISBN 13: 9780838916384

Publisher: ALA Editions, 2018

Synopsis

Traditionally, academic librarians have delivered beck and call service to educators both in and out of the classroom. However, far from being merely auxiliary to the learning cycle, academic librarians are educators in their own right. If the primary challenge before them is to change how they're perceived within their institutions, Reale proposes, the key lies in becoming a proactive teacher and collaborator. Offering strategies applicable to many different areas, this book shows how the academic librarian can be an educator in both structured and unstructured spaces on campuses. Blending practice-based evidence with a warm approach, Reale

• discusses the changing perception of academic librarians, how they are seen and how they see themselves;
• shows how academic librarians can and should assert their rightful place in the learning cycle;
• looks at how to match teaching goals with academic librarians'; mission;
• advocates for the indispensable roles the academic librarian should play, including co-collaborator, one-on-one research consultant, expert-at-large in non-structured spaces such as the dorm or student lounge, and embedded librarian in the classroom;  
• offers talking points for self-advocacy, looking at the many ways academic librarians are making a difference; and
• explores activities and programming for engagement and learning.

This book will empower and validate academic librarians by demonstrating their indispensable roles as educators.

About this title

About the Author:

Michelle Reale is an associate professor at Arcadia University near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her books include Mentoring and Managing Students in the Academic Library, Becoming an Embedded Librarian, and Becoming a Reflective Librarian and Teacher: Strategies for Mindful Academic Practice. Her research interests involve embedded librarianship, mentoring, narrative inquiry, and reflective practice.

Review:

"By collaborating with faculty, librarians can forge a stronger connection with students, and by reflecting, they'll be better able to assess successes and struggles ... This title will appeal to all academic librarians, especially those feeling limited by their environment. It's also a good option for tutors and writing specialists who work closely with professors and students." --Library Journal

"Reale presents current thinking on the topic, case studies, and easy to follow strategies for working librarians ... While much of the information in this book will be of greater interest to working academic librarians, Reale s discussion of critical pedagogy and critical librarianship should be of interest to many in the academic and outside world." --Brooklyn Rail

"At a time when academic library services are often viewed as an afterthought, Reale illuminates a path toward heightened relevance ... this volume should provide considerable value to beginning instruction, outreach, and subject librarians. Reale s book also serves as a practical complement to the many traditional titles in this area." --American Reference Books Annual

About this edition

• Publisher: ALA Editions
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 0838916384
• ISBN 13: 9780838916384
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 144