Friday, June 15, 2012

Call for Book Chapters

Call for Chapter Proposals: The Global Librarian
A Joint Publication of the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO) and the Greater  New York Metropolitan Area Chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries
Book Concept:
Twenty-first century librarians work in an increasingly global environment of diverse populations with a variety of needs. Innovative librarians have embraced the challenge of “going global.” They have identified and acquired the necessary skills to successfully navigate through this expanding environment, and have done much to reinvigorate the practice of librarianship, demonstrating the valuable role played by information specialists. Physical distance is no longer a barrier to excellence in library service, but rather a catalyst for the development of innovative ideas for the creation, organization, management, presentation and dissemination of information. As user-communities have moved beyond the traditional limits of our institutions, so too has our vision for the informational services we must be prepared to provide. While technology clearly has informed much of this recent transformation in librarianship, it has been the librarians themselves who have led the way in renewing the profession to accommodate a rapidly expanding, interconnected global community. Stretching, molding and applying the traditional concepts of library and information science in new, inventive ways, librarians around the globe have designed and implemented creative ways to serve the information needs of their patrons, wherever they may be. Librarians from all spheres -- academic, public, school, private, corporate, not-for-profit -- are joining this “innovative information revolution “ and forever changing the way in which information is created, organized and shared.
This publication will focus on the vital role played by librarians and information specialists in developing new programs and services which allow them to deliver quality information services in unique and sustainable ways. The multimedia scope of the publication encourages not only case studies, chapters and other text-based reporting, but also short film/video, songs/audio, podcast episodes, animation, etc. that further demonstrate the innovative techniques that librarians have successfully deployed to serve a global environment.
Chapters are sought for an anthology written by academic, special librarians, or LIS faculty sharing information on a unique job or role in librarianship. We want to capture how librarians are dealing with changes in reference, collection development, access, and technical services. Topics of specific interest are in areas of:
  • copyright
  • web services
  • teaching and learning, systems, and assessment.

Optimal chapters might include (but are not limited to) information about your role, position, or skill, helpful educational backgrounds, why this role/position was created, and how this role/skill is changing the profession. Chapters that take a data or research driven look at the changes in the profession over the last 20 years or the future of position in academic libraries are also sought.
Topics of interest may include, but are not limited to:
  • Intellectual Property and the Global Environment
  • Serving Populations Off the Grid
  • Community outreach (or Community Engagement)
  • Serving diverse/international populations
  • Librarians in war-torn/underdeveloped countries
  • Librarian efforts in times of catastrophic disasters
  • Mobile, real-time librarians
  • International partnerships
  • Librarians in the virtual world
  • Services to indigenous populations
  • Librarians without borders
  • Librarians shaping geopolitical discourse
  • Library’s role in developing countries (BRIC)
  • Creating tools/platforms for disseminating information
  • Preserving cultural (autonomy? independence? or just “preserving culture”?) in increasingly globalized world
  • Crossing language barriers
  • Librarians without buildings/books
  • Librarians and social justice/responsibility movements

Deadlines:
Submission of Chapter Proposals (500 words) due by: July 10, 2012
Notification of selected chapters: August 28, 2012
Drafts due: November 26, 2012
Final corrected drafts due: December 17, 2012

Target Audience:
The intended audience for this publication will be practicing librarians in all fields. It would also be of use to library and information science programs offering course work in the expanding role of the librarian.
Proposal Submissions:
All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind peer review basis. Chapters should be written in English using the 6th edition of APA format.
Completed chapters will be between 3000-5000 words in length. Authors are encouraged to include original charts, graphs, photos or other multimedia objects.
Non-traditional and multimedia texts will be accepted for consideration.
Please e-mail your Chapter Proposal (500 words) and a brief personal biography, as a Word attachment, to info@metro.org. Your proposal should also include a chapter title. Use the phrase “Global Librarian Proposal” in the email subject line.
After careful review of all proposals, the Editorial Board will contact individuals to request full-length chapters. Further instructions and details will be provided at that time.
Questions and comments should be directed to Jason Kucsma (jkucsma@metro.org) or Caroline Fuchs (cgfuchs@gmail.com)
Editorial Board:
Caroline Fuchs, Associate Professor/Outreach Librarian, St. John’s University
Jason Kucsma, Executive Director, Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO)
Lisa Chow, Web Analyst, Brooklyn Public Library
Sandra Sajonas, Business & Career Librarian at Brooklyn Public Library
Carrie Netzer Wajda, New Business Librarian, Y&R

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