Research Guides: Library Science: Home

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This guide will help you find librarian recommended resources for research in Library Science. Use the tabs on the left to find suggested resources and starting points for your research.

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Below are selected readings, YouTube videos, and policies chosen around various topics affecting libraries and librarians.

Addiction-based:

TED TALK: The critical role librarians play in the opioid crisis
Public libraries have always been about more than just books -- and their mission of community support has taken on new urgency during the current opioid epidemic. After witnessing overdoses at her library in Philadelphia, Chera Kowalski learned how to administer naloxone, a drug that reverses the effects of narcotics, and she's put it to use to save patrons' lives. In this personal talk, she shares the day-to-day reality of life on the frontline of the opioid crisis and advocates for each of us to find new ways to keep our communities safe and healthy.

Economics-based:

Intellectual Freedom
Section B.2 of the ALA Policy Manual.
Services and Responsibilities of Libraries
Section B.8 of the ALA Policy Manual.

Homeless-outreach-based:

From nurses to social workers, see how public libraries are serving the homeless
PBS News article about how libraries serve houseless populations.
A Librarian's Guide to Homelessness - HomelessLibrary.com
Ryan Dowd of HomelessLibrary.com speaks on "The Librarian's Guide to Homelessness".

Harassment-based:

Librarians Face a Crisis of Violence and Abuse
NYT article on violence against librarians and resulting burnout.
Access to NYT is limited to current students, faculty and staff using their @coa.edu email address.
School and Public Librarians Describe On-the-Job Harassment
School Library Journal’s article on public/elementary library patron harassment.
Urban Library Trauma Study Final Report
Almost every library worker has a story about one event at work that left them shaken. Sometimes it’s an abusive patron, sometimes it’s workplace bullying, and sometimes it’s that haunting feeling left behind when a patron needed more help than you could provide. The Urban Library Trauma Study (ULTS) looked to take these anecdotal stories, quantify them and build a pathway to practical solutions for the issue and move the library industry towards a culture of community care.

History-based:

New York’s First Black Librarians Changed the Way We Read
NYT article on early black librarians’ collections.
Access to NYT is limited to current students, faculty and staff using their @coa.edu email address.

Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a system that allows Thorndike Library patrons to request library materials and articles from over 50,000 participating libraries in the United States and internationally! Patrons can email ill@coa.edu to request materials.

Professional Organizations

American Library Association
The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.
Maine Library Association
The Maine Library Association (MLA) was founded in 1891 to promote library interests in the state. Over the years, we have focused on building relationships, supporting education, and advocating for libraries and library workers.
New England Archivists
NEA connects diverse individuals and organizations in New England responsible for the care of cultural heritage and the documentary record, through advocacy, education, communication, and the forging of a strong, inclusive professional network.
Society of American Archivists
SAA is a vital community that promotes the value and diversity of archives and archivists and serves as the preeminent resource for the profession.