Professional Media Reviews, December 15, 2010 

Boomers and Beyond: Reconsidering the Role of Libraries. ALA. 2010. 144p. ed. by Pauline Rothstein & Diantha Dow Schull. index. ISBN 9780838910146. pap. $55. PRO MEDIA
Our population is aging. Not only are baby boomers now reaching retirement age, but people are generally living longer. There is a need to better understand and support this relatively active stage of life that follows the phase of traditional work and family life. This volume offers essential concepts and current statistics on this growing population segment and explores opportunities for meeting the needs of older adults through library services. With contributions from librarians, gerontologists, psychologists, anthropologists, sociologists, and others who work with life-span education and services for older Americans, this collection of new pieces is sure to stimulate new thinking and inspire more informed approaches to serving older adults. Plenty of practical suggestions are included along with the theory. VERDICT This compilation of ideas and techniques is highly recommended for all libraries that serve the growing population of older adults.—Lyn Hopper, Dahlonega, GA

Digitization in the Real World: Lessons Learned from Small and Medium-Sized Digitization Projects. METRO. 2010. 592p. ed. by Kwong Bor Ng & Jason Kucsma. illus. ISBN 9780615379982. pap. $60. PRO MEDIA
Digitization of information is necessary to ensure that materials of importance are available to the widest number of people. Kucsma (emerging technologies mgr., Metropolitan New York Lib. Council) and Ng (Graduate Sch. of Library & Information Studies, Queens Coll., CUNY) offer more than 30 case studies by practitioners on their successful digitization projects at repositories including public libraries of all sizes, universities, and other institutions holding special collections. The contributors also address potential barriers to these projects, including time lines, staffing, training, equipment, content management, and optimized handling of nonprint materials. Ultimately, the message is that the time and effort required to preserve historic materials are more than worthwhile for the benefit of the safe storage and dissemination of the information. VERDICT Even nontechnical information professionals will find this book inspirational and easy to understand. For those with a more technical background, there is enough information about metadata to keep them content. Highly recommended for all library professional reading collections, as well as those concerned about the future of information preservation.—Lisa Guidarini, Algonquin Area P.L. Dist., IL

No Shelf Required: E-Books in Libraries. ALA. 2010. 200p. ed. by Sue Polanka. index. ISBN 9780838910542. pap. $65. PRO MEDIA
After a slow start a decade ago, ebooks are finally taking off in a big way. Polanka (head of reference & instruction, Wright State Univ. Libs.), who moderates the No Shelf Required blog, here assembles contributions that will quickly help library staff understand the whys and hows of ebooks and how the format can effectively be added to collections. Each piece in the book covers a different topic and is written by a library professional with expertise in that area, from an overview and history of ebooks and their development to contributions on ebooks in school, public, and academic libraries. Discussions on technological features, interfaces, ebook readers, and data standards are detailed and easy to grasp. Acquisition methods, marketing strategies for different users, budgetary planning, and preservation issues are also covered. VERDICT If you have limited or no knowledge of ebooks, read this volume. Its thorough presentation is required reading for all librarians who have or are adding ebooks to their collections. Highly recommended. [Available in multiple ebook formats.—Ed.]—Marie Bruni, Huntington Memorial Lib., Oneonta, NY

Webber, Desiree & Andrew Peters. Integrated Library Systems: Planning, Selecting, and Implementing. Libraries Unlimited: ABC-CLIO. 2010. 183p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781591588979. pap. $45. PRO MEDIA
Many local libraries are already running a second-, third-, or later-generation integrated library system (ILS) for cataloging and related functions. This book is not for them. But for a library that has not yet put these functions online and wants to do so, it offers a great deal of help at modest cost. It is well organized and provides numerous checklists, sample charts, and scenarios and lots of practical advice. The authors begin by describing systems currently on the market, then provide explanations of how to assess library needs and evaluate software and hardware. They list available basic and add-on features and discuss how to work with sales consultants; prepare plans, budgets, and a request for proposals (RFP); choose a system; and negotiate a contract. Last, they describe how to implement a chosen system. VERDICT While readers can find more detailed coverage of some topics elsewhere (for example, in ALA’s Library Technology Reports), this book tackles the whole process and cites additional resources that can be used. Recommended for librarians seeking to automate for the first time.—Sheila S. Intner, formerly with Simmons GSLIS at Mt. Holyoke Coll., MA