Search results for ""Author Barbara Allan""

The votes are in! Eccentric seventy-something Vivian Borne—elected county sheriff, to everyone’s amazement but her own—springs into action. In her new role, the community playhouse diva appoints daughter Brandy reluctant deputy and makes their spunky shih tzu Sushi a K-9 unit of one.    Soon the amateur-sleuths-turned-pro have a challenging case to solve as a series of creepy crimes plague an ill-fated Edgar Allan Poe festival, where a fiend is misguidedly dispensing Poe-etic justice. Small-town Antiqua, known for its quaint main street of antique shops, has set out to celebrate the gothic poet with food, fun, and rare memorabilia, only to have the Master of the Macabre’s twisted tales come to deadly life.   A purloined tome, a black cat, a musty mausoleum, and mysterious disappearances—these tell the tale of a heartless murderer. But Vivian and Brandy Borne are determined to decipher the cryptic clues

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As spring lassos small-town Serenity, Brandy Borne’s crime-bustin’ mama, Vivian, hatches a harebrained scheme to run for county sheriff—ropin’ in her daughter as campaign manager. First stop: a local assisted-living home, the ideal place to round up some voters and some much-needed funds. But shortly after they rope in a valuable donation, a signed photo of an old-timey cowboy actor, a massive explosion sends Brandy to the ER and the donor to the grave. Now the ditzy duo—aided by their clever shih tzu, Sushi—must lay down the law on a deadly renegade . . .   Don’t miss Brandy Borne’s tips on white elephant sales!   Praise for Barbara Allan and the Trash ‘n’ Treasures Mysteries   “A hilarious team of snoops.”—Joan Hess   “One of the funniest cozy series going.”

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Anyone wishing to be a successful supervisor must learn the interpersonal skills of communication, assertiveness and the psychology of motivation in order to build a successful team with a positive ethos. This book provides a practical guide to supervisory skills for team leaders and supervisors in library and information work. Although reference is made to relevant management concepts, its strength is that it translates theory into practice, and the focus is decidedly on the latter. This is very much a 'how to' guide for anyone wishing to develop a supervisory role in an ILS context. Each topic is covered in a practical and down-to-earth manner, and is illustrated by examples and case studies from different types of ILS. The text also offers self-development inventories and checklists. Key topics covered are: working as a supervisor or team leader motivation confident supervision managing the whole team managing work: delegation and monitoring giving feedback and praise communication skills for supervisors managing difficult situations training and development the supervisor and human resource management gaining support as a supervisor or team leader.

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This book provides a ‘no-nonsense’ guide to project management which will enable library and information professionals to lead or take part in a wide range of projects from large-scale multi-organisation complex projects through to relatively simple local ones. Barbara Allan has fully revised and updated her classic 2004 title Project Management to incorporate considerable developments during the past decade, including: the development and wide-scale acceptance of formal project management methodologies; the use of social media to communicate and disseminate information about projects and the large shift in the types of project library and information workers may be involved in. The text is supported by practical case studies drawn from a wide range of LIS organizations at local, regional, national and international levels. These examples provide an insight into good practice for the practitioner, from an individual working in a voluntary organization on an extremely limited budget, to someone involved in an international project. Content covered includes: an introduction to project management, project workers and the library and information profession different approaches to project management, the project cycle, the people side of projects and management of change discussion of project methodologies, project management software, open source software, collaborative working software and use of social media project initiation, communication, analysis and project briefs developing project infra-structure, scheduling, working out the finances and carrying out a detailed risk analysis implementation, monitoring and reporting and identifying potential problems current approaches to funding, bidding and tendering, and taking part in audits working in partnerships, in diverse and virtual teams, and managing change If you are an LIS professional involved in project work of any kind, whether on a managerial, practical, academic or research level, this is an invaluable resource for you.

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This book provides a ‘no-nonsense’ guide to project management which will enable library and information professionals to lead or take part in a wide range of projects from large-scale multi-organisation complex projects through to relatively simple local ones. Barbara Allan has fully revised and updated her classic 2004 title Project Management to incorporate considerable developments during the past decade, including: the development and wide-scale acceptance of formal project management methodologies; the use of social media to communicate and disseminate information about projects and the large shift in the types of project library and information workers may be involved in. The text is supported by practical case studies drawn from a wide range of LIS organizations at local, regional, national and international levels. These examples provide an insight into good practice for the practitioner, from an individual working in a voluntary organization on an extremely limited budget, to someone involved in an international project. Content covered includes: an introduction to project management, project workers and the library and information profession different approaches to project management, the project cycle, the people side of projects and management of change discussion of project methodologies, project management software, open source software, collaborative working software and use of social media project initiation, communication, analysis and project briefs developing project infra-structure, scheduling, working out the finances and carrying out a detailed risk analysis implementation, monitoring and reporting and identifying potential problems current approaches to funding, bidding and tendering, and taking part in audits working in partnerships, in diverse and virtual teams, and managing change If you are an LIS professional involved in project work of any kind, whether on a managerial, practical, academic or research level, this is an invaluable resource for you.

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This practical handbook is an essential course companion for business and management students at degree level. It contains case studies, exercises, tips and self-assessment tools that will help students with their personal and professional development. The book covers key areas, such as: Learning and teaching methods Study strategies Time management Research methods Assessment activities Exam techniques Job searching And it also emphasizes the skills that are key for business and management courses, which include: Academic writing Critical and reflective thinking Effective communication Interpersonal skills Project management Research skills Team working Study Skills for Business and Management Students has been carefully structured to be used throughout a degree course in order to hone the skills necessary to get a good degree and begin a successful career. An accompanying website www.openup.co.uk/businesssuccess has more information on related careers with up-to-date web links.

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Straightforward and practical guidance for library and information workers in all sectors who are involved in training users, colleagues or other groups. In order to make an impact with their customers, library staff must be well trained and up-to-date. Training is often delivered by library managers, development officers and trainers who may have limited budgets with access to few resources. This accessible guide uses case studies and examples of best practice from public, school, academic, special and government libraries to help library and information workers deliver excellent training practice. Increasingly, library and information staff are being asked to do more and more with fewer resources. In the context of higher education and further education, library and information workers are often involved in training large, diverse groups of more than 100 students, who may have limited resources. In public libraries, library staff may be involved in delivering a wide range of training activities to extremely diverse groups. Many library and information workers in special libraries deliver end-user and specialist training to busy professionals who are unlikely to have the time to attend pre-scheduled workshops. In addition, the rise of social networking tools and other information and communication technologies, has meant that training practices are continually changing to meet the expectations of participants. This book provides guidance on the design and delivery of effective training courses and is aimed at helping experienced trainers, as well as those who are still developing their skills, including: The people side of training Use of technologies to support training practices Different approaches to learning and teaching Planning and designing training Delivering training: face-to-face and blended learning Evaluation of training events and continuous improvement Learning and development in the workplace. Readership: All library and information workers involved in training.

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The importance of supporting the needs of research students has recently risen higher up the academic agenda around the world. Numbers of postgraduate students have expanded, and the traditional PhD has now been joined by a new range of doctoral qualifications including professional doctorates such as the Doctor in Business Administration (DBA). These developments have led to a more diverse student body which now includes senior professional practitioners. This shift has seen an acknowledgement that support services within universities must cater more for the needs of research students. While the library and information profession is a graduate one, a relatively small number of LIS professionals have a research degree. This means that, though they are likely to have experience of carrying out smaller scale research projects, they will not have experienced and internalized the distinct learning processes involved in gaining a doctorate. This timely book offers guidance to enable them to support the specialist needs of research students effectively. Individual chapters are designed to be read and worked through in any order. The key areas covered are: research and the research process the research student’s experience research skills training supporting research students in academic libraries and information services virtual graduate schools introduction to research communities professional development. Readership: This is an essential text for all library and information professionals in higher education institutions globally that cater for the needs of research students. It will also be valuable reading for LIS students.

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This book provides a straight forward and pragmatic guide to leadership, management and team working in contemporary library and information services. Contemporary managers and leaders in library and information services are working in a challenging context; dealing with multiple demands on their time, expertise and resources. This book translates theories in team work, management and leadership into practical guidance backed up with examples and case studies from current library and information workers globally. There is a focus on attitudes, values and practices that make for good leadership and management. The book covers: analysing your environment, understanding culture and developing strategies working in the senior team and making an impact confident leadership and management, decision making, problem solving and managing crises leading, managing and supervising your team, establishing working practices and conflict management delegation, dealing with overload and evaluating outcomes managing large and small projects and the people side of projects innovation and management of the change process communications, managing e-mails and text messages and effective use of social media recruitment and selection and performance management managing and leading complex teams including collaborative, multi-professional, partnership and virtual teams budgeting, managing finances, tendering, crowdfunding and taking part in audits managing work/life balance, coaching and mentoring, emotional intelligence, resilience and mindfulness. The No-Nonsense Guide to Leadership, Management and Teamwork is a book that a new or aspiring manager or team leader will use to guide them through the first few years in their new role. It will also provide guidance and support to new or aspiring directors of library services and help them to navigate their way through decision making and problem solving at senior levels. In addition, individual practitioners who are struggling to understand the management and leadership practices that they are experiencing may find that it helps them to make sense of their current environment.

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Eccentric antiques dealer and amateur sleuth Vivian Borne finds herself in jail - again! - when a podcast star is found dead in her hotel room in this new Trash ''n'' Treasures cozy mystery - one of the funniest cozy series going (Ellery Queen Magazine)When popular podcaster Nicole Chatterton wants an interview for Killers Caught, true-crime author Vivian Borne is overjoyed. Finally, some recognition for the sleuthing skills the septuagenarian antiques dealer and her daughter Brandy have demonstrated, solving countless crimes in their small hometown of Serenity, Iowa!Dolled up and dressed to the nines, Vivian figures the interview is going swimmingly . . . until Nicole turns the tables, accusing the mother/daughter duo of committing the very crimes they solved. Shocked and affronted - and with a spiteful tirade captured by the cameras - Vivian breaks off the interview, ejecting the rude podcaster from the premises of the Trash ''n'' Treasu

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This essential guide should be on the desk of any library and information professional, records manager, archivist or knowledge manager involved in planning and introducing an ERM system, whether in a public or private sector organization. Information professionals currently face the challenge of providing end-user education and staff training to very large and diverse groups, whilst integrating the use of ICT into their teaching. But there seems to be a tendency within the literature to focus solely on face-to-face learning or on e-learning, and this is a lost opportunity. This book offers a new blended learning approach, combining the two techniques to make best use of the advantages of each while minimizing the disadvantages. It provides information professionals with a practical guide to the design and delivery of such training programmes, illustrated with a range of library-based examples, checklists and case studies. Many organizations establish projects, sometimes using external funding, as a means of developing their education and training provision, and the book provides a practical overview of this subject in the context of blended learning. Key areas covered include: technologies in the classroom virtual communication tools integrated learning environments websites and web tools models of teaching and learning planning and designing learning activities individual and group learning coaching and mentoring engaging with communities of interest and practice managing learning and teaching projects. Readership: This unique book will be of great value to any information professionals involved in establishing and delivering end-user education and staff development, whatever their previous experience. It will also benefit staff developers in school, college and higher education, library and information students, independent consultants and trainers, and information suppliers such as database providers.

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