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Uniquely positioned to connect library users to the information they seek, and thus to the wider world, library staff who serve on the front lines of reference have both the power and responsibility to position the library as an institution that remains relevant and responsive. This collection takes a critical look at the overarching trends that affect current library policy and practice regarding the process of delivering information services, and how factors such as public policy, economics, and popular culture will continue to affect those trends in the future.

Progress for the sake of progress is all too often a drain on precious time and resources. The communities and users that libraries serve are always changing; true innovation helps libraries adapt to meet their needs and aspirations both now and in the future. This stimulating collection offers numerous snapshots of innovation in action at a range of libraries, showcasing ideas and initiatives that will inspire librarians at their own institutions.

"But this is how we've always done it!" Objections to taking a fresh tack are about as common as budget shortfalls, and the two are more closely related than you might think. At the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library in Arkansas, Bizzle and his colleagues defied common practices by using creative risk-taking in marketing and outreach to transform their library into a dynamic institution that continues to grow and thrive. Here they recount their story, sharing techniques for success alongside a provocative marketing philosophy that will spur libraries to move beyond their comfort zone.

No library stands alone. A long-standing tenet of the discipline, library cooperation predates the founding of ALA. Although these are times of crisis and uncertainty for library consortia (by one count, more than 65 consortia have closed since 2008), the collaboration that consortia offer helps libraries extend the value of every dollar spent. With over 70 years of experience managing five different library consortia between them, Horton and Pronevitz are uniquely qualified to show how consortia have been transforming themselves, offering new services and products while growing ever more important to the library community.

Both the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) and the Public Library Association (PLA) provide important data services. For library managers and administrators, the key to the data's usefulness is knowing how to extract and apply the most relevant information to managing a library and improving accountability. A companion volume to the authors' earlier book Getting Started with Evaluation, this guide illustrates how to use the data to support value, collection use, benchmarking, and other best practices.