884 College & Research Libraries July 2020 of highs and lows. (A special shoutout to kYmberly Keeton, whose powerful story I knew and was so happy that she shared in this book!) As a woman of color, I found that reading about the journeys of other librarians from underrepresented groups was empowering. I learned more about the struggles that transgender students experience, as well as the hurdles faced by folks who are differently abled or are large of stature. Underrepresented and marginalized people have always fought oppression. But we bonded together to move our libraries and the library profession forward. As Young and Donovan detail in their chapter “From Whence We Came,” our library ancestors took the fight directly to the American Library Association to “ensure that everyone has the same level of equality, access, retention, and advancement” and stayed “vigilant when sexism, racism, ageism, and so forth jeopardized hard-won inroads.” And we know the work is not complete. That is why this book is so essential. For those of us doing the work of diversity and inclusion as well as for allies and those who want to take up the banner of diversity and inclusion in our libraries, it is all at once a how-to manual, a foundational text, and a rallying cry. As library professionals, it is our duty to support our library patrons and library employees and to live the principles of the Library Bill of Rights, which asks us to serve all equally and to provide information impartially. The library profession started in a time when racial and other prejudice was not only rampant but often legally supported. This book reminds us that, though we might have started off a bit shaky, we are stronger together.—Kelli Johnson, Marshall University Alex Berrio Matamoros. Information Literacy for Today’s Diverse Students: Differentiated Instruc- tional Techniques for Academic Libraries. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2018. 159p. Paper. $75.00 (ISBN 987-1-4408-6207-6). LC 2018031624. Alex Berrio Matamoros seeks to help academic instruction librarians accom- modate their students’ different learning styles and cultures “by introduc- ing them to a differentiated instruction teaching approach, explaining the approach and its benefits for students” (2). In addition, he aims to provide advice to librarians regarding strategies for implementing differentiated instruction for both information literacy courses and one-shot sessions. Matamoros is Manager of Knowledge Management at an international law firm. He was also an associate law library professor and emerging technolo- gies librarian at the City University of New York School of Law. The author effectively describes differentiated instruction and suggests practical advice on how to introduce the approach within the context of teaching information literacy; how- ever, some of the theory presented to justify the use of differentiated instruction is disputed. The author bases his argument for using differentiated instruction on critical informa- tion literacy theory, cultural background factors, and learning style theory. Learning style theory claims to explain “how students best learn based on personal traits” (3). Learning style theory is controversial and yet its deficiencies are not really addressed in the book. Critics have noted several weaknesses with this theory. For example, according to some researchers, the instruments for characterizing learning styles are invalid and unreliable. On the other hand, Matamoros’s argument that differentiated teaching can address some of the themes in critical information literacy, which stresses “the importance of individuals becoming ac- Book Reviews 885 tive agents in their learning,” appears to be a sound justification for using this method (25). For example, he discusses in-class activities for information literacy instruction that require active participation of students. These active methods include debates, group presentations, and think-pair-share activities. Additionally, his argument that presenting information in a variety of modes including text, graphics, audio, videos, and interactive exercises is sound educational practice. Matamoros supplies abundant examples of how to deliver instructional materials that librarians will find very useful in their classrooms. Matamoros’s book will also be beneficial to librarians because the information he presents is well organized. The book contains seven instructive chapters covering a range of topics structured in a logical manner. Topics include identifying the shortcomings of the traditional teaching methods of lectures and readings in academic institutions, discussing the influence of culture on learning, planning for differentiated instruction, using tools and techniques for differentiated instruction, and implementing differentiated instruction. The book also con- tains a list of references of primarily scholarly works from a variety of disciplines including information and library science, education, mathematics, business, and law. Finally, the book includes a precise index. Another strong point of Matamoros’s book is its accessibility. For example, he provides ample and clear definitions of fundamental concepts. In chapter 1, he defines differentiated instruction as “a student-centered teaching approach that acknowledges that every student learns differently because of variations in individual readiness, interests, and learning profile” (7). He also helpfully discusses “what differentiated instruction is not,” noting that it is neither individualized instruction nor a method “to accommodate students with learning disabilities or below-average academic abilities” (12). In another example, he clearly outlines the concept of culture, which “is not exclusively tied to race or ethnicity” but is a wider notion that includes “shared motive, values, beliefs, identities” (17). Finally, he defines the three components of the student learning process. The first component is content delivery, which involves trans- mitting information to students. The second element is process, which is how students make sense of the information. The final component is product, which entails assessing students’ understanding of the information. Matamoros’s clarity will make this book a helpful starting place for librarians interested in employing differentiated learning in their classrooms. The techniques and tools for content delivery, process, and product that Matamoros describes are another asset of the book. For example, chapters 4, 5, and 6 are dedicated to differentiating the three elements of the learning process. For instance, techniques for deliv- ering content include in-class lectures that use presentation slides, screencast lectures, and interactive tutorials. Notably, he does not dismiss traditional teaching approaches of lectures and readings. Additionally, the author includes a detailed list of recommended resources for all the content creation sources noted in the chapter, including software and websites. He provides suggestions for differentiating process such as whole-group activities (review and discussion, debates), small group activities (think-pair-share), and individual activities. Sug- gestions for product differentiation include formative assessments (practice quizzes, polling, minute papers) and summative assessments (research projects, presentations). Subsequently, in chapter 7, he charts seven steps for librarians to use to differentiate instruction in an in- formation literacy course. Moreover, he adds a real-world dimension to the discussion by inserting a hypothetical academic instruction librarian in the text. The purpose of this librarian is to document how she plans for and implements differentiated instruction. Furthermore, 886 College & Research Libraries July 2020 Matamoros introduces three hypothetical students to demonstrate differentiated instruction from a student perspective. Finally, very helpful figures such as rubrics and lesson plans supplement the text. Another strong point of Matamoros’s book is that he is candid about the challenges of implementing differentiated instruction. For example, he acknowledges that trying to differ- entiate an entire course is unwise and stressful. Therefore, he advises librarians to introduce differentiation slowly. Moreover, he urges librarians using differentiated instruction to explain the method to their students on the first day of class and inform them that they will “be ac- tive and responsible participants in their own learning” (90). The author also recognizes that active learning can change the dynamics of a classroom and offers tips on how to handle the differentiated classroom, including advice on managing increased noise levels and distracted students. Finally, he notes that instructional librarians need to devote time to evaluate the successes and failures of their differentiated course and identify ways to improve the class. Overall, Matamoros’s book is a good introduction for academic librarians who are in- terested in introducing differentiated instruction in their information literacy courses. He describes the approach clearly. Moreover, he gives concrete examples and sufficient guidance to support academic librarians who endeavor to use differentiated instructional methods in the classroom.—Michelle Hendley, SUNY Oneonta Critical Approaches to Credit-Bearing Information Literacy Courses. Angela Pashia and Jessica Critten, eds. Chicago, IL: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2019. 328p. Paper, $62.00 (ISBN 978-0-8389-8947-0). One of the more fraught adjectives in academic discourse is the word “criti- cal.” The term “critical” as a precedent to any number of terms (“theory,” “pedagogy,” “literacy,” and “librarianship” are only a few) brings to the reader’s mind an array of scholarship, a large body of literature and criti- cism, as well as a spectrum of possible interpretations of meaning and consequence. At their core, each of these critical approaches represents a close examination and questioning of that which represents the consen- sus, the status quo, the establishment understanding of the subject. Our shared consensus understanding has developed through systemic choices, leading to an academic and larger socioeconomic environment that has centered the viewpoints of, and worked to the advantage of, predomi- nantly white middle- and upper-class heterosexual men. A critical approach to information literacy pedagogy therefore seeks to decenter this predominant, consensus viewpoint from how we teach information literacy. Editors Angela Pashia and Jessica Critten have gathered together 15 stories from librar- ians and other faculty members working to implement critical approaches to information literacy in credit-bearing courses. By focusing on the credit-bearing, full-term courses, each author or collaboration had the opportunity that greater time with the students affords an instructor to work through a topic in depth. While those of us constrained by the “one-shot” library instruction approach may be envious, especially of the ability to develop ideas and work with students for a sustained time, Pashia and Critten point out in the introduction that the credit-bearing course requires significantly more effort due to such things as classroom management and grading loads.