Book Reviews

Library Services for Online Patrons: A Manual for Facilitating Access, Learning, and Engagement. Joelle E. Pitts, Laura Bonella, Jason M. Coleman, and Adam Wathen, eds. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2019. 200p. Paperback. $55.00 (ISBN 978-1-44-085952-6).

Serving digital patrons is not a new practice for libraries, but in recent years online access has become more casual and ubiquitous. Serving digital patrons has changed focus from a particular group of users without access to physical library services and resources to an ordinary part of serving our regular patrons who may access our services from off campus or via mobile as easily as they walk into a physical library. The recent closures of many libraries due to COVID-19 has highlighted both readiness to provide services online and possible deficiencies in online service. The result for many libraries may be a service strategy that transcends mode of access and makes it easier for online patrons to take full advantage of resources and services. Library Services for Online Patrons focuses on the diversity of patrons accessing the library online through equitable access to resources and establishing best practices for providing library services. This book can serve as a resource for establishing services for online patrons and as a checklist for libraries that already have a foundation of service, yet may need development in some areas.

The book is edited by Joelle Pitts, Laura Bonella, and Jason Coleman, all academic librarians at Kansas State University Libraries, and Adam Wathen, a public librarian from Kansas. Karla Aleman, Stephanie Buck, Natalie Haber, and Elaine Sullo also contributed chapters to the volume. The book is set up in workbook style, and each chapter includes short case studies from other librarians with experience providing services for online patrons. The result is a practical structure for developing excellence in online library services featuring a variety of voices from across many library settings. This structure makes the book good for browsing and reference in the moment while brainstorming new online services or assessing existing services. The book opens with a self-assessment and institutional assessment process for the emerging online librarian to take stock of the resources, skills, and support that may be required to embark on this process. The second chapter focuses on understanding potential patrons and developing goals. These two chapters are particularly helpful for assessment because they feature big-picture ideas augmented with specific case studies in libraries that make it easy to understand how these concepts are actually applied in practice.

The interior of the book focuses on deep dives into several areas of interest for providing service to online patrons, including inclusive technology design, virtual reference and instruction, and online embedded librarianship. Inclusive design may be a new concept for librarians who are not involved in technology creation at their institutions, but this helpful framework can be applied not only in site design, but in other types of online service delivery. This chapter and the chapters on reference and instruction provide a good overview of current ideas and practices in online service delivery. The embedded librarianship chapter may also be a new concept for librarians practicing online, but this chapter provides an overview of considerations for librarians embedding in online courses and a helpful case study from a librarian supporting an asynchronous online program.

The final three chapters focus on operational strategies for developing services for online patrons including building relationships, marketing, and advocating for online patrons. These chapters will likely be the most helpful for librarians with established practices for serving online patrons since they focus on building stronger programs and developing an audience. The chapter on advocating for online patrons works through every service and department in the library with tips for how to integrate the needs of online patrons into services. It includes a helpful worksheet for librarians conducting needs assessments in this area. The final chapter focuses particularly on online patrons and access in public libraries. All the chapters share the same practical approach and interweave goal setting and assessment into the content.

This book is good for libraries that are just beginning programs for online patrons, those that want to assess current practice, and libraries with existing successful programs that want to develop in particular areas. Most of the examples focus on academic libraries, though the inclusion of a public library perspective sets it apart from much of the literature in this area. Partnership and inclusive design are threads that run through every chapter of the book and help unite the content into a coherent action plan for serving online patrons. The accessible language and practical guide style will be appealing to libraries that are new to online services and those trying to develop service on a short time scale. This book provides a practical foundation and important considerations for building and expanding sustainable services for online patrons.—Laura Costello, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey