New York, NY (July 17, 2009)—Information technology changes at an increasingly rapid pace, and all library staff members need to understand how to integrate a wide range of technologies to meet users’ expectations. The Neal-Schuman Library Technology Companion: A Basic Guide for Library Staff, Third Edition to be published by Neal-Schuman on August 30, 2009, provides a solid grounding in the broad scope of systems, software, and specialized devices available. Through practical, comprehensive and up-to-date direction, author John J. Burke offers an easy-to-understand guide to choosing, implementing, maintaining, and maximizing technology in libraries.

Known for his ability to simplify complex concepts, Burke’s newly updated third edition is organized into five parts and nineteen chapters that span the full range of technology tools and trends. Part I, Library Technology Basics, begins with actual survey results that highlight the technologies regularly used by working library staff. Readers will find a helpful historical overview of technology’s role in libraries followed by advice for finding information on the field’s latest developments and a step-by-step guide for evaluating and purchasing equipment and implementing systems. Part II, Technology Tools for Libraries, first explores the computer’s many forms, facets and functions, including desktops, laptops, tablets, hand-held devices, and applications, and then explains networking tools like the internet, modems, e-mail, and Wi-Fi. There is a discussion of electronic library catalog options, different storage devices, and the various techniques used to record, retrieve, and access information. Burke next explains databases and electronic resources, including full-text periodicals, e-books, and e-reference collections, as well as the technical and societal changes brought on by popular search sites like Google and Amazon. He then focuses on integrating Web 2.0 tools like Skype, social networking, and Second Life into user communication efforts. Part III, How Libraries Put Technology to Work, examines best practices for selecting technologies that meet and serve user needs, using blogs and virtual reference tools to create an internet presence, and using screencasts, distance learning, and course management systems to aid staff development and training. Part IV, Building and Maintaining the Technology Environment in Libraries, outlines security measures to protect users from spam and spyware and includes troubleshooting tips and solutions for a multitude of common problems. Burke also offers guidance for building a comfortable, accessible, technology-friendly library environment. Part V, Where Library Technology is Going and How to Get There, offers guidance for writing a technology plan, and concludes with insight into the future of library technology development.

Burke includes an extensive glossary of key terms, as well as detailed figures and screenshots to help reinforce concepts and aid with practical application. Readers will have access to Burke’s companion blog (http://techcompanion.blogspot.com) that provides a regularly updated guide to related materials and resources.

An all-in-one resource that should be required reading for all staff members as well as students in library technology courses and CE classes, The Neal-Schuman Library Technology Companion: A Basic Guide for Library Staff, Third Edition provides a sound and sensible way to consider, access, and use library technologies to their fullest advantages.

The Neal-Schuman Library Technology Companion: A Basic Guide for Library Staff, Third Edition
ISBN: 978-1-55570-676-2.
2009. 6 x 9. 300 pp. $65.00

About the Author
John J. Burke is the director of the Gardner-Harvey Library on the Middletown regional campus of Miami University (Ohio). He is the author of two earlier editions of The Neal-Schuman Library Technology Companion, along with IntroNet: A Beginner’s Guide to Searching the Internet, and Learning the Internet: A Workbook for Beginners.

About Neal-Schuman
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.

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