Library & Information Week

Congratulations to all librarians - this is your week!  

We so love the tagline this year: "We Find Stuff".  It says it all really.  We read somewhere it was considered controversial, which was a little surprising.  Isn't that what you do?!!  You find stuff, you catalogue stuff, you look up stuff, you research stuff, you know stuff!  What an amazing thing you do.

We were reminded of the important role librarians play when we came across a wonderful website recently that had gift ideas for librarians.  No doubt many of our customers will have already discovered it (afterall, you "find stuff"!) but the reason we mention it here is the fun t-shirt and other promotional items they had listed that said "Librarian: the original search engine".  The word itself was often made to look like the Google logo.  Clever.  But true wouldn't you say?!

We also liked "be nice to your librarian, it could mean the difference between a right and wrong answer" and we couldn't help chuckling at "Librarian by Day, Deadly Ninja by Night".  Needless to say, a wide range of materials were on offer and there's many more sayings we could share with you, but we digress.

It's Library & Information Week.  And as Australia's largest and leading library supplier to public, academic, specialist, government and reference libraries, we're celebrating with you.  Afterall, as your support network, don't we help you "find stuff" or at least source the raw materials on your behalf?  We work with thousands of suppliers locally and internationally and sometimes we know what it's like to be finding a needle in a haystack.  But we do it.  You expect it of us.  And together we can put the workflows and systems in place that help you "find stuff" for your patrons every day.

Library and information services are important to us.  And we are here to support your efforts.  Tell us about what you're doing.  If you're on Facebook, Twitter or here on Blogger, link your site to us.  And that goes for our publishing partners too.  We're all in this industry together, let's have some fun, share the joy of reading, spread the word about our products and services, and ensure future generations love books, their libraries and the world in which they live. 

WIN LIBRARY SCIENCE BOOKS THIS WEEK!

For those of you reading this blog during Library and Information Week 23 - 29 May 2011 click on our Facebook page, follow us, and comment on our Library & Information Week post by telling us What Library & Information Week means to you.  The winning entry will receive $200 worth of nominated library science books from Facet Publishing, Libraries Unlimited, ALA, Neal Schuman - thanks to our Inbooks business unit, also proudly supporting Library and Information Week.  The winner will be announced the following week and naturally some conditions apply.  Make sure you let us know what library you are from when you comment and keep an eye on those Facebook feeds for news on this and many more promotions from James Bennett.

Archiving and Recordkeeping

As many of our customers know, we have been representing Library & Information Science presses for many years.  These days they are managed by a separate division, a business unit that specialises in book distribution to the broader trade called Inbooks.  If you are after a library science book, fingers crossed they distribute it and have it in stock at our Brookvale facility.  And of course, James Bennett receives wonderful terms of trade from them which we can pass onto our library customers! 

With Information Awareness Month, the Inbooks team wanted to make sure they were part of the blog particularly when IAM has, according to the website, grown into a collaborative event between various bodies within the records/archiving/information management community including:

•     Records and Information Management Professionals Australasia (RIMPA)
•     Australian Society of Archivists (ASA)
•     National Archives of Australia (NAA)
•     Health Information Management Association of Australia (HIMAA), Institute for Information Management (IIM)
•     Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA)
•     Public Records Office of Victoria (PROV)

When they read about the first few bodies above, the Inbookers begged me to tell our blog readers about books we have just for those that work in archiving.  Seeing we love books from Facet Publishing, we thought why not!?

Here's a few titles you must have on your shelves for Information Awareness Month:

The Future of Archives and Recordkeeping: a reader

Things you need to know.  The book is:

- A clearly structured approach to developments in archives and record keeping  
- A timely reader that asks where the discipline has come from and where it must now go to remain professionally relevant in the 21st century.

The changes of the past few decades have occasioned a review of what it is that archives are doing as a discipline. These changes have come from several quarters: interdisciplinary engagement with the notion of the archive; technological developments, not least the advent of Web 2.0; and the information explosion and the growth of several allied disciplines, including records and information management. This timely reader asks where the discipline has come from and where it must now go to remain professionally relevant in the 21st century, by negotiating the complex boundaries and borders of the ‘state of the archive’, in terms of geographical borders and nationalities and disciplinary borders.

The book is divided into four primary sections covering the following key themes:

•     defining archives
•     shaping a discipline
•     Archives 2.0: archives in society,
•     archives in the information age: is there still a role for the archive professional?

This book offers a clearly structured approach to developments in archives and record keeping and will prove an invaluable resource for students following postgraduate training courses in archive administration as well as for archive professionals wishing to refresh and update their understanding of the profession.


ISBN 9781856046664 | Hardback | 256 pages | £49.95  
Log into JBO today for your library price

Archives: principles and practices

An authoritative handbook from an experienced archives professional.  Divided into four main parts addressing the contextual, strategic, operational and practical issues associated with creating an archival institution, the text covers everything the archivist needs to know: establishing principles, policies and procedures; managing day-to-day operations; caring for different types of archival materials; enhancing outreach and public access; and ensuring the growth and sustainability of the institution and its services.

Whether an institution has a collections orientation or whether it is primarily responsible for managing institutional archives in conjunction with an organizational records management programme, those responsible for records and archives management in the establishment and operation of an archival facility need specialist practical guidance.

The key chapters are:

• understanding archives
• the social and cultural context of archives
• the legislative and organizational context of archives
• the professional context of archives management
• the theoretical framework for archives management
• establishing a policy-based framework
• managing resources
• ensuring physical protection
• acquiring archives
• appraisal of archives
• arrangement of archives
• processing archives
• describing archives
• providing reference services
• enhancing access
• ensuring sustainability

The accessible language ensures that the fundamental principles and practices are outlined clearly for novice archivists and non-specialists; and experienced professionals, will find the work of immense value in validating or updating their understanding of archival operations. The issues addressed are relevant to archival practice in all developed English-speaking countries, and concepts in place in different parts of the world are examined in order to provide a global context.

ISBN 9781856046732 | Hardback | 256 pages | £44.95
Log into JBO today for your library price

Customers can request LIS catalogues from the Inbooks marketing team via email by clicking here. 

Read it! Love it? Add Christine Stinson to your James Bennett profile

The first book on the new James Bennett Read it, Love it, Add it to Your Profile service is Christine Stinson's It Takes A Village.  It's also our Book of the Month for May. 

Christine Stinson's second book, it is an absorbing, witty coming-of-age story set in postwar Sydney.  And we loved it.

Published by Pan Macmillan Australia this month, we found it to be very Maeve Binchy-esque in the way it explores community and family.  A perfect read for many of your library patrons.

We're introduced to Sophie Barton when she's eight years old.  It's the spring of 1952 and she's just been told she's a "bastard".  Who is her father and why did her mother never tell anyone who he was?  Sophie is being raised by her reclusive grandfather and a wonderful community of Australian characters, many of whom we'd recognise from our own upbringing.  Compared to today, post-war Australia was a much simpler time - but not for our Sophie.  Life is full of complications.  She gets into all scrapes and along the way she learns about herself, her family, and the agony and ectasy of falling in love.

"Sophie wasn't sure why catching a husband was so important but a lot of grown-up people seemed to think that it was.  Just the other week she'd heard Mick's mother and Mrs Salter talking about how Shirley Harris was out to catch herself one.  The two ladies had been standing on the footpath outside of Mick's house; they didn't see Sophie but she'd been able to hear them from Grandpa's front porch.  Shirley Harris was the new girl Mr and Mrs Carmichael had hired to help them in their chemist shop.  Sophie had seen her when she went in to pick up some things for Mrs Hogan and she'd thought Shirley Harris was beautiful, almost as beautiful as Angela Dimarco, Luc's older sister.  But Sophie's neighbours didn't seem to think much of Shirley Harris at all."

We shouldn't give too much away but you'll enjoy reading about Sophie, Mick, Mrs Hogan, Luc and all the wonderful characters that Christine Stinson brings to life in this book - you'll have to experience that pleasure all for yourself. 

In a time when experiences are shared around the kitchen table, over the back fence or up at the corner shop, Sophie learns that life is rarely simple, love is always complicated and sometimes it takes more than blood ties to make a family.

Check out a copy at your local library today.

About Christine Stinson

Christine is a former language teacher who has been making up stories for as long as she can remember.  Her first novel Getting Even with Fran, was also published by Pan Macmillan Australia.  She is currently working on her third novel, Epiphany and lives in Pymble, Sydney.  You can find out more about Christine Stinson on her website: http://www.christinestinson.com/

Read it Love it Add it to Your Profile

We'd like to add Christine Stinson to the profiles of all libraries using our Profiling & Selection Services. Make sure you've got a copy of It Takes a Village on order through James Bennett and then contact jbmarketing@bennett.com.au to add Christine to your profiled orders.  We'll ensure all future books from this talented author are then sent to you on publication.

It Takes A Village 

ISBN 9781405040273

ARP $32.99 - usual library discounts apply

Order your copies today on JBO, contact your Customer Co-ordinator on (02) 8988 5000, fax your order to (02) 8988 5090 or email info@bennett.com.au 

Managing Information Services - emphasising a sustainable future

The latest edition of Jo Bryson's highly regarded Managing Information Services is about to publish in the UK and we're pretty excited about it.  Not only is it a good book, the timing for Information Awareness Month couldn't be better!

The third edition of Managing Information Services has been thoroughly revised with an emphasis on managing for a sustainable future.  We are all aware that libraries and information services are facing uncertain times.  How do you tackle the challenges of planning and managing change?  Future-proof for tomorrow?  Lead the transformation to a sustainable future?  Published by Ashgate, the book also addresses the integration of information services including librarianship, records management and ICT.

A comprehensive and detailed reference on the key management topics for information service managers, it really is a must have book. 

Rather than supply the typical author bio, why don't you check out Jo's LinkedIn profile by clicking here.

And then once you've done that email jbmarketing@bennett.com.au and say in 25 words or less why you think you should have a copy of this book.  Ashgate has kindly offered one for Bennett Blog readers so think how this book can help you in your professional career and enter now.  We'll review the responses on the 10th June 2011 so tell your colleagues and enter now.

Of course, make sure you've got a copy on order anyway! 

ISBN 9781409406945 - hardcover
ISBN 9781409406969 - paperback
Login to JBO today to see your library price or contact your Customer Co-ordinator on (02) 8988 5000


Contents: Preface; Part I Management Influences in a Changing Landscape: Managing in an uncertain world; Strategic influences. Part II Strategy and Planning: Strategic planning: positioning for a sustainable future; Attracting and retaining talented people in challenging times; Ensuring value for money and enabling a cost-sustainable future; Knowledge and information management – a key to survival; Strategic technology and asset management – a smarter approach. Part III Leadership and Innovation: Leadership; Utilizing a values-driven culture for sustainability; Innovation and creativity; Engaging change in positioning for the future; Group dynamics and team building; Effective negotiation and conflict management; Managing the political arena; Policy making; Personal communication and networking; Managing yourself and others in challenging times. Part IV Governance and Social Responsibility: Ensuring good corporate governance; Using authority and influence; Encouraging transparency; Managing for sustainability; Managing risk; Sustaining trust and continued operations; Evaluating benefits and performance. Part V Customer and Market Focus: Competitive strategies; Corporate image and communications; Ensuring service quality. Part VI Success and Sustainability: Bringing it all together. Index.

Information Awareness Month - celebrating the second week with a giveaway!

As you know from our last post, we're committed to bringing important titles from our LIS publishers to your attention.  And what better time than during Information Awareness Month!  Last week we focussed on James Herring's Improving Students' Web Use and Information Literacy: A Guide for Teachers and Teacher Librarians as well as Information Policies and Strategies by Ian Cornelius.  Both were published by Facet Publishing and both are on campaign at present (log-in to JBO for special price information or contact Marketing if you are not a James Bennett customer).  This week sees another interesting book from Facet:

DIGITAL INFORMATION order or anarchy?

If the vision for the future of digital information is order, ease of access, discoverable resources and sustainable business models, how might this be achieved?

In an information environment shaped by an ever-growing and persistent demand for more and more digital content from every direction, it has become increasingly important that publishers, libraries, and information professionals understand the challenges and opportunities of the Google environment.  This book addresses these issues and carves out a strategy for the future of digital information.  Put together by an international, cross-sectoral team of contributors, each authored chapter provides a snapshot of where we are now and considers how the barriers to success might be overcome and what the digital information environment might look like if these issues are - or indeed are not - addressed.

They include:

• digital information: an overview of the landscape
• scholarly communications: the view of the library
• scholarly communications: the publisher's view
• ebooks and scholarly communication futures
• digitising the past: next steps for public sector digitisation
• resource discovery
• who owns the content in the digital environment?

Edited by Hazel Woodward & Lorraine Estelle, and contributions from Rick Anderson, Alastair Dunning, Ian Russell, Wilma Mossink, Colin Steele, and Graham Stone, this book is essential reading for all library and information professionals, researchers and library students.  It will also be of interest to publishers wishing to reconcile their own digital strategies with those of both information consumers and providers.

9781856046800 | 2010 | Hardcover | 208 pages | Facet Publishing | OUR RRP $84.95 now on campaign! Log into JBO for your special price.

We've also got a copy of Digital Information: order or anarchy? to giveaway!  Simply email us before Sunday 15th May and tell us why you'd like a copy.  Are you on the publishing side or are you a library professional? What are the digital issues and strategies that are most important to you.  Share with us and you might just win a copy (if not we've got a great price to offer you!).


James Bennett, proudly getting behind Information Awareness Week in the library community and publishing environment.  

Information Awareness Month - May 2011

It's Information Awareness Month!  

As the website for the event says "the purpose of Information Awareness Month is to increase public awareness of the breadth of the information industry".  From the individual to a small business to global corporations, IAM holds a series of events focusing on maintaining good records and information.  By doing so information and people are connected.

As Australia's leading library supplier, James Bennett takes information seriously.  Afterall, our customers do!  And one of the ways we support the sharing of information in the library community is through our long-standing partnerships with library science publishers - Facet Publishing, Neal-Schuman, ALA, Libraries Unlimited to name but a few.  These LIS publishers produce a wide range of publications for library professionals covering collection building, information studies and reference, management and professional skills, communication, information technology, archives and records management.  They are also leaders in their field.

To help promote Information Awareness Month, we'd like to introduce a number of important publications to you each week.  What's more, for the whole month of May, these titles will be discounted for all James Bennett customers!  Special prices will be displayed on JBO so log-in or contact your Customer Co-ordinator (as these titles will be heavily discounted, no further discounts will apply).*
 


"All Librarians and Libraries have information policies.  The big issues like censorship, intellectual property, freedom of information, privacy and data protection, crowd our minds, but the process of decision making is the same at every level and in every context whether we are concerned with government secrets, advertising standards or our own children's reading and viewing habits." So says Ian Cornelius, author of Information Policies and Strategies from Facet Publishing.

Covering the key areas - contexts for information policy, globalisation and information societies, information rights and information policy, information policy sectors - the book helps the working librarian to justify every stock purchase and information access decision.  Helping to legitimate the library, the discussion of issues in this book will give librarians the context and arguments they need to identify and apply appropriate information policies and strategies.  Essential reading for library students, researchers, policy makers, and all LIS practitioners wishing to widen their awareness of the important issues surrounding information policy.

9781856046770 | 2010 | Paperback | 209 pages | Facet Publishing | OUR RRP $84.95 now on campaign! See JBO for this month's special price



Improving Students' Web Use and Information Literacy is a guide for teachers and teacher librarians but the audience is much wider than that.  A practical guide to using the web effectively in order to enhance learning and teaching, it also focuses on how to use Web 2.0 tools to create learning resources for students to develop them as reflective web learners as well as web users. The book is full of helpful tips and guidance, good practice, examples and more. In the chapter on Finding and Using Information on the Web the author provides information on search engines, features like Google Advanced Search, Google Images, Google Maps, Google Earth, Google News, Google Scholar and Google Books, information on metasearch engines, visual search engines, directories and effective search techniques.

James Herring is one of our bestselling LIS authors.  He is an internationally acclaimed authority on information literacy and ICT in schools.  James is also a lecturer in Teacher Librarianship at the School of Information Studies, Charles Sturt University, and teaches from his home in Scotland for most of the year.  

9781856047432 | 2011 | Paperback | 143 pages | Facet Publishing | OUR RRP $72.95 now on campaign! See JBO for this month's special price

Make sure you bookmark The Bennett Blog for updates throughout May.  And don't forget to follow us on Facebook  (we heard a rumour there will be a giveaway of LIS books on Facebook as part of both Information Awareness Month AND Library & Information Week) so "like" us today!

* Not a James Bennett account customer?  No problem! We will accept credit card orders.  Contact marketing for further information.  Make sure to mention The Bennett Blog and we'll pass on a special IAM discount on your order.  A small freight and handling charge will apply on direct orders.