As more information is collected, shared, and mined, the need to understand and manage information privacy has become a necessity for information professionals. Governments across the globe have enacted information privacy laws. These laws continue to evolve and the information privacy protections that have been established differ by country. A basic understanding of privacy law, information privacy approaches, and information security controls is essential for information professionals to properly manage private/personally identifiable information (PII) in differing capacities in libraries, academic institutions, corporations, hospitals, and state and federal agencies. Understanding and knowledge of applicable privacy laws and the ability to write privacy policies and procedures for the proper handling of PII are crucial skills for librarians and other information managers. Information Privacy Fundamentals for Librarians and Information Professionals is tailored to the needs of librarians and information professionals. It introduces library and information professionals to information privacy, provides an overview of information privacy in the library and information science context, U.S. privacy laws by sector, information privacy policy, and key considerations when planning and creating a privacy program.

Metadata is used to organize and access information in an effective way. This is a comprehensive description of the various forms of metadata, its applications, and how librarians can use it. Both descriptive and nondescriptive forms of metadata are defined and applied to library functions.

Step-by-step guidance for using traditional research methods to help improve, validate, and ultimately advance the day-to-day work and purpose of libraries.

This essential overview of what it means to be a library and information professional today provides a broad overview of the transformation of libraries as information organizations, why these organizations are more important today than ever before, the technological influence on how we provide information resources and services in today’s digital and global environment, and the various career opportunities available for information professionals. The book begins with a historical overview of libraries and their transformation as information and technology hubs within their communities. It also covers the various specializations within the field emphasizing the exciting yet complex roles and opportunities for information professionals. With that foundation in place, it presents how libraries serve different kinds of communities, highlighting the unique needs of users across all ages and how libraries fulfill those needs through a variety of services, and addresses key issues facing information organizations as they meet user needs in the Digital Age. The book then concludes with career management strategies to guide library and information science professionals in building not only vibrant careers but vibrant information organizations for the future as well.

Libraries are not exempt from the financial costs of data breaches or leaks, no matter the size. Whether from a library worker unwittingly sharing a patron’s address with a perpetrator of domestic violence to leaving sensitive patron data unprotected, patrons can also pay a hefty price when libraries fail to manage patron data securely and ethically. In this guide, readers will learn concrete action steps for putting the ethical management of data into practice, following two common public and academic library cumulative case studies. The authors explore such key topics as succinct summaries of major U.S. laws and other regulations and standards governing patron data management; information security practices to protect patrons and libraries from common threats; how to navigate barriers in organizational culture when implementing data privacy measures; sources for publicly available, customizable privacy training material for library workers; the data life cycle from planning and collecting to disposal; how to conduct a data inventory; understanding the associated privacy risks of different types of library data; why the current popular model of library assessment can become a huge privacy invasion; addressing key topics while keeping your privacy policy clear and understandable to patrons; and data privacy and security provisions to look for in vendor contracts.

A Guide to Using the Anonymous Web in Libraries and Information Organizations provides practical guidance to those who are interested in integrating the anonymous web into their services. It will be particularly useful to those seeking to promote enhanced privacy for their patrons. The book begins by explaining, in simple terms, what the anonymous web is, how it works, and its benefits for users. Lund and Beckstrom also explain why they believe access to the anonymous web should be provided in library and information organizations around the world. They describe how to provide access, as well as educate library users on how to utilize the anonymous web and navigate any challenges that might arise during implementation. The authors also encourage the development of library policies that guide appropriate conduct and filter content, where appropriate, in order to deter illegal activity. A Guide to Using the Anonymous Web in Libraries and Information Organizations reminds us that libraries and other information providers have a duty to educate and support their communities, while also preserving privacy. Demonstrating that the anonymous web can help them to fulfil these obligations, this book will be essential reading for library and information professionals working around the world.

This third edition of Information Services Today: An Introduction demonstrates the ever-changing landscape of information services today and the need to re-evaluate curriculum, competency training, professional development, and lifelong learning in order to stay abreast of current trends and issues, and more significantly, remain competent to address the changing user needs of information communities. Specifically, the Information Services Today: An Introduction: provides a thorough introduction, history, and overall state of the field, explores different types of information communities, the varying information needs within those communities, and the role of equity of access, diversity, inclusion, and social justice in those communities, addresses why information organizations and information and technological literacy are more important today than ever before, discusses how technology has influenced the ways that information professionals provide information resources and services in today’s digital environment, highlights current issues and trends and provides expert insight into emerging challenges, innovations, and opportunities for the future, and identifies career management strategies and leadership opportunities in the information professions. The new edition features chapter updates to address changes in information services, introducing new/updated topics such as emergency/crisis management/community resilience, sustainability, data analysis and visualization, social justice, and equity of access, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Information Services Today: An Introduction begins with an overview of libraries and their transformation as information and technological hubs within their local and digital communities, as well as trends impacting the information field. Information Services Today: An Introduction covers the various specializations within the field – emphasizing the exciting yet complex roles and opportunities for information professionals in a variety of information environments. With that foundation in place, it presents the fundamentals of information services, delves into management skills needed by information professionals today, and explores emerging issues related to the rapid development of new technologies. Information Services Today: An Introduction addresses how libraries and information centers serve different kinds of communities, highlighting the unique needs of increasingly diverse users. Information Services Today: An Introduction provokes discussion, critical thinking, and interaction to facilitate the learning process. The content and supplemental materials – discussion questions, rich sets of online accessible materials, multimedia webcast interviews featuring authors from this book discussing the trends and issues in their respective areas, and chapter presentation slides for use by instructors – give readers the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of and engagement with the topics.