Professional Development for School Librarians 2025
Welcome, librarians
ABC-CLIO, including the Libraries Unlimited imprint, joined the Bloomsbury family in 2022. In 2024, Rowman & Littlefield also joined Bloomsbury, uniting our Library and Information Science lists. Under our new name of Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited, we are delighted to continue our mission to elevate librarian expertise through publishing innovative and empowering professional development materials.
Anticipating and meeting your evolving professional needs remains at the heart of everything we do. This year, we are proud to offer a focused selection of titles designed to anchor library practice in instruction, leadership, and career development. Youth Social Action in the Library (p. 7) provides libraries with a global yet practical framework for fostering student civic engagement, empathy, and social activism, supported by real-world examples and alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Quick‑Start Library Guide (p. 12) serves as a compassionate mentor for building foundational knowledge about cataloging, programming, and collaboration. And in Seeking Meaning, 30th Anniversary Edition (p. 19), readers revisit Kuhlthau’s enduring Information Search Process model, including new essays that illuminate the model’s resonance in today’s AI-shaped information landscape. These 2025 titles, alongside our broader catalog of acclaimed LIS resources, are crafted to support your work with confidence, insight, and purpose.
We appreciate all your efforts to cultivate inclusive and welcoming learning spaces for all students and provide the wider educational community with expertise, leadership, and inspiration in challenging times. You’re empowering the next generation to seek, find, and understand information that broadens their horizons and builds the skills needed for lifetime learning. Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited stands beside you and shares your passion for supporting the learners of today—and tomorrow.
LEARNING MATERIALS FOR STUDENTS
Our award-winning introductory reference books equip readers with unbiased, accessible, and trustworthy knowledge. We are proud to support librarians in the quest to foster independent critical thinking and the awareness and exploration of complex issues. To learn more, visit Bloomsbury.com/ABC-CLIO-books
We also publish digital databases for schools that cover core topics in social studies, combining standards-aligned content with built-in tools for lesson planning, instruction, and student research. To learn more, visit abc-clio.com
This catalog contains a selection of our recent publishing. To view our full suite of materials, please visit bloomsbury.com/BLU
Please note that while we try our best to ensure that prices, publication dates, and other details are correct on going to press, they are subject to change without notice.
Our books are also available in ePub/ ePDF formats. For more information, please visit bloomsbury.com
Bloomsbury Collections also offers perpetual access to individual eBooks on a title-by-title basis, as well as collections of titles.
See www.bloomsburycollections.com
Literature and Primary Sources
The Perfect Pairing for Student Learning
Tom Bober & Rebecca Newland
Enrich student engagement and deepen learning with this guide to foolproof techniques and strategies to integrate primary sources and literature to benefit learners from kindergarten through high school. Readers of all ages experience literature in a different light when historical context is provided via primary sources. Literature, meanwhile, helps learners to uncover additional layers of meaning inherent in primary sources. Guided by best practices developed by the authors over years of working with both students and teachers, this book speaks to the countless opportunities for instructors to integrate related primary sources with the literature that students read in school classrooms—from historical fiction and poetry to graphic novels.
❝A resourceful tool for educators seeking to create more engaging and informative lessons that connect literature with the rich tapestry of historical and cultural contexts.”
–School Library Journal
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Tom Bober is a school librarian at Captain Elementary in St. Louis, MO, USA, and a former Teacher in Residence at the Library of Congress. Rebecca Newland is a high school librarian in Fairfax County, Virginia, USA, and a former Teacher in Residence at the Library of Congress.
Copyright and Intellectual Property
Teaching Copyright
Practical Lesson Ideas and Instructional Resources
Sara E. Wolf
This book provides explicit guidance based on U.S. copyright law in the teaching of copyright and related concepts to learners at schools, colleges, and universities. Instructors are supported with time-saving resources such as lesson templates, scenarios, practice activities, and a downloadable test question bank. Additionally, Bloom’s Taxonomy labels lessons, activities, and assessment items to enable an appropriately diverse set of learning for students. Instead of reducing copyright to simple recall, the lessons and information in this text will help instructors develop higher-level thinking about copyright and assist them in measuring learners’ abilities not just to remember, but also to analyze and evaluate copyright dilemmas.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sara E. Wolf, PhD, is Associate Professor of Library Media and Educational Technology at Auburn University, AL, USA.
US
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited Beta Phi Mu Scholars Series
Book Banning in 21st-Century America
Second Edition
Emily J. M. Knox
This book, based on 25 contemporary book challenge cases in schools and public libraries across the United States, argues that understanding contemporary reading practices, especially interpretive strategies, is vital to understanding why people attempt to censor books in public institutions. The book focuses on the why of censorship and posits that many censorship behaviors and practices, such as challenging books, are intimately tied to how one understands the practice of reading and its effects on character development and behavior. In order to understand why people challenge books, it presents a model of how the practice of reading is understood by challengers, including “what it means” to read a text, and especially how one constructs the idea of “appropriate” reading materials.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emily J. M. Knox is a Professor in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA. She is also a member of the Mapping Information Access research team.
Your book explores how reading practices influence decisions to challenge or censor books. Can you walk us through what inspired this angle and how it differs from typical censorship discourse?
“I've always been interested in how reading books can change who you are as a person. Most people are able to name at least one book that changed their life in some way. If we consider that reading is a powerful act, it's not surprising that people try to control what other people read. Censorship discourse often focuses on the legal aspects or arguments over free speech online. I try to get to the heart of the relationship between books and censorship, which is reading.”
US June 2023 | UK June 2023
256 pages
PB 9781440879760 | $60.95 | £47.00
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
The Fight against Book Bans Perspectives from the Field
Edited by Shannon M. Oltmann
AuthorQ&A
This volume captures the views of dozens of librarians and library science professors regarding the recent flood of book challenges across the United States, gathered in a comprehensive analysis of their impact and significance. It also serves as a guide to responding to challenges.
❝This book provides helpful tips for dealing with allies/opponents during challenge attempts—including parents, trustees, and politicians—and it stresses the need for well-written, thoughtfully considered collection, selection, and reconsideration policies. All librarians will benefit from reading this book and following the guidance within.” –Choice 360
ABOUT THE EDITOR
Shannon M. Oltmann is Associate Professor in the School of Information Science at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY, USA.
Children’s and Young Adult Services and Programs
US August 2025 | UK August 2025
208 pages
PB 9798216184249 | $54.95 | £35.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
WALK AWAY WITH
Read Me a Tree, Rhyme Me a Bee
Books and Activities for Nature Storytime
Heather McNeil
Experts agree that it's essential for children to spend time exploring and enjoying the outdoors; when they come back in, librarians and teachers can supplement their adventures with nature storytimes. In this comprehensive book full of storytime plans, veteran children’s librarian Heather McNeil recommends storytime books that encourage respect for nature and an understanding of the fragility of ecosystems. Each chapter includes crafts, games, songs, and rhymes that focus on learning about and appreciating nature. Some crafts use items from the outdoors; others represent nature’s beauty or mystery.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Heather McNeil is Manager of Youth Services at Deschutes Public Libraries, Bend, Oregon, USA.
Everything needed for a successful storytime that promotes an appreciation of nature, including book titles, rhymes, songs, crafts, and games
Research that explains the importance of children connecting with nature
Extensive bibliographies of recommended children’s books as well as educational resources, both online and in print
What advice do you have for a new librarian or teacher who wants to start nature-themed storytimes?
“Search the online catalog for books about whatever fascinates you, because then you'll be invested. Maybe you have a friendly squirrel in your yard. Find a book you love about a squirrel, read it to the listeners, and then tell the story of your personal encounters with that squirrel. On the other hand, maybe you're afraid of snakes. Find a funny story about a silly snake, laugh with the children, and share your own fear so they can share theirs. Storytime should always be fun, and if you're reading a book YOU like, and singing songs that make YOU giggle, and making a craft that enhances the story, then the children will perceive your joy and that story will be received with joy.”
Was there a moment in your career when you saw firsthand how nature-themed stories made an impact on a child?
“When I read fox stories I always bring along Yippers, my fox puppet, and the children are convinced he is real and can enlighten them about his life in the forest. Children brought me feathers, seashells, and dandelions, telling me in great detail where and how they acquired their treasures because they knew my passion for nature.”
Children’s and Young Adult Services and Programs
US February 2025 | UK February 2025
248 pages
PB 9781440870378 | $49.95 | £36.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
Youth Social Action in the Library
Cultivating Change Makers
Gina Seymour
This book outlines school and public library programs, activities, and collaborative projects that will help students learn how to accomplish their goals in their communities. Highlighting the role of the librarian in fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills, the book explores controversial topics to qualify and expand best practices. By incorporating the programs in the book, librarians can help students learn how to have reasoned arguments inside and outside of the classroom and to become responsible members of society. UN Sustainable Development Goals are addressed, making this book not only based in community but global in scope. Numerous examples of youth activism from volunteering to protest marches are explained and are broad enough to be applied not only to current trends but also to future causes.
❝A useful and encouraging resource for educators seeking to promote advocacy, civic engagement, and social action among students.”
–School Library Journal
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gina Seymour is library media specialist at Islip High School, USA, and author of Makers with a Cause: Creative Service Projects for Library Youth (2018).
US February 2025 | UK February 2025
248 pages
PB 9798216190127 | $29.95 | £21.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
100 Glues, Brews, and Goos
Kid-Tested Activities That Stimulate Creativity and Critical Thinking
Diana F. Marks
Illustrated by Donna L. Farrell
Never run out of activity ideas again with this book of 100 kid-tested, child-centered activities. Recipes and formulas stimulate creativity, critical thinking, and fun. They work solo or in groups and fill rainy days with hands-on activities. Librarians, teachers, and adult family members will appreciate their connection to broad areas of learning, including STEAM and the language arts. Recipes can travel the globe and be enjoyed by people from a variety of cultures and countries. And they won’t be outgrown—there’s plenty for children to create as they progress in both age and interests.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Diana F. Marks, M.Ed., is the author of seven books. She taught for over 36 years in suburban/rural school districts. She has served as a consultant for a variety of entities, including the School District of Philadelphia.
You may also be interested in… Young Adult Library Services: Challenges and Opportunities
9781538179291
Children’s and Young Adult Services and Programs
US December 2024 | UK December 2024
176 pages
PB 9798216182665 | $49.95 | £36.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
Revolutionize Youth Book Clubs
Strategies for Meaningful and Fun Reading Experiences
Stacy Brown
How do you get the kids in your library to read? The benefits of reading are plentiful, especially for youth—it improves vocabulary, helps them become more empathetic and inclusive, and expands exposure to academic opportunities. In an age of digital distractions, book clubs can be a catalyst for encouraging youth to prioritize reading.
These tried and tested strategies help even reluctant readers develop a love of reading through book club participation. Author Stacy Brown, who has facilitated book clubs for more than twenty years, shows you how to build active engagement through hands-on activities, reflective discussions, and theme-related tips and tricks, even in the face of time and budget constraints. Learn how to attract participants, brand and market your book clubs, and keep attendees returning for more. You’ll be changing the world—one book club at a time.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stacy Brown is the Director of Innovation and Professional Learning at The Davis Academy in Atlanta, GA, USA.
In a world full of digital distractions, how can book clubs capture the attention of reluctant or disengaged readers?
“In a world in which we are competing with digital distractions, book clubs serve as spaces of joy, creativity, and social connection. Instead of focusing on unnecessary rules or reading requirements, book club facilitators should emphasize the fun, social connection, and choice that book clubs offer. Incorporating hands-on, innovative activities alongside informal discussions deepens engagement and gives participants a sense of purpose, which in turn, encourages focus. The dynamic, flexible approach shifts the book club vibe from obligation to authentic enjoyment and cultivates a book brand that readers want to return to regularly.”
Can you share a favorite book club activity that really got kids talking and thinking deeply?
“When planning book club activities, it helps to design experiences that draw participants into a ‘state of flow,’ where they are deeply engaged in achieving a goal or solving a challenge, especially one that encourages empathy. After reading All Thirteen:
The Incredible Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat, I shared curated social media posts highlighting the global rescue efforts, including the involvement of celebrities to international experts, to serve as a hook to spark interest. Then, I challenged participants to design an innovative rescue device using a bag of maker supplies. I set the scene with weather conditions, survival needs, and cave dimensions. With a finite amount of time, participants became so immersed in the challenge that they did not want to stop when the timer sounded.”
What advice would you give to a librarian or educator starting a book club with limited time and budget?
“Designing meaningful book club experiences within time and budget constraints can actually spark creativity and serve as opportunities for innovation. One helpful strategy is to use a ‘book club blueprint,’ which is a template that, despite changing variables, provides structure to each event, ensuring key goals are accomplished in a finite amount of time: engaging discussions, meaningful socialization, and fun, hands-on creation. Upcycle materials on hand, such as pages from weeded books for origami, book art, or engineering challenges that connect to the book’s themes. Inexpensive treats, like dollar-store candy, can be reimagined to fit the story, like wrapping a small handful of Starbursts in aluminum foil to serve as ‘moon rocks’ for science fiction reads. With a little imagination, limitations can lead to consistent, streamlined planning and joyful experiences.”
Children’s and Young Adult Services and Programs
US November 2025 | UK November 2025
168 pages
PB 9798216186045 | $39.95 | £28.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
The Whole-School Community Read A
Comprehensive Guidebook
Margaux
DelGuidice-Calemmo & Jeannette Balantic
Community reading programs can foster a love of reading, increase student engagement, build a community of readers, and simultaneously improve literacy. Yet, it can be daunting to begin a new program at a busy school. This guidebook provides a clear roadmap for librarians and teachers who wish to try a whole-school community reading program with all ages of learners.
Beginning with a history of whole-school reads, authors DelGuidice-Calemmo and Balantic describe how a community reading program can work for students at all levels—and promote family connections through reading. They offer advice on finding funding, building successful collaborations within the school community, and allowing students to have a voice in book selection. Marketing, makerspace, and promotion ideas help encourage participation. Learn how to use informal checkpoints and a final celebration to sustain and celebrate participants. Finally, come away with strategies to assess these programs and try variations to increase engagement. Appendices of resources provide practical tools for those ready to begin planning their own program.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Margaux DelGuidice-Calemmo, MLS, is the school librarian at Garden City High School, NY, USA, and a national speaker, author, and consultant. Jeannette Balantic is the K-12 Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator in the Garden City School District, NY, USA.
How can librarians work with teachers and administrators to build support for a whole-school community read program?
“Get the word out—share the ‘why.’ A whole-school read builds connection, sparks conversation, and makes reading a community experience. Partnering with teachers and administrators can tie the program to curriculum goals. Then build buzz: promote your community read on social media, run a student bookmark design contest, recruit students to curate and hang teaser posters, or plan a festive final reading event. The more voices involved and the more excitement you generate, the more the school community will rally around it.”
If you could give one piece of advice to a librarian or educator who is nervous about starting a program like this, what would it be?
“Start small, but start. You don’t have to do it alone—bring in colleagues, form a team, and lean on your community. The program will grow and evolve each year. You’ll learn what works for your school, and together you will build something meaningful, long-lasting, and impactful.”
Why is a whole-school read such a powerful tool for fostering a love of reading?
“A whole-school read is powerful because it turns reading into a shared experience. When everyone—from students to staff—is engaged in the same story, it builds community, sparks conversation, and shows that reading matters. The community connection promotes curiosity, helping students view reading not as a task, but as something to enjoy and share with other people.”
Children’s and Young Adult Services and Programs
US April 2026 | UK April 2026
176 pages
PB 9798216188698 | $59.95 | £43.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
Using Nursery Rhymes with Today’s Kids
Their Legacy and Evolution
Mary R. Lanni
In this guide, readers are introduced to nursery rhymes from a historical and international perspective, where common themes and original intents are explored. An examination of the more nuanced elements of nursery rhymes highlights cultural changes that can affect the meaning of these older songs, questioning whether using the tune of a song with a problematic history is appropriate. The book supports critical thinking about readers’ unique environments, helping readers make educated choices about how to use nursery rhymes to support diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary R. Lanni, MLIS, is a professional librarian in Denver, Colorado, USA.
Teaching Resources
US February 2024 | UK February 2024
240 pages
PB 9781440876455 | $49.95 | £36.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
WALK AWAY WITH
Current, recommended resources for all lessons forthcoming
You may also be interested in… Foundations of Library Services and Programming for Children 9781538176849
New Standards-Based Lessons for the Busy Elementary School Librarian Science
Joyce Keeling
This book provides targeted and invaluable help for the busy elementary school librarian and the science teacher as they work together to design and co-teach library-based lessons guided by the Next Generation Science Standards, English Literacy Common Core Standards, and the new AASL Standards.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joyce Keeling was an elementary school librarian for 27 years in the United States.
❝A helpful collection of lessons and resources for elementary school librarians and science teachers that supports interdisciplinary and active learning.” –School Library Journal
Easy-to-teach and reproducible elementary lessons that can be adapted to all elementary curricula in the United States
New AASL library and science standards
Library Management, Administration, and Leadership
US August 2025 | UK October 2025
144 pages
PB 9781538183755 | $39.95 | £22.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
THIS BOOK
Practical Project Management for Librarians
Kirsten Clark
In this book, readers will learn: how to balance the goals of the project with the reality of working in libraries today, what key questions can help readers move effectively through the project process and choose the right tools, best practices to ensure sustainability in project plans as well as outcomes, and how to incorporate diversity, inclusion, and accessibility principles into your project management. This practice guide provides step-by-step instructions to determine what project management tools and techniques match the needs of the particular library project and person/team’s skills level, while also providing these in the context of libraries’ specific cultures and norms.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kirsten Clark is the director of Library Enterprise Systems at the University of Minnesota Libraries, USA, where her department oversees systems for five system campuses as well as ensures consistent and transparent application of access policies for students, faculty, researchers, and community users.
Fills critical gaps in training support for library professionals
Includes best practices for incorporating diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion principles into project management
Covers project management strategies for small, mid-size, and large projects
Author Q&A
What motivated you to write a project management guide specifically for libraries?
“Projects have always been part of libraries’ work but most literature on project management focuses on business or technology settings, and in many cases with an emphasis on specific certification/training or degree programs. I wanted to create a guide that translated project management principles in a framework that centered on libraries first and did not expect the reader to have formal training to understand how to apply the information to their own situation. The use of several project examples throughout each chapter was a deliberate choice to weave practical experience into the guide as well.”
How can librarians evaluate the success of a project beyond just whether it was completed on time?
“Finishing a project on time is a great feeling but so is meeting the expectations of stakeholders, raising employee morale by streamlining workflows, or filling a gap in services sorely needed by a community that is dealing with a multitude of other societal changes. Knowledge is acquired even in projects where the end result may not be what was originally seen as the successful outcome. Lessons learned can be applied to future projects. It really is about perspective, and being realistic with what is in a librarian’s control and what isn’t, as well as working to set the organizational mindset on what is considered project success.”
Library Management, Administration, and Leadership
US October 2025 | UK October 2025
208 pages
PB 9798216184690 | $49.95 | £36.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
The Quick-Start Library Guide
A Handbook for Paraprofessionals and New School Librarians
Kelly Mayfield & Amy O. Milstead
This practical guide sets new librarians and paraprofessionals up for success. New librarians will build the confidence to develop systems and create plans for programs and partnerships with teachers and other professionals. Paraprofessionals will develop knowledge of library science topics such as cataloging, collection development, and weeding. Topics specific to the school library, such as reading levels and book fairs, teach readers what they need to know to hit the ground running, while lists of additional resources provide opportunities for more in-depth learning.
❝Chock full of practical tips, tricks, and advice, this book functions as the kindly and experienced mentor we all so desperately need when we are starting out in school libraries. . . . A must-have resource for every new school library worker’s toolbox!”
–Kelsey Bogan, School Librarian, Blogger, and Presenter, USA
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Kelly Mayfield is the librarian at a private high school in Columbus, Ohio, USA. Amy O. Milstead works as a librarian at a public high school in Rockwall, Texas, USA.
US October 2025 | UK October 2025
248 pages
HB 9798216188605 | $135.00 | £100.00
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
School Librarianship Worldwide Series
School Librarians and Principals Leading Together
International Perspectives
Edited by Luisa Marquardt & Dianne Oberg
This book offers a timely collection of research literature addressing the role of the principal in adopting, implementing, evaluating, and institutionalizing school libraries. An international group of contributors makes this a wide-ranging and comparative study of the important relationship between principals and librarians in service of student learning and achievement. Chapter topics include principals’ perceptions of the impact of the school library on student academic achievement, flexible scheduling, school libraries as technology hubs, and the ways in which the impact of the library/librarian is assessed, from rural Thailand to New Zealand to China to the United States.
❝This book provides many interesting perspectives on the roles of these key players as instructional leaders and partners in the change process and on evaluation of the changes. This book is an essential read for those who want to see better school libraries, and eventually, a better society.”
–Diljit Singh, Past President, International Association of School Librarianship, Malaysia
ABOUT THE EDITORS
Luisa Marquardt is Adjunct Professor at Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy.
Dianne Oberg, PhD, is Professor Emerita at the University of Alberta, Canada.
US January 2025 | UK January 2025
392 pages
PB 9798216185758 | $59.95 | £43.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
Careers in Library and Information Services
First-Hand Accounts from Working Professionals
Edited by Priscilla K. Shontz
Written in a conversational, candid tone, Careers in Library and Information Services collects first-hand accounts from workers who have earned a master’s of library science degree to help new LIS graduates understand their career options. Chapters, all snapshots of a particular career, are gathered into parts: the introduction is followed by careers in public libraries, school libraries, academic libraries, special libraries, and careers outside of libraries. Each chapter author describes their typical duties, shares likes and dislikes, and offers advice for those wanting a job like theirs.
❝A must-purchase text for recent and aspiring library science grads, career planning collections, and anyone exploring career changes in academic and public spheres.”
–School Library Journal
ABOUT THE EDITOR
Priscilla K. Shontz is a librarian at Lone Star College-Montgomery, USA.
US June 2023 | UK June 2023
192 pages
PB 9781440879197 | $54.95 | £43.00
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
The School Librarian's Compass
Stories and Reflections to Help You Find Your Way
Rebecca J. Morris
Veteran educator Rebecca J. Morris uses stories of day-to-day librarianship to empower school librarians as they navigate and manage the complex interactions, decisions, and opportunities of their work. Alignment with AASL/CAEP standards helps school library educators planning curriculum, syllabi, and course activities. Perfect for reading or study groups, graduate classes, and professional development, these stories invite reflection and lively conversation. By working through these cases and the accompanying learning exercises, pre-service and practicing school librarians will strengthen their readiness, expand their perspectives, and build confidence for solving problems and making informed, thoughtful decisions in their libraries.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rebecca J. Morris is Teaching Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, USA.
Library Management, Administration, and Leadership
The School Library Manager
Leading through Change
Seventh Edition
Blanche Woolls, Joyce Kasman Valenza, & April M. Dawkins
This revised and updated edition of a classic text adds two well-known authors to help lead readers through the many essential management tasks and skills required to administer the successful school library program. It emphasizes the importance of the school librarian in providing digital access to information for teachers and students, describes how facilities are being modified to accommodate new resources and programming, and offers new ways to use AASL standards to evaluate programs. All chapters are updated, and a new chapter highlights the importance of the school librarian's leadership in schools, districts, and communities.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Blanche Woolls is a former school librarian, school district supervisor, professor, and LIS director who has served as president of AASL. Joyce Kasman Valenza is associate teaching professor of library and information science at Rutgers University, USA. April M. Dawkins teaches at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, USA.
Practical Marketing for Your School Library
C. L. Mansfield
This book provides librarians and teachers with innovative ideas for producing a marketing plan, newsletters, social media marketing, library programming, and more to position the library as an essential resource.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
C. L. Mansfield is an international school librarian with over 15 years of experience working at schools all over the world.
A Sense of Place
School Libraries at the Heart of Learning, Connection, and Belonging
Hannah Byrd Little
A guide for stakeholders on creating a vibrant school library space where the environment is genuinely transformative and promotes active learning, literacy, and connection.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hannah Byrd Little is the director of the library and archives at a top independent international college-preparatory school.
Collection Development and Management
Collection Management Basics
Eighth Edition
Margaret Zarnosky Saponaro, John Novak, & G. Edward Evans
This eighth edition covers all aspects of the collection management cycle from selection through deselection and preservation. It includes discussions of intellectual freedom, legal issues in collection development, and collaborative collection development. Timely topics such as diversity, open access, AI, digital preservation, local history, creation spaces, and “libraries of things” bring this comprehensive overview up to date. Chapters rely on feedback from experts working in the field and include many sidebars with practical examples and resources. Designed primarily for students in LIS programs, this text is also a valuable resource for all library workers responsible for collection management.
❝Whether you are a new librarian or an experienced one starting over with a new collection, this latest edition remains a foundational tool.”
–American Libraries (of the seventh edition)
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited Library and Information Science Text Series
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Margaret Zarnosky Saponaro, MLS, is Director of Collection Development Strategies at the University of Maryland Libraries (UMD), USA. John Novak, MLIS, serves as Associate Dean for Technical Services and Budget at Fairfield University, USA.
G. Edward Evans, PhD, is a retired award-winning author and Fulbright Scholar.
US September 2025 | UK September 2025
256 pages
PB 9798216186120 | $49.95 | £36.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
You may also be interested in… Crash Course in Collection Development 9781440880438
The Children’s Literature Selection Handbook, K–8
Christie Kaaland
Beginning with an introduction to standard literary fiction genres, including a discussion of literature trends and children’s reading interests and needs, this book includes chapters on fiction, biography, folk literature, picture books, informational texts, poetry, and graphic novels. A focus on book series, a deep discussion of graphic novels, the inclusion of global literature and review sources for selection, and information on publishers and the publishing industry set this timely book apart from others in the field. It’s the perfect companion to the vast wealth of children’s literature future teachers and school librarians will read during their studies and careers.
❝Kaaland draws us into the magical and transformative power of children’s literature with this thought-provoking, practical, and, yes, joyous handbook for K–8 educators. Kaaland invites us to explore the amazingly diverse genres and formats of children’s books and inspires us with her recommended lists of titles that children will actually want to read. If you care about motivating children to become lifelong readers, you will want to read this book.”
–Barbara K. Stripling, Former President of AASL and the American Library Association; Retired school librarian, library administrator, and library professor, USA
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christie Kaaland, EdD, is Core Faculty in the School of Education at Antioch University Seattle, USA.
Collection Development and Management
US October 2025 | UK October 2025
232 pages
PB 9798216186274 | $54.95 | £39.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
Classic Fairy Tales and Modern Retellings
A Guide for Librarians, Teachers, and Readers
Pauline Dewan
Designed to help librarians, teachers, and reading partners feel more confident in selecting and suggesting fairy-tale books for children and teens, this comprehensive guide offers themes, readalikes, reading levels, awards, and curricular tie-ins. Readers will learn about the distinguishing characteristics of fairy tales, key authors (contemporary and historical), major trends, and significant changes in the genre. They will also discover the therapeutic power of fairy tales, their empowering impact on children and teens, and the reasons that fairy tales continue to attract young readers. Insightful and engaging annotations will increase their knowledge of the riches of the genre.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pauline Dewan, MA, MLIS, PhD (in English), is a reference librarian at Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada.
US February 2024 | UK February 2024
328 pages
PB 9781440880988 | $67.95 | £45.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
Curating Community Collections
A Holistic Approach to Diverse Collection Development
Mary Schreiber & Wendy K. Bartlett
This book begins where diversity audits end, informing and supporting academic, school, and public librarians in the quest to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion in a meaningful and sustainable manner throughout collections, policies, and practices.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Mary Schreiber is a collection development specialist at Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH, USA. Wendy Bartlett has served as the collection development and acquisitions manager for Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH, USA, since 2013.
US February 2026 | UK February 2026
112 pages
PB 9798216195238 | $39.95 | £28.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
Be Kind; Rewind! (Re)Introducing Fun Retro Media and Vintage Technology to Libraries
Christopher Kincaid
Let’s face it, new physical media is disappearing, and digital reigns. New film, music, and video game releases will eventually be digital only. To move forward, libraries need to look backward. In this fun, concise handbook, Christopher Kincaid tackles the appeal and challenges these vintage media pose for circulation. He offers programming ideas to introduce and rekindle interest in old technology and provides lists and suggestions to help you get started building your vintage technology collections. When word gets out about your new (old) library collection, you never know who might stop by!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christopher Kincaid has worked in public service, from retail to librarianship, for over 25 years.
Educational Technology
US January 2026 | UK January 2026
208 pages
PB 9798216195061 | $59.95 | £43.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
Artificial Intelligence for Libraries
Brady D. Lund
Artificial intelligence is an extremely important but little-understood topic, including in libraries. This timely book explores what AI is, how it works, how it’s relevant to all types of libraries, and how it can be used. Readers will better understand the use of AI in library systems and applying AI to teaching and learning environments, and they will grow in the ability to discern potential ethical issues posed by this emerging technology. The final chapter provides a practical guide to using various types of AI in libraries.
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
Brady D. Lund, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Information Science at the University of North Texas, USA.
WALK AWAY WITH
Knowledge about the history and foundations of artificial intelligence technology
The ability to discern potential ethical issues related to AI usage
Ways to integrate artificial intelligence into libraries
US June 2023 | UK June 2023
200 pages
PB 9781440878978 | $60.95 | £47.00
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
Making Virtual Reality a Reality
Designing Educational Initiatives in Libraries with Emerging Technologies
Alison Valk, Ximin Mi, & Ashley L. Schick
Valk, Mi, and Schick offer readers tools for assessing their level of organizational readiness to begin virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) programs and how to sustain them with limited budgets, expertise, and resources. They teach readers how to develop technology-rich classes, assess student projects, and overcome technical hurdles. Readers will learn how to adapt and design programs or initiatives in which the necessary technologies are rapidly changing, in both higher education institutions and in schools. Worksheets and resources help readers reflect on their own work and develop educational programming to suit their organizational needs.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Alison Valk is the Instructional Coordinator and Multimedia Librarian for the Georgia Tech Library, USA. Ximin Mi is the Data Visualization Librarian at the Georgia Tech Library, USA. Ashley L. Schick is an artist and art educator.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
US February 2026 | UK February 2026
320 pages
PB 9798216170549 | $67.95 | £49.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
Racial Literacy in Libraries
Edited by Sally Battle, Betsy Bird, Nicole A. Cooke, Kennedy Joseph, & Jessica Iverson Wu
This guide to racial literacy helps librarians learn to communicate about race and offer bias-free programming. Part One is a primer written by experts on the science and history of skin color, the invention of race and racism in the United States, and the development of racial identity. Part Two helps librarians bridge the gap between theory and practice, discussing the important concepts of representation, equity, and access and offering practical examples of how to apply them. Part Three offers real-life examples of libraries across the country who are bringing racial literacy to their communities through collections, curated resources, and programs.
ABOUT THE EDITORS
Sally Battle is the Youth Programming Librarian at Mount Prospect Public Library, Illinois, USA. Betsy Bird is the Collection Development Manager of Evanston Public Library, Illinois, USA. Nicole A. Cooke, PhD, MEd, MLS, is the Augusta Baker Endowed Chair and an Associate Professor at the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina, USA. Kennedy Joseph is the Teen Engagement Coordinator at the Evanston Public Library, Illinois, USA. Jessica Iverson Wu is a Children’s and STEM Focus Library Assistant at Evanston Public Library, Illinois, USA.
US November 2024 | UK November 2024
208 pages
PB 9781440878510 | $49.95 | £36.99 Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
School Libraries Supporting Students with Hidden Needs and Talents
From ADHD to Vision Impairment
Karla Bame Collins
While school librarians are experts at collaborating with classroom teachers, too often they overlook the specialists in their buildings as key collaborators. Focusing on the many specialists who work with students, Karla Bame Collins provides information about their roles and responsibilities and discusses how school librarians can collaborate to improve learning for all students, including those with hidden needs, disabilities, and talents that are not easily detected and may go undiagnosed. This practical book looks at the school library environment—collection, instruction, space, and programming—and offers ideas for librarians to collaborate with other educators and specialists for the good of all students.
❝An important, browsable introductory resource to spark further learning on supporting students’ learning.”
–School Library Journal
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karla Bame Collins is a professor in the school librarianship program at Longwood University, USA.
US May 2025 | UK May 2025
288 pages
PB 9798216193449 | $67.95 | £49.99
Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
Libraries Unlimited Guided Inquiry Series
yist Q&A
Seeking Meaning
A Process Approach to Library and Information Services 30th Anniversary Edition
Carol C. Kuhlthau
The publication of Carol C. Kuhlthau’s Seeking Meaning in 1993 marked a watershed moment in how we think about information seeking. The Information Search Process (ISP) model it introduced helped generations of educators prepare students for the increasingly complex information environments they would encounter, and its central findings have only grown in importance during the last 30 years.
Kuhlthau’s canonical research, accompanied in this anniversary edition by new essays exploring the text’s legacy and continued importance, is required reading for students of library and information science in the United States and abroad and an invaluable resource for anyone providing library and information services.
LOOK INSIDE
This anniversary edition details Kuhlthau’s canonical theory of the Information Search Process
New essays by Dr. Heidi Julien and Dr. Chirag Shah explore the lasting influence of Kuhlthau’s evergreen model and point toward new directions for future research
New essay by Dr. Leslie Maniotes examines the connection between the ISP and the Guided Inquiry Design Framework and the model’s impact on education
What elements of the ISP do you find most transformative for today’s teachers and instructional librarians?
Leslie Maniotes: “What makes the ISP most transformative for educators today is its power to reframe how we approach learning design in a world shaped by AI. While information is now immediate, human understanding still takes time, guidance, and reflection. Knowledge of the ISP research helps educators honor the process, slow down learning when needed, and connect with students’ emotional and cognitive needs. It’s not just a model, it’s a blueprint for keeping learning human, even as our tools evolve.”
How have you seen the ISP influence your own research or the evolution of information behavior scholarship more broadly?
Heidi Julien: “The ISP influenced my own research profoundly, as it encouraged me to view human information interaction holistically, specifically recognizing its affective aspects. The ISP remains the most cited information behavior model in the field, attesting to its ongoing significance.”
What do you hope this anniversary edition inspires in the next generation of researchers, educators, and library professionals?
Chirag Shah: “I hope this very important anniversary edition sparks a new interest in ISP in research and practice around information search behaviors. Tools and technologies may have changed, but people, their needs, and behaviors are still driven by primal instincts and evolutionary developments. ISP can continue shedding light on such behaviors.”
Did You Know?
Bloomsbury has one of the largest open access book portfolios, with several hundred titles available through our rapidly expanding program. We are commi ed to evolving this program as well as adapting to change as the demand for open access increases.
Two Opportunities for Librarians
Access Bloomsbury open access books
• All Bloomsbury open access titles are made available via a dedicated open access collection on Bloomsbury Collections.
• Open access titles are also typically included in our standard subject collections on Bloomsbury Collections for discovery purposes.
• All Bloomsbury open access titles are also distributed through the OAPEN library.
Publish open access professional development titles through Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited (BLU)
• BLU publishes PD books for academic, school, and public librarians, archivists, and museum professionals.
• BLU is excited to support equitable library professional development by offering OA resources.
Questions?
Inspire deeper learning in social studies
ABC-CLIO databases combine award-winning reference content with built-in tools for lesson planning, curriculum alignment, and student research—preparing both students and educators to succeed.
17 databases to choose from
From core disciplines like American history to unique lenses on popular culture and anthropology, Bloomsbury / ABC-CLIO databases can complement existing learning resources or form the basis of a stand-alone course.
Learn more at www.abc-clio.com/school-databases
