Crash Course in Children's Services

Useful for newcomers to the children's library staff as well as longtime children's librarians, the second edition of this popular handbook provides easy-to-follow instructions to make innovations in children's library materials work for you.

Addressing everything from the basics of reference to the complex and highly specialized duties of program development, this handbook is perfect for both librarians and support staff who are assigned to the children's department of a library. This second addition of Crash Course in Children's Services covers many of the new issues facing children's library staff, including eBooks, using apps in programming, other online reading options, book trailers, nonfiction and the Common Core curriculum. It also describes expanded programming options such as makerspaces, gaming, dog reading programs, and play at storytime.

Ideal for new children's librarians as well as experienced library staff who have not worked with children recently and long-time children's librarians looking to add new skills to their tool kits, the book familiarizes readers with all the new developments of the past few years, from online reading options to the wealth of new programming aimed at youth. You'll learn about subjects such as pop-up and passive programming, offering online homework help, and outreach and services to special needs children, and then quickly implement new practices into use at your library.

• Covers new technologies and Common Core standards in addition to traditional areas of children's services

• Allows any library staff to comfortably assist children searching for reference and homework help, offer effective readers' advisory assistance, and perform basic promotion of books to children

• Supplies information that is useful for newcomers to the children's library staff and those who substitute at the children's desk as well as longtime children's librarians or experienced staff taking on new responsibilities