While the profession has generated many books on information literacy, none to date have validated exactly why it is so difficult to teach. In her new book, Reale posits that examining and reflecting on the reality of those factors is what will enable practitioners to meet the challenge of their important mandate. Using the same warm and conversational tone as in her previous works, she

• uses personal anecdotes to lay out the key reasons that teaching information literacy is so challenging, from the limited amount of time given to instructors and lack of collaboration with faculty to one’s own anxieties about the work;
• examines how these factors are related and where librarians fit in;
• validates readers’ struggles and frustrations through an honest discussion of the emotional labor of librarianship, including “imposter syndrome,” stress, and burnout;
• offers a variety of approaches, strategies, and topics of focus that will assist readers in their daily practice;
• looks at how a vibrant community of practice can foster positive change both personally and institutionally; and
• presents “Points to Ponder” at the end of each chapter that encourage readers to self-reflect and then transform personal insights into action.

The path towards leadership starts with you. But you don’t have to go it alone. For this book, the authors sat down with many of the library leaders they most admire for a series of conversations about the aspects of the job that they find the most fascinating (and challenging). Much like the chats you might have over coffee at a conference or with a mentor, these frank discussions will nourish you with nuts-and-bolts wisdom on a diverse range of academic library management issues. Among the topics and situations broached are

• balancing personal values against the common refrain “you don’t get to be who you want to be in positions like ours”;
• five questions to ask that reveal much about organizational culture and climate;
• creating a culture of change, including why a newly promoted director chose to make the most drastic changes in the first 100 days;
• forming a “dean team” to help frame responses with consideration to institutional culture;
• the value of demystifying the budget for the entire library staff;
• using tools such as a personal “learning journal” to fuel professional development;
• cultivating a personal network by setting up meetings at local libraries during conferences;
• the risks that result from jumping into a situation too fast and boxing yourself into a corner;
• lessons learned from failed initiatives;
• examples of navigating controversies, such as a director’s response to a WPA mural with a racist message; and
• managing facilities, with an example of how injecting a previously ignored library voice into a building project led to a tripling of the space.

Between these covers you’ll find guidance, ideas, and inspiration as you continue your leadership journey.

We are only now coming to terms with how common trauma really is; a landmark Kaiser study that surveyed patients receiving physicals found that almost two-thirds had experienced at least one form of abuse, neglect, or other trauma as a child. Though originating in the fields of health and social services, trauma-informed care is a framework that holds great promise for application to library work. Empathetic service, positive patron encounters, and a more trusting workplace are only a few of the benefits that this approach offers. In this important book Tolley, experienced in both academic and public libraries, brings these ideas into the library context. Library administrators, directors, and reference and user services staff will all benefit from learning 

• the six key principles of trauma-informed care;
• characteristics of a trusting and transparent library organization, plus discussion questions to promote a sense of psychological safety among library workers;
• how certain language and labels can undermine mutuality, with suggested phrases that will help library staff demonstrate neutrality to patron ideas and views during information requests;
• delivery models that empower patrons; 
• advice on balancing free speech on campus with students’ need for safety;
• how appropriate furniture arrangement can help people suffering from PTSD feel safe;
• guidance on creating safe zones for LGBTQIA+ children, teens, and adults; and
• self-assessment tools to support change toward trauma-responsive library services.