How librarians can be radical positive change agents in their communities dedicated to
learning and making a difference.This book offers a guide for librarians who see their
profession as a chance to make a positive difference in their communities librarians who
recognize that it is no longer enough to stand behind a desk waiting to serve. R. David Lankes
author of The Atlas of New Librarianship reminds librarians of their mission: to improve
society by facilitating knowledge creation in their communities. In this book he provides
tools arguments resources and ideas for fulfilling this mission. Librarians will be prepared
to become radical positive change agents in their communities and other readers will learn to
understand libraries in a new way.The librarians of Ferguson Missouri famously became
positive change agents in August 2014 when they opened library doors when schools were closed
because of civil unrest after the shooting of an unarmed teen by police. Workingwith other
local organizations they provided children and their parents a space for learning lunch and
peace. But other libraries serve other communities students faculty scholars law firms in
other ways. All libraries are about community writes Lankes that is just librarianship. In
concise chapters Lankes addresses the mission of libraries and explains what constitutes a
library. He offers practical advice for librarian training provides teaching notes for each
chapter and answers Frequently Argued Questions about the new librarianship.
