The Personal Librarian

February 1, 2015

Librarians have always looked for ways to connect with their patrons, be they students or the general public. This relationship goes beyond bringing the right resource to the right person--it also means close collaboration with patrons, understanding information needs, and moving to the overarching concept of information literacy. Moniz (director of library services, Johnson & Wales Univ., Fundamentals for the Academic Liaison) and Moats (collections management librarian, Johnson & Wales Univ.) stress this collaborative aspect of librarianship, seeking to inspire librarians in this innovative direction. Each chapter in their concise volume places personal librarianship in context by building upon established concepts, including information literacy, embedded librarianship, and liaisons. In addition to the authors sharing real-world examples from inside and outside the profession, they also present chapters that are steeped in scholarship, providing a sound basis for beginning a personal librarian program in any type of academic setting. Finally, best processes are related, rounding out this compact and erudite discussion. VERDICT Practicing librarians in all types of libraries who are wishing to expand their services will welcome this work to their collections. Those who value David Shumaker's The Embedded Librarian will find this a motivating guide.--Maria Bagshaw, Elgin Community Coll. Lib., IL

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