Librarianship in times of crisis [electronic resource] / edited by Anne Woodsworth.

Includes indexes.

Preface / Anne Woodsworth -- A library 'state of the state' : trends, issues, and myths / Keith Michael Fiels -- The role of public libraries, the Internet, and economic uncertainty / Kathryn Sigler, Paul T. Jaeger, John Carlo Bertot, Abigail J. McDermott, Elizabeth J. DeCoster, Lesley A. Langa -- Cutback management in US public libraries : deliberations, decision spaces, and reflections / Jennifer Weil Arns, Evelyn H. Daniel -- Forced advocacy : how communities respond to library budget cuts / Lisa K. Hussey, Diane L. Velasquez -- Changing organizations : three case studies / W. David Penniman -- Refocusing distinctive capabilities : strategic shifts in Harvard's Baker Library services / Cynthia Churchwell, Mallory Stark, Debra Wallace -- The best things in life are free (or pretty cheap) : three mobile initiatives that can be done now / Lilia Murray -- 'Free puppies' : integrating Web resources into online catalogs / Robert L. Bothmann, Kellian Clink -- Bringing order out of chaos : benchmarking tools used in merging university libraries in Finland / Ari Muhonen, Ulla Nygrén, Jarmo Saarti -- Innovation for survival : from cooperation to collaboration / Jennifer Rowley.

The field of librarianship has undergone traumatic shifts (mostly downward) due to the global financial meltdown that began in the fall of 2008. Libraries have been deeply affected by the worst recession since the Great Depression. While "Advances in Librarianship" endeavors to identify trends and innovations, the trend addressed in this volume is admittedly not a happy one. The current climate does however, present opportunities for analysis, and far reaching searches for solutions and innovations that can alleviate the challenges created by the clash of fiscal retrenchment with steadily increasing use of libraries. Therefore this volume addresses the ripple effects of the economic recession from the point of view of librarianship, the need for advocacy, and the necessity to tout the value that libraries bring to their communities. Chapters focus on identifying means to change library and library related organizations so that they focus on distinctive assets and strengths, use free or low cost resources and technologies, and position themselves to take advantage of collaborative initiatives.