Twenty-eight experts demystify unique Gen M learning styles and offer best practices for developing a successful curriculum

New York, NY (May 27, 2009)—Devising quality educational resources for “Gen M”— today’s ethnically and socio-economically diverse group of young adults born in the early 1980s through the mid 1990s—requires a thorough understanding of their shared characteristics, cultural experiences, and distinct, technology-based learning styles. In Teaching Generation M: A Handbook for Librarians and Educators, to be published by Neal-Schuman on July 20, 2009, editors Vibiana Bowman Cvetkovic and Robert J. Lackie and a team of expert contributors explain key educational theories, debunk common generational myths, and offer practical guidance to help librarians and educators facilitate powerful learning opportunities that will best meet Gen M’s unique educational needs.

The book’s nineteen chapters are clearly organized into three parts. Part 1, titled “Defining Gen M,” offers an in-depth introduction to the Gen M demographic and their well-known, though often inaccurately described, relationship with technology and new media. Contributors examine the role of the digital divide within Gen M, shifting literacy paradigms and the essential new computer and media literacy skills they require, and the search processes that Gen M students use in academic settings. There is also an overview of the controversy surrounding the impact of constant-connectivity and multitasking, along with strategies and suggestions to help Gen M students make positive use of media outlets and tools.

Part Two, titled “The World of Gen M,” looks at the “culture of technology” that is frequently used to represent Gen M, and explores the resulting common debates over issues of privacy, security, safety on the Web, and the Gen M community’s different perception of public and private space. The section offers suggestions for adapting popular social networking sites and internet tools, like Facebook and MySpace, for educational use, a guide to the history, uses, and abuses of YouTube, and a detailed discussion of the Gen M student’s dependence on questionable sources such as Wikipedia and Google, as well as ways these site can serve as a springboard for more in-depth research. There is also an overview of gamers and gaming culture, Webcomics, and forward-looking advice to help libraries remain an important part of the fast-approaching, ecologically changed Gen M world.

Part Three, titled “Pedagogy – Current and Imagined,” covers best practices, curriculum application, and instruction for creating lessons and learning objects across an array of technologies and topics, including mobile technologies, cooperative learning strategies, screencasting, information ethics, and Google and Wikipedia. This section also addresses concerns for implementing new technology into undergraduate curriculums, and concludes with a real life cautionary tale and guidance for future planning.

Each chapter includes a comprehensive list of references that can be used for further reading. Illustrated figures, screencaps, and practical exercises are incorporated throughout the text to allow for easy replication or adaptation of best practices in individual curricula.

Geared toward librarians, media specialists and educators of all types, Teaching Generation M debunks common myths and misconceptions about this unique generation to provide a realistic understanding of their instructional needs and learning styles.

Teaching Generation M: A Handbook for Librarians and Educators
ISBN: 978-1-55570-667-8. 2009. 8.5 x 11. 400pp. $85.00.

About the Editors
Vibiana Bowman Cvetkovic is a Reference Librarian and the Web Administrator at the Paul Robeson Library, Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey. She is also the Chair of the Children and Childhood Studies Section of the Mid-Atlantic Popular/American Culture Association. Her books include The Plagiarism Plague: A Resource Guide and CD-ROM Tutorial for Educators and Librarians and Scholarly Resources for Children and Childhood Studies.
Robert J. Lackie is an Associate Professor-Librarian at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ, where he co-leads the Library Instruction Program and serves as Reference Collection Development Librarian. He has also received the “2004 New Jersey Librarian of the Year” and the “2004 Rider University Award for Distinguished Teaching.”

About Neal-Schuman Publishers
Founded in 1976, Neal-Schuman Publishers is based in New York City with offices in London, UK. Neal-Schuman is a leading publisher of professional books and textbooks for librarians, archivists and knowledge managers.

For More Information and/or Cover Art
Contact Sarah Eisenberg sarah.eisenberg@neal-schuman.com

100 William Street, Suite 2004
New York, NY 10038
212-925-8650
www.neal-schuman.com

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Totally revised and expanded with over 50 programming, collection development, planning, and assessment tools on a CD that librarians can customize, plus a new two-color layout emphasizing key points for quick reference

New York, NY (May 27, 2009) – While a recent study from the American Library Association reported that 78% of preteens and teens reported owning a library card, many practicing librarians do not see teens putting these cards to use. In Connecting Young Adults and Libraries, Fourth Edition: A How-To-Do-It Manual, to be published by Neal-Schuman on July 15, 2009, award-winning teen services librarians and co-authors Michele Gorman and Tricia Suellentrop outline the changing needs of today’s teens, and provide practical suggestions, personal experiences, groundbreaking research, and best practices to help libraries and librarians fully engage teens.

Connecting Young Adults and Libraries begins with a foreword from former author, trainer, and YA librarianship guru Patrick Jones. Following a complete glossary of important terms, acronyms and abbreviations, the book unfolds in thirteen, clearly organized chapters. Gorman and Suellentrop first lay out the core values that drive teen library service work, and provide an in-depth explanation of the contemporary teen audience, including the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets and new research on the teen brain as it relates to library services. Next, the authors explore past, present and future trends in teen services, and share guidelines for providing effective customer and reference service, recommendations for teen reader’s advisory services, and tips for building relationships with teen users. Gorman and Suellentrop then cover information literacy, collection development, and booktalking, followed by an array of alternative methods to meaningfully involve teens with the library, including outreach and collaboration, programming, the development of teen friendly spaces and the promotion of teen services. The following chapter is about technology, and examines ways to incorporate existing and emerging technologies like social networking, wikis, and blogs into daily library services for teens. Gorman and Suellentrop also discuss teens as programmers, volunteers and interns, and conclude with an overview of pertinent issues and conflicts in young adult services.

Along with helpful figures, lists, and surveys, this fourth edition of Connecting Young Adults and Libraries is the first to come with a time-saving companion CD-ROM, the Librarian Serving Teens Toolkit, that includes a collection of over 50 core documents, including sample forms, templates, letters, surveys, exercises, volunteer and intern applications, comment cards, and focus group guides. Each document can be easily replicated or adapted to fit individual institutions.

Providing teens with quality library service is a highly essential, deeply rewarding- and often very challenging task. Widely referred to as “the pink bible”, the newest edition of this invaluable manifesto of teen services combines exciting new adolescent research with effective practices and programs to enlighten and inspire librarians, educators, and graduate students to adopt a “YAttitude” and give their teen users an outstanding experience at the library.

Connecting Young Adults and Libraries, 4th Edition: A How-To-Do-It Manual
ISBN: 978-1-55570-665-4. 2009. 8.5 x 11. 450pp. Book and CD-ROM $85.00.

About the Authors
Michele Gorman is the Teen Services Coordinator for the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County (PLCMC) in North Carolina. She oversees teen services for PLCMC and manages PLCMC’s teen-only library Michele is a freelance writer, renowned national speaker, a member of the YALSA board of Directors, and currently the “Getting Graphic” columnist for Library Media Connection.
Tricia Suellentrop is the Deputy County Librarian for the Johnson County Library in Kansas. She oversees all operations for 13 locations serving more than 400,000 residents. She received the American Library Association Sagebrush Award in 2001 for outstanding service to young people and the Youth Services Award in 2002 from the Mountain Plains Library Association. In 2005 Tricia was selected as one of Library Journal’s “Movers and Shakers” for her work with teens in the correction system.

About Neal-Schuman Publishers
Neal-Schuman Publishers is the leading provider of library management, Internet and information technology resources, including the highly acclaimed “How-To-Do-It” series. Founded in 1976, Neal-Schuman Publishers is based in New York City with offices in London, UK.

For More Information and/or Cover Art
Contact Sarah Eisenberg
sarah.eisenberg@neal-schuman.com

100 William Street, Suite 2004
New York, NY 10038
212-925-8650
www.neal-schuman.com

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Experts provide concise, insightful rankings of almost 200 resources in 16 crucial subject areas

New York, NY (April 24, 2009)- Sorting through and selecting from the profuse and rapidly multiplying number of electronic reference resources can be an overwhelming process for busy librarians. The premier co-publication from Neal-Schuman Publishers and Library Journal, The “Library Journal” Guide to E-Reference Resources, to be published on June 30, 2009, is packed with clear, succinct reviews of almost 200 e-reference resources. Edited by Library Journal Reference Editor Mirela Roncevic, this handy manual gives librarians a convenient, focused source to help them navigate the myriad options and choose the e-resource tools that best fit their needs.

Following an introduction from Library Journal editor-in-chief Francine Fialkoff, the guide contains selections and annotations chosen and written by an authoritative team of ten practicing public and academic librarians who painstakingly evaluated and reviewed the resources. The guide spans sixteen subject areas, including Arts, Biography, Business & Economics, Current Events, Genealogy, General Reference, Health & Medicine, History, Information Technology, Language & Linguistics, Literature, Philosophy & Religion, Popular Culture, Science, Social Sciences and Travel. Subject sections begin with a chart that evaluates each tool’s scope, writing, design, bells and whistles, ease of use, linking, and overall value. Products in each category are ranked on a scale of one to four stars, from poor/insufficient to excellent/comprehensive.
Below the chart, there is an evaluative description of each tool, along with the name of its publisher and a website URL. There is also a directory of listings for over 150 publishers.

Clearly organized and exhaustive in its coverage, The Library Journal Guide to E-Reference Resources will be useful to electronic resource librarians, collection developers, and publishers.

The Library Journal Guide to E-Reference Resources.
ISBN: 978-1-55570-685-2. 2009. 6 x 9. 275 pp. $55.00.

About the Editor
Mirela Roncevic is Senior Editor, Library Journal Book Review. In addition to directing Library Journal’s coverage of print and online reference sources, she also manages arts, literature, and philosophy reviews and writes extensively on the state of online publishing and librarianship. She holds an MAMA in Humanities and Social Thought, with a specialization in comparative literature, from New York University.

About Neal-Schuman and Library Journal
Founded in 1976, Neal-Schuman Publishers is based in New York City with offices in London, UK. Neal-Schuman is a leading publisher of professional books and textbooks for librarians, archivists and knowledge managers.
Library Journal is the oldest publication covering the library field and is read by over 100,000 library directors, administrators, and staff in public, academic, and special libraries. LJ is the single-most comprehensive publication for librarians, with groundbreaking features and analytical news reports covering technology, management, policy, and other professional concerns.
For More Information and/or Cover Art
Contact Sarah Eisenberg
sarah.eisenberg@neal-schuman.com
100 William Street, Suite 2004
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212-925-8650
www.neal-schuman.com

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New book helps librarians deliver superior gaming resources and programs

New York, NY (April 10, 2009) – Video games have become a permanent part of mainstream popular culture, and libraries that value excellence in service must provide their customers with access to the best selection of games, gaming services and related materials. Game On! Gaming at the Library, to be published by Neal-Schuman on June 25, 2009, is a step-by-step primer to developing an effective library gaming experience. The book’s comprehensive coverage, core collection recommendations, and ready-to-go programming ideas will help any public or school librarian understand, implement or upgrade gaming services.

Enthusiastically written and designed to parallel a video game’s structure, nationally-recognized expert Beth Gallaway provides an energetic, easy-to-follow guide to gaming. Sections are divided into six “levels” and are accompanied by a “Strategy Guide” that contains related resources and supplemental materials.

Level 1 – The Backstory-Video Game Basics, provides an overview of video game concepts and formats, and examines pivotal moments in video game history and culture. Level 2 – Video Games at the Library defines crucial gaming definitions and terminology, and provides annotated lists of valuable online resources to help librarians successfully advocate for and develop a comprehensive game collection. Gallaway also addresses several common video game controversies, and explains the important ways in which gaming relates to the Search Institute’s Developmental Assets for Teens. Level 3 – Providing Library Services to Gamers details the gamers’ mentality, gaming on library computers, and a reader’s advisory service that connects related games and books. There is also a strategy guide for recommended game-related literature, including fiction books, online and print magazines. Level 4 – Games and Programs includes a variety of versatile model programs to implement at the library that can be customized to suit young adults, children, senior citizens and families. Gallaway also includes templates for surveys, flyers and forms as tools to help create original programming. Level 5– Selecting, Collecting and Circulation Video Games details methods for evaluating and selecting games, storage guidelines, tips for marketing and displaying games, and examples of real-world best practices from actual libraries. Also included is a model core collection of essential games and digital collections across multiple platforms. Level 6 – The Future of Games, provides a glimpse into the future of gaming and considers possible changes and growth opportunities for the gaming community.

Game On! concludes with an extensive glossary of terms, and features a companion website (www.neal-schuman.com/go) that offers downloadable forms and handouts, and provides access to updated core collection lists.

Game On! Gaming at the Library
Plus companion website. ISBN: 978-1-55570-595-4. 2009. 6 x 9. 310 pp. $55.00.

About the Author
Beth Gallaway was named a Library Journal Mover and Shaker in 2006 for her work in advocating for video games in libraries. In July 2007, she started her own library consulting and training business, Information Goddess Consulting, specializing in gaming, technology, and youth services. Gallaway delivers continuing education workshops to librarians, in person and online, speaks at conferences in the United States and Canada, and provides dynamic and interactive technology, creative writing, and gaming programs to library patrons of all ages. Her favorite game is Rock Band.

About Neal-Schuman Publishers
Neal-Schuman Publishers is a leading publisher of professional books for librarians, archivists and knowledge managers. Founded in 1976, Neal-Schuman Publishers is based in New York City, with offices in London, UK.

For More Information and/or Cover Art
Contact Sarah Eisenberg
sarah.eisenberg@neal-schuman.com
100 William Street, Suite 2004
New York, NY 10038
212-925-8650
www.neal-schuman.com

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New York, NY (May 7, 2009) – Today’s fast-changing medical environment requires health information professionals to fully grasp the relationship between the health sciences and information technology. Health Informatics for Medical Librarians, to be released by Neal-Schuman Publishers on June 1, 2009, is a complete introduction to health informatics, a rapidly emerging discipline that is essential to any librarian responsible for dispensing high-quality, reliable healthcare information. Co-published by the Medical Library Association, this new resource provides the core knowledge and basic tools to help librarians and LIS students play a key role in improving healthcare.

Authors and influential educators Ana D. Cleveland and Donald B. Cleveland present a comprehensive overview of the health informatics revolution. Divided into two parts, the book covers the definition of health informatics and its role in modern healthcare as well as the principal aspects, procedures, and practices in the field. Each chapter features an “Informatics in Action” boxed feature with a problem scenario and demonstration of how health informatics concepts contributed to the solution. Readers will also find comprehensive references and a glossary of essential terms.
Part I: Understanding Health Informatics first defines the nature of health informatics as both a discipline and a profession, and explains the vital role played by new and developing health information technology. There is a detailed description of today’s healthcare environment and infrastructure, as well as a guide to a variety of healthcare professions and their individual roles and duties. The authors explain the ways in which informatics is presently impacting modern healthcare, and discuss all of the major specialty areas in health informatics, including nursing, pharmaceutical, dental, public health, hospital, and veterinary informatics. Part I concludes with an exploration into medical librarianship and the librarian’s potential role in health informatics.

Each chapter in Part II: Mastering Health Informatics outlines a specific facet of health informatics. Medical knowledge organization covers important medical terminology, ontologies, classification systems, and literature, and is followed by a chapter on health information technology that details medical database management, networking, the internet, health science artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality, and connectivity. The fundamentals of electronic health records are covered next, followed by a chapter that introduces and analyzes the major types of healthcare information management systems. The final chapters in Part II discuss medical imaging, ethical and legal issues in health informatics, and bioinformatics and genomic medicine. The book concludes with a summary of research, education and career opportunities, and insight into future trends, advances, and specialties.

Written specifically for information professionals, Health Informatics for Medical Librarians is both an authoritative resource for medical libraries and an ideal introductory textbook for health informatics, medical librarianship, and medical digital imaging courses.

Health Informatics for Medical Librarians
978-1-55570-627-2. 2009. 6 x 9. 300 pp. $95.00

About the Authors
Dr. Ana D. Cleveland is currently the Director of the Health Informatics Program at the University of North Texas and has served as a consultant to the National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Medical Library Association, Organization of American States, among others. She is the winner of the Lucretia W. McClure Excellence in Education Award from the Medical Library Association.
Donald B. Cleveland is currently Professor Emeritus at the University of North Texas. He has served as a consultant to a number of governmental agencies and private organizations, including National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, World Health Organization, Cleveland Foundation, American Heart Association, among others, and has published a book on the brain for young adults.

About Neal-Schuman Publishers and the Medical Library Association
Neal-Schuman Publishers is the leading provider of library management, Internet, and information technology resources, and is the Medical Library Association’s co-publisher. Founded in 1976, Neal-Schuman Publishers is based in New York City with offices in London, UK. The Medical Library Association, founded in 1898, is an educational organization of more than 1,100 institutions and 3,600 individual members in the health sciences information field committed to educating health information professionals, supporting health information research, and working to ensure that the best health information is available to all.

For More Information and/or Cover Art
Contact Sarah Eisenberg
(sarah.eisenberg@neal-schuman.com)
100 William Street, Suite 2004
New York, NY 10038
212-925-8650
www.neal-schuman.com

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Congratulations to author Philip C. Bantin, whose book Understanding Data and Information Systems for Recordkeeping is the recent recipient of the Society of American Archivists’ Waldo Gifford Leland Award. Created in 1959, this prize encourages and rewards writing of superior excellence and usefulness in the field of archival history, theory, or practice.

To find out more about the book, click here.

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