Learn Basic Library Skills A Practical Study Guide For Beginning Work In A Library

Book excerpt: A Practical Study Guide For Beginning Work In A Library Or Other Information Agency This combination text and workbook describes skills needed by anyone beginning work in a library or other information agency. Written by international librarians who are library educators, it addresses the key areas of library work. Among the topics discussed are: the types of materials collected by libraries; bibliographic information; copy cataloging; circulation systems; interlibrary loans; acquisition and processing of materials; collection maintenance; shelving; filing; damage; and inventory. "Learn Basic Library Skills" covers the changes that new technologies and new standards have brought to the library environment, with expanded coverage to show what is happening in libraries across the world. The abundance of examples and practice exercises help the reader master the skills needed for working in all types of libraries, including public, school, college, corporate, government and special libraries. "Learn Basic Library Skills" is suitable for newly qualified librarians or those at the paraprofessional and volunteer level, as it clearly explains the basic skills of library work and how they can be applied. It can also be used as a manual for anyone developing or maintaining a collection, either for a special interest group like a church or historical society, or to organize personal materials. "Learn Basic Library Skills" is one of the study guides in the Learn Library Skills Series. Details of each publication are in the back of this book, or visit the publisher website for more information. Helen Rowe has worked in a variety of libraries in Canberra, Australia, including academic, government, national, public, school and special libraries. In her work, she has covered all aspects of the library environment. Helen is currently a trainer for Lynn Farkas Information Services Pty. Ltd. and Libraries Australia, and travels around Australia, conducting face-to-face training and webinar sessions on RDA, cataloging, and interlibrary loans. Trina Grover is a librarian at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. Her roles include cataloging & acquisitions, subject liaison & teaching, and library systems. Trina is a member of the Canadian Committee on MARC and the Pan-Canadian Working Group on cataloging with RDA.