Book Reviews 95

Chapter 3 provides an analysis of the 
survey outlining some of the challenges 
that institutions face in hiring diversity 
librarians. The area of job expectations is 
one challenge that can contribute to the 
difficulty in finding qualified applicants. 
Feedback from librarians emphasized the 
importance of making job expectations 
both clear and reasonable. The chapter 
concludes with suggestions for setting 
reasonable expectations (for those hir-
ing diversity librarians) and discussion 
on job descriptions and improving the 
search process. 

Chapters 4 and 5 draw heavily from 
the reflections and responses of librarians 
surveyed. Chapter 4 addresses the issues 
and challenges faced by those working in 
positions that serve diverse populations. 
Balancing responsibilities, budgetary 
concerns, work satisfaction, and feeling 
that their efforts were supported were 
common themes expressed as impacting 
the success of their work. The themes in 
chapter 5 address how to get started once 
in the job. Survey respondents present 
recommendations on moving past barri-
ers and offer guidance in setting priorities, 
assessing collections, establishing rela-
tionships, and gaining entrée. 

Chapter 6 includes information on 
how organizational culture, attitudes, and 
behaviors affect diversity awareness and 
training efforts; and chapter 7 outlines 
specific factors that need to be considered 
by libraries when implementing diversity 
training programs for their staff. 

A major finding from the research 
study is that librarians receiving their 
master’s degrees do so with little course-
work or training in multicultural librari-
anship. If library schools are not provid-
ing the foundational knowledge related 
to diversity, then it should come as no 
surprise that library graduates may be ill 
prepared to provide the range of services 
these positions demand. Chapter 8 not 
only looks at some of the curriculum is-
sues in library schools but also outlines re-
forms that address not only what is being 
taught but how it is being taught. Mestre 

advocates for a curricula approach to cul-
tural competency and cultural awareness 
that prepares all librarians to work in a 
multicultural environment. 

Mestre does a good job of summariz-
ing the experiences, suggestions, and 
perspectives of librarians serving diverse 
populations and comes full circle in chap-
ter 9 by outlining what she considers the 
“next steps” involved in strengthening 
diversity efforts. Chapter 10 is an exten-
sive compilation of resources related to 
diversity and serves as a useful reference 
source to anyone desiring to explore the 
topic further.

Overall, Librarians Serving Diverse 
Populations is a timely examination of the 
experiences and perspectives of librar-
ians working in the field of multicultural 
librarianship. 

The qualitative and quantitative data 
gathered from the author ’s research 
study are interwoven throughout the 
book and help to inform the discussion 
by providing first-hand perspectives on 
specific challenges and various opportu-
nities inherent in serving diverse popula-
tions.—Kelly R. McBride, Appalachian State 
University.

Advocacy, Outreach, and the Nation’s 
Academic Libraries: A Call for Ac-
tion. Eds. William C. Welburn, Janice 
Welburn, and Beth McNeil. Chicago: 
Association of College and Research 
Libraries, 2010. 224p. alk. paper, $40 
(ISBN 9780838985496). LC2010-018611.

Advocacy and outreach are two of the 
hottest topics in the profession today. 
The American Library Association’s most 
recent past President, Camile Alire, cre-
ated her presidential platform around 
the issue of advocacy and the idea that 
advocacy is everyone’s job, not just the 
people in leadership positions. Advocacy, 
Outreach, and the Nation’s Academic Li-
braries: A Call for Action is a book geared 
toward academic libraries specifically, but 
the information and suggestions can be 
used by any library professional looking 
for suggestions on implementing advo-



96 College & Research Libraries January 2011

cacy or outreach opportunities. Included 
are theory and case studies all designed 
to aid the reader in defining ideas for 
implementing, sustaining, or growing 
programs that will help them explore and 
contextualize advocacy.

The book explores each of three areas 
in-depth—advocacy, outreach, and en-
gagement—and offers a wealth of sugges-
tions. It also delivers a no-nonsense “now 
is the time” message that will resonate 
with the reader. The editors hope that 
librarians who read Advocacy, Outreach, 
and the Nation’s Academic Libraries: A Call 
for Action will be able to better understand 
our role in the world of civic engagement 
as well as our role as advocates for the li-
brary on campus. They also hope to equip 
librarians with an understanding of issues 
that will help them initiate discussions 
for productive results. Consisting of two 
sections, the book is divided into twelve 
chapters entitled “Advocacy through 
Engagement,” “Librarians, Advocacy, 
and the Research Enterprise,” “Librarians 
and Scholarly Communication,” “The 
NIH Public Access Policy,” “Frontline 
Academic Library Advocacy: Whose Job 
Is It Anyway?” “Library Advocacy in the 
Campus Environment,” “Outreach Issues 
for Information Technology in Libraries,“ 
“Digital Advocacy,” “Advocacy & Aca-
demic Instruction Librarians,” “Advocacy 
and Workplace Diversity,” “Academic 
Libraries and Graduate Education,” and 
“Advocacy in Higher Education Environ-
ments: No More Excuses.” 

Each chapter describes an area where 
outreach, advocacy, or engagement is de-
fined, then expanded to include examples, 
benefits, challenges, suggestions for im-
plementation, and, most important, a way 
to find opportunities within challenging 
situations. The authors are leaders in the 
field, knowledgeable about the subject 
and able to offer viable options relevant 
to every reader looking to create an action 
plan of his or her own. Especially useful 
is the chapter on the National Institutes 
of Health (NIH) and open access, which 
explains in detail the legislative advocacy 

process, including the highs and lows, 
political implications and privacy issues 
that every library professional should be 
aware of and concerned with. 

Julie Todaro concludes the book with 
her “no excuses” argument that we need 
to acknowledge the fact that librarians 
have “only baseline knowledge of the 
target audience, an uncertain commit-
ment, a lack of political acumen, a lack 
of knowledge of the umbrella institution, 
budget process, disagreements on what 
the message is, unreal expectations of 
who delivers the message, and finally—
little time to advocate in general as well 
as little time to integrate the concept into 
the life of the organization.” She assesses 
the negative aspects and counters each 
with a positive response, offering insight 
into each. Finally, she describes the suc-
cessful teachable moment when we have 
convinced academic librarians that we 
not only need to know “how” but that 
we also must “do”—advocate for our 
libraries—with no more excuses.—Marcy 
Simons, University of Notre Dame. 

M-libraries 2: A Virtual Library in Ev-
eryone’s Pocket. Eds. Mohammed 
Ally and Gill Needham. London: Facet 
Publishing, 2010. 273p. Paperback, 
$105 (ISBN 9781856046961). LC 2010-
478224.

This collection of twenty-seven articles 
represents the varied views of interna-
tional librarians, information scientists, 
and educators delivering recommenda-
tions and solutions to problems we face in 
the evolution of educational technology. 
Specifically, mobile devices—challenged 
by issues of access, quality, and cost—of-
fer a solution to these pressing technologi-
cal issues through the delivery of those 
materials and resources that students and 
faculty require in the course of complet-
ing their work. Affordable and ubiqui-
tous, mobile devices present a practical 
platform that librarians and their allies 
can focus upon as a delivery mechanism 
in realizing the goal of everyone having 
the world at his or her fingertips via a vir-