Professional Media Reviews, November 1, 2010 

Fulton, Crystal. Information Pathways: A Problem-Solving Approach to Information Literacy. Scarecrow. 2010. c.154p. illus. index. ISBN 9780810874268. pap. $40. PRO MEDIA
Fulton (Sch. of Information & Library Studies, Univ. Coll., Dublin) presents a straightforward guide to conducting research and becoming information literate. Encapsulating several library school courses, the text is too basic for information professionals; however, it’s a good vehicle for explaining library research to novice library users in high school and college settings. Divided into 11 chapters, the book addresses factual information, how to research writing, numeric literacy, and other information-literacy topics. Each chapter starts with an introduction and specific learning objectives before moving on to manageable chunks of information. There are also quotes and diagrams throughout to emphasize the details. What makes Fulton’s book effective is the inclusion of exercises—this moves the content from theory to practice. VERDICT A useful tool for semester-long info lit courses or as a quick reference for students already familiar with the basics of research.—Nicole A. Cooke, Montclair State Univ. Lib., NJ

Lubans, John, Jr. “Leading from the Middle,” and Other Contrarian Essays on Library Leadership. ABC-CLIO. (Beta Phi Mu Monograph). 2010. c.192p. photogs. index. ISBN 9781598845778. pap. $50. PRO MEDIA
Lubans—leadership and management consultant, teacher, former library administrator, and longtime columnist for Library Leadership & Management—here collects 36 of his essays, “comprehensively revised for currency and relevance.” The essays touch on many aspects of leadership and management, from teams and coaching to quality, productivity, problem solving, communication, and more. All emphasize that democratic organizations and shared leadership are critical for successful organizations and fulfilled, productive employees. He combines anecdotes from his own experience with management research and case studies from outside libraryland (e.g., the airline industry, sports, and music) to show that autonomous, respected staff are more effective and provide better service than those subjected to command-and-control bureaucracies that stifle innovation and morale. Opinionated, engaging, and occasionally funny, Lubans challenges traditions, questions assumptions, and slays several sacred library cows. Many of these essays would be great fodder for discussion in a leadership group or staff meeting. VERDICT This refreshing, thought-provoking collection is highly recommended for library staff at all levels, as well as library school students.—Janet A. Crum, City of Hope Lib., Duarte, CA

Reference Renaissance: Current and Future Trends. Neal-Schuman. 2010. c.312p. ed. by Marie L. Radford & R. David Lankes. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781555706807. pap. $75. PRO MEDIA
These 22 essays are all based on (and updated from) presentations given at the August 2008 Reference Renaissance Conference by 38 international scholars. Separated into three parts, the work begins with an overview of the state of reference services. The next part is dedicated to what research tells us about reference—virtual reference; approaches, values, and philosophy of reference service; and innovative service models. The last part covers reference in action with reports from the field, sorted into four subsections: virtual reference, search engines and tools, innovative service models and marketing, and staff development and training. Containing images, tables, and charts, this work reads as any conference proceedings might read when the full presentations are included. VERDICT Exploring the growth and changing nature of reference—and technologies and methods by which to provide reference—this volume will benefit any librarian or future librarian seeking information on changes in reference services, both current and projected.—Sara Rofofsky Marcus, Queensborough Community Coll. Lib., Bayside, NY

Secker, Jane. Copyright and E-Learning: A Guide for Practitioners. Neal-Schuman. 2010. c.192p. illus. index. ISBN 9781856046657. pap. $105. PRO MEDIA
Learning technology librarian Secker (London Sch. of Economics) has previously written on electronic resources, frequently using case studies. This text (a guide, not a legal text) includes case studies on e-learning challenges with a focus on copyright—four from the UK and one each from New Zealand, Switzerland (an English-speaking university), and the United States. The U.S. case study comes via a mid-sized liberal arts college that successfully developed its own e-reserves system. However, the background chapter includes an accurate overview of U.S. copyright law; presumably the same is true for the sections on the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The case studies are scattered throughout the core chapters, which range from virtual learning environments including courseware like Blackboard through Web 2.0 tools, concluding with recommendations for copyright training for employees at all organizational levels. The chapter on multimedia has useful tips on legally using visual and audio content to enhance academic lectures. VERDICT In the United States, this text would be most suited for law and academic librarians with a global scope.—Sara Tompson, Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles