Description

Book Synopsis

This third edition of Information Services Today: An Introduction demonstrates the ever-changing landscape of information services today and the need to re-evaluate curriculum, competency training, professional development, and lifelong learning in order to stay abreast of current trends and issues, and more significantly, remain competent to address the changing user needs of information communities. Specifically, the Information Services Today: An Introduction:

  • provides a thorough introduction, history, and overall state of the field,
  • explores different types of information communities, the varying information needs within those communities, and the role of equity of access, diversity, inclusion, and social justice in those communities,
  • addresses why information organizations and information and technological literacy are more important today than ever before,
  • discusses how technology has influenced the ways that information professionals provide information resources and services in today’s digital environment,
  • highlights current issues and trends and provides expert insight into emerging challenges, innovations, and opportunities for the future, and
  • identifies career management strategies and leadership opportunities in the information professions.

The new edition features chapter updates to address changes in information services, introducing new/updated topics such as emergency/crisis management/community resilience, sustainability, data analysis and visualization, social justice, and equity of access, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Information Services Today: An Introduction begins with an overview of libraries and their transformation as information and technological hubs within their local and digital communities, as well as trends impacting the information field. Information Services Today: An Introduction covers the various specializations within the field – emphasizing the exciting yet complex roles and opportunities for information professionals in a variety of information environments. With that foundation in place, it presents the fundamentals of information services, delves into management skills needed by information professionals today, and explores emerging issues related to the rapid development of new technologies. Information Services Today: An Introduction addresses how libraries and information centers serve different kinds of communities, highlighting the unique needs of increasingly diverse users.

Information Services Today: An Introduction provokes discussion, critical thinking, and interaction to facilitate the learning process. The content and supplemental materials – discussion questions, rich sets of online accessible materials, multimedia webcast interviews featuring authors from this book discussing the trends and issues in their respective areas, and chapter presentation slides for use by instructors – give readers the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of and engagement with the topics.



Table of Contents

List of Abbreviations

List of Figures

List of Tables

List of Online Materials

List of Appendixes

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgments

PART I: INFORMATION LANDSCAPES
Chapter 1: What it Means to be an Information Professional Today

Sandra Hirsh

Chapter 2: History of Libraries, Information, and Communities

Christine Pawley

Chapter 3: The Transformative Information Landscape

Stephen Abram

PART II: INFORMATION USERS

Chapter 4: Information Communities

Karen E. Fisher and Crystal Fulton

Chapter 5: Information Needs

Heather O’Brien, Devon Greyson, Heather De Forest, and Kristina McDavid

Chapter 6: Equity of Access, Diversity, and Inclusion

Kawanna Bright

Chapter 7: Social Justice

Melissa I. Cardenas-Dow

PART III: INFORMATION ORGANIZATIONS

Chapter 8: Literacy and Media Centers: School Libraries

Mary Ann Harlan

Chapter 9: Learning and Research Institutions: Academic Libraries

Mary Ann Mavrinac

Chapter 10: Community Anchors for Lifelong Learning: Public Libraries

Erica Freudenberger

Chapter 11: Different Information Environments: Special Libraries and Information Centers

Crystal S. Megaridis with Cara Marcus, Brandy King, Michelle Drabik,
and Dawn Lynn

PART IV: INFORMATION SERVICES

Chapter 12: Virtual Resources and Services

Ellyssa Valenti Kroski

Chapter 13: Information Intermediation and Reference Services

Johanna Tunon

Chapter 14: Metadata, Cataloging, Linked Data, and the Evolving ILS

Mary K. Bolin

Chapter 15: Curation and Preservation

Katherine Skinner

Chapter 16: User Experience

Courtney McDonald

Chapter 17: Accessing Information Anywhere and Anytime: Access Services

Michael J. Krasulski

Chapter 18: Teaching Users: Information and Technology Literacy Instruction

Bernd Becker

Chapter 19: Hyperlinked Libraries

Michael Stephens

Chapter 20: Creation Culture and Makerspaces

Kristin Fontichiaro

PART V: MANAGING INFORMATION ORGANIZATIONS

Chapter 21: Strategic Planning

Lisa G. Rosenblum

Chapter 22: Change Management

Ruth Barefoot

Chapter 23: Community Resilience

Rebekkah Smith Aldrich and Michele Pavone Stricker

Chapter 24: Managing Budgets
Sara F. Jones

Chapter 25: Managing Human Resources

Maureen L. Mackenzie-Ruppel, Bruce Haller, and Robert Goch

Chapter 26: The Design Thinking Process

Rachel Ivy Clarke

Chapter 27: Managing Collections

Wayne T. Disher

Chapter 28: Managing Technology

Marshall Breeding

Chapter 29: Data Management, Analysis, and Visualization

H. Frank Cervone

Chapter 30: Communication, Marketing, and Outreach Strategies

Susan W. Alman

Chapter 31: Advocacy

Patrick “PC” Sweeney

PART VI: INFORMATION ISSUES

Chapter 32: Information Policy

Paul T. Jaeger

Chapter 33: Information Ethics

Martin L. Garnar

Chapter 34: Copyright and Creative Commons

Mary Minow and Liz Hamilton

Chapter 35: Information Licensing

Celeste Feather, Sharla Lair, and Jill Grogg

Chapter 36: Open Access

Heather Joseph

Chapter 37: Information Privacy and Cybersecurity

Cherie L. Givens

Chapter 38: Intellectual Freedom

Deborah Caldwell-Stone

PART VII: INFORMATION HORIZONS

Chapter 39: Career Management Strategies for Lifelong Success

Kim Dority

Chapter 40: Leadership Skills for Today’s Global Information Landscape

Kendra Albright

Glossary of Terms

Bibliography

About the Editor

About the Contributing Authors

Index

Information Services Today: An Introduction

    Product form

    £100.80

    Includes FREE delivery

    RRP £112.00 – you save £11.20 (10%)

    Order before 4pm tomorrow for delivery by Fri 19 Jun 2026.

    A Hardback by Sandra Hirsh

    Out of stock


      View other formats and editions of Information Services Today: An Introduction by Sandra Hirsh

      Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
      Publication Date: 24/03/2022
      ISBN13: 9781538156698, 978-1538156698
      ISBN10: 1538156695

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      This third edition of Information Services Today: An Introduction demonstrates the ever-changing landscape of information services today and the need to re-evaluate curriculum, competency training, professional development, and lifelong learning in order to stay abreast of current trends and issues, and more significantly, remain competent to address the changing user needs of information communities. Specifically, the Information Services Today: An Introduction:

      • provides a thorough introduction, history, and overall state of the field,
      • explores different types of information communities, the varying information needs within those communities, and the role of equity of access, diversity, inclusion, and social justice in those communities,
      • addresses why information organizations and information and technological literacy are more important today than ever before,
      • discusses how technology has influenced the ways that information professionals provide information resources and services in today’s digital environment,
      • highlights current issues and trends and provides expert insight into emerging challenges, innovations, and opportunities for the future, and
      • identifies career management strategies and leadership opportunities in the information professions.

      The new edition features chapter updates to address changes in information services, introducing new/updated topics such as emergency/crisis management/community resilience, sustainability, data analysis and visualization, social justice, and equity of access, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Information Services Today: An Introduction begins with an overview of libraries and their transformation as information and technological hubs within their local and digital communities, as well as trends impacting the information field. Information Services Today: An Introduction covers the various specializations within the field – emphasizing the exciting yet complex roles and opportunities for information professionals in a variety of information environments. With that foundation in place, it presents the fundamentals of information services, delves into management skills needed by information professionals today, and explores emerging issues related to the rapid development of new technologies. Information Services Today: An Introduction addresses how libraries and information centers serve different kinds of communities, highlighting the unique needs of increasingly diverse users.

      Information Services Today: An Introduction provokes discussion, critical thinking, and interaction to facilitate the learning process. The content and supplemental materials – discussion questions, rich sets of online accessible materials, multimedia webcast interviews featuring authors from this book discussing the trends and issues in their respective areas, and chapter presentation slides for use by instructors – give readers the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of and engagement with the topics.



      Table of Contents

      List of Abbreviations

      List of Figures

      List of Tables

      List of Online Materials

      List of Appendixes

      Foreword

      Preface

      Acknowledgments

      PART I: INFORMATION LANDSCAPES
      Chapter 1: What it Means to be an Information Professional Today

      Sandra Hirsh

      Chapter 2: History of Libraries, Information, and Communities

      Christine Pawley

      Chapter 3: The Transformative Information Landscape

      Stephen Abram

      PART II: INFORMATION USERS

      Chapter 4: Information Communities

      Karen E. Fisher and Crystal Fulton

      Chapter 5: Information Needs

      Heather O’Brien, Devon Greyson, Heather De Forest, and Kristina McDavid

      Chapter 6: Equity of Access, Diversity, and Inclusion

      Kawanna Bright

      Chapter 7: Social Justice

      Melissa I. Cardenas-Dow

      PART III: INFORMATION ORGANIZATIONS

      Chapter 8: Literacy and Media Centers: School Libraries

      Mary Ann Harlan

      Chapter 9: Learning and Research Institutions: Academic Libraries

      Mary Ann Mavrinac

      Chapter 10: Community Anchors for Lifelong Learning: Public Libraries

      Erica Freudenberger

      Chapter 11: Different Information Environments: Special Libraries and Information Centers

      Crystal S. Megaridis with Cara Marcus, Brandy King, Michelle Drabik,
      and Dawn Lynn

      PART IV: INFORMATION SERVICES

      Chapter 12: Virtual Resources and Services

      Ellyssa Valenti Kroski

      Chapter 13: Information Intermediation and Reference Services

      Johanna Tunon

      Chapter 14: Metadata, Cataloging, Linked Data, and the Evolving ILS

      Mary K. Bolin

      Chapter 15: Curation and Preservation

      Katherine Skinner

      Chapter 16: User Experience

      Courtney McDonald

      Chapter 17: Accessing Information Anywhere and Anytime: Access Services

      Michael J. Krasulski

      Chapter 18: Teaching Users: Information and Technology Literacy Instruction

      Bernd Becker

      Chapter 19: Hyperlinked Libraries

      Michael Stephens

      Chapter 20: Creation Culture and Makerspaces

      Kristin Fontichiaro

      PART V: MANAGING INFORMATION ORGANIZATIONS

      Chapter 21: Strategic Planning

      Lisa G. Rosenblum

      Chapter 22: Change Management

      Ruth Barefoot

      Chapter 23: Community Resilience

      Rebekkah Smith Aldrich and Michele Pavone Stricker

      Chapter 24: Managing Budgets
      Sara F. Jones

      Chapter 25: Managing Human Resources

      Maureen L. Mackenzie-Ruppel, Bruce Haller, and Robert Goch

      Chapter 26: The Design Thinking Process

      Rachel Ivy Clarke

      Chapter 27: Managing Collections

      Wayne T. Disher

      Chapter 28: Managing Technology

      Marshall Breeding

      Chapter 29: Data Management, Analysis, and Visualization

      H. Frank Cervone

      Chapter 30: Communication, Marketing, and Outreach Strategies

      Susan W. Alman

      Chapter 31: Advocacy

      Patrick “PC” Sweeney

      PART VI: INFORMATION ISSUES

      Chapter 32: Information Policy

      Paul T. Jaeger

      Chapter 33: Information Ethics

      Martin L. Garnar

      Chapter 34: Copyright and Creative Commons

      Mary Minow and Liz Hamilton

      Chapter 35: Information Licensing

      Celeste Feather, Sharla Lair, and Jill Grogg

      Chapter 36: Open Access

      Heather Joseph

      Chapter 37: Information Privacy and Cybersecurity

      Cherie L. Givens

      Chapter 38: Intellectual Freedom

      Deborah Caldwell-Stone

      PART VII: INFORMATION HORIZONS

      Chapter 39: Career Management Strategies for Lifelong Success

      Kim Dority

      Chapter 40: Leadership Skills for Today’s Global Information Landscape

      Kendra Albright

      Glossary of Terms

      Bibliography

      About the Editor

      About the Contributing Authors

      Index

      Recently viewed products

      © 2026 Book Curl

        • American Express
        • Apple Pay
        • Diners Club
        • Discover
        • Google Pay
        • Maestro
        • Mastercard
        • PayPal
        • Shop Pay
        • Union Pay
        • Visa

        Login

        Forgot your password?

        Don't have an account yet?
        Create account