Net Effects

Rating:
Summary: With nearly 50 articles by dozens of librarians
Review: Expertly compiled and edited by Marylaine Block, Net Effects is a very highly recommended librarian's guide to the issues and solutions of managing the Internet's opportunities for patrons provides librarians with nearly 50 articles by dozens of librarians which suggest practical ways to handle the 'side effects' of Internet use. From access issues to adapting to changing web site content and training users, Net Effects cogently addresses a myriad of training and use issues.

Rating:
Summary: Net Effects
Review: Now that we have lived with the Internet for a while, the shine is wearing off even for the non-Luddites among us, and the ugly underside is more apparent. While many of the difficulties encountered in libraries by net access have been discussed ad nauseum, some others are only now coming to light. Managing the consequences of the Internet, both intended and unintended, will be with us for the foreseeable future. Editor Block, a former associate director for public services at St. Ambrose University Library, has gathered some 50 articles by such leading librarians as Roy Tennant, Leigh Estabrook, Nancy Pearl, James Casey, Steven Bell, and Karen Schneider. The pieces are organized into thematic chapters ["Regaining Control Over Selection," "Rescuing the Book," "Making Them Adapt to Us: Training Our Users," "The Shifted Librarian: Adapting to the Changing Expectations of Our Wired (and Wireless) Users," "Access Issues," "The Techno-Economic Imperative," "Running To Stay in Place: Continuous Retraining," "Up to Our Ears in Lawyers: Legal Issues Posed by the Net," "Disappearing Data," "How To Avoid Getting Blind Sided"], and each chapter includes a recommended reading list. With so many difficulties to deal with, not every one has a simple solution, or a solution that is appropriate for every library. However, even if this book does not hold all the definitive answers, there are certainly a lot of good suggestions. And just being aware of possible problems helps stave off being blindsided by the unexpected. In this vein, there is also a section on identifying potential future threats. Recommended for all libraries.-