Introduction to Public Librarianship, Fourth Edition

by Jenny S. Bossaller, Denice Adkins, Kathleen de la Peña McCook (foreword)

Dubbed "a peerless ambassador for public libraries, educating future professionals, current professionals in other parts of the field, and anyone else interested about the irreplaceable and irrepressible entities that are public libraries” (Library Quarterly), the newest edition of this trusted resource has been reimagined and restructured to make it even more relevant and useful. The definitive handbook on this branch of the profession, it covers every aspect of the public library, from its earliest history through its current incarnation on the cutting edge of the information environment, including a summary of current and historical issues in public libraries; a new chapter on financing which covers traditional sources, creative funding, capital campaigns, special projects, and the pros and cons of public/private partnerships; statistics, standards, planning, evaluations, and results; legal issues and politics, including how different states are set up, the role of state libraries, defining service population, and when the law and values conflict (such as union/non-union scenarios); updated coverage of important advocacy issues, including advocacy for access, the legal limits of advocacy, involving the community in advocacy, and communicating the effectiveness of the public library to stakeholders; organization, administration, and staffing, from the differences between small libraries and large systems to current issues like non-MLIS library workers and unionization; learning about who public libraries serve by utilizing community analysis, community needs assessments, and diversity considerations; adult services, youth services, children's services, and serving special populations such as older adults, adults with special needs, schools, daycares, and the incarcerated; library technology, from structure and infrastructure to websites and makerspaces; issues related to library buildings and master plans, such as gathering community input and working with an architect on library spaces and library services outside of the library; library associations, state library agencies, and other professional organizations; disaster planning and recovery from technological, ecological, and biological disasters; and global perspectives on public libraries.

Genres: Library Science, Nonfiction

344 pages, Paperback

Published June 9, 2025

Reviews

[Elyrria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an important read for anyone who loves books, libraries, and freedom, even if they aren't a librarian. Despite often being utilized as a textbook, it is very readable and engaging. If you are a grassroots organizer, someone fighting censorship, or a good human who wants to see libraries thrive, this is for you. Each chapter is a concise (but thorough) overview of the topic in the heading, with sources cited at the end. This new edition is relevant for social workers, public administrators, advocates, sociologists, and people who want to fight for the freedom to access information. There's an entire chapter devoted to advocacy for those who want to learn how to support libraries through local funding and other means. This is a practical, down-to-earth approach to librarianship AND responsible community stewardship, and unlike many other librarianship books, it recently came out in June 2025 and is up-to-date!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfectly acceptable and very broad overview of professional public librarianship.