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Books in Social sciences

The Social Sciences collection forms a definitive resource for those entering, researching, or teaching in any of the many disciplines making up this interdisciplinary area of study. Written by experts and researchers from both Academic and Commercial domains, titles offer global scope and perspectives.

Key subject areas include: Library and Information Science; Transportation; Urban Studies; Geography, Planning, and Development; Security; Emergency Management.

  • The Preservation and Protection of Library Collections

    A Practical Guide to Microbiological Controls
    • 1st Edition
    • August 25, 2014
    • Bogdan Zerek
    • English
    Preservation involves a complex of activities including climate, air-quality, and surface control, as well as microbiological control, which is a key part of preserving and protecting library collections. The Preservation and Protection of Library Collections examines microbiological control for preservation of library and archival collections. A supporting tool for conservators, this title should be integrated into conservation and preservation policy. The book comprises nine sections that cover three aspects: microbiology, surveying, and the response required. Chapters in this title cover the nature of the library collections, physical and chemicals factors and their impact on microbiological issues, as well as biological factors and methods of microbiological control of the air and objects. Later chapters examine methods of object disinfection, disaster response, methods of microbiological control and evaluation of collections, and includes a vocabulary guide, appendices, literature information and references.
  • Proactive Marketing for the New and Experienced Library Director

    Going Beyond the Gate Count
    • 1st Edition
    • August 25, 2014
    • Melissa U.D. Goldsmith + 1 more
    • English
    Academic libraries have continually looked for technological solutions to low circulation statistics, under-usage by students and faculty, and what is perceived as a crisis in relevance, seeing themselves in competition with Google and Wikipedia. Academic libraries, however, are as relevant as they have been historically, as their primary functions within their university missions have not changed, but merely evolved. Going beyond the Gate Count argues that the problem is not relevance, but marketing and articulation. This book offers theoretical reasoning and practical advice to directors on how to better market the function of the library within and beyond the home institution. The aim of this text is to help directors, and ultimately, their librarians and staff get students and faculty back into the library, as a result of better articulation of the library’s importance. The first chapter explores the promotion of academic libraries and their function as educational systems. The next two chapters focus on the importance of the role social media and virtual presence in the academic library, and engaging and encouraging students to use the library through a variety of methods, such as visually oriented special collections. Remaining chapters discuss collaboration and collegiality, formalized reporting and marketing.
  • Online Security for the Business Traveler

    • 1st Edition
    • August 23, 2014
    • Deborah Gonzalez
    • English
    Whether attending conferences, visiting clients, or going to sales meetings, travel is an unavoidable necessity for many businesspeople. Today’s high-tech enabled businessperson travels with electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, health sensors, and Google Glass. Each of these devices offers new levels of productivity and efficiency, but they also become the weak link in the security chain: if a device is lost or stolen during travel, the resulting data breach can put the business in danger of physical, financial, and reputational loss. Online Security for the Business Traveler provides an overview of this often overlooked problem, explores cases highlighting specific security issues, and offers practical advice on what to do to ensure business security while traveling and engaging in online activity. It is an essential reference guide for any travelling business person or security professional.
  • Measuring and Managing Information Risk

    A FAIR Approach
    • 1st Edition
    • August 22, 2014
    • Jack Freund + 1 more
    • English
    Using the factor analysis of information risk (FAIR) methodology developed over ten years and adopted by corporations worldwide, Measuring and Managing Information Risk provides a proven and credible framework for understanding, measuring, and analyzing information risk of any size or complexity. Intended for organizations that need to either build a risk management program from the ground up or strengthen an existing one, this book provides a unique and fresh perspective on how to do a basic quantitative risk analysis. Covering such key areas as risk theory, risk calculation, scenario modeling, and communicating risk within the organization, Measuring and Managing Information Risk helps managers make better business decisions by understanding their organizational risk.
  • Libraries and Public Perception

    A Comparative Analysis of the European Press
    • 1st Edition
    • August 18, 2014
    • Anna Galluzzi
    • English
    What is the future of libraries? This question is frequently posed, with widespread research into the social and economic impact of libraries. Newspapers play an important role in forming public perceptions, but how do newspapers present libraries, their past, present and future? Nobody has yet taken the press to task on the quantity and quality of articles on libraries, however Libraries and Public Perception does just this, through comparative textual analysis of newspapers in Europe. After a comprehensive and useful introductory chapter, the book consists of the following five chapters: Wondering about the future of libraries; Measuring the value of libraries; Libraries in the newspapers; Contemporary challenges and public perception; Which library model from the newspapers: a synthesis.
  • After the Book

    Information Services for the 21st Century
    • 1st Edition
    • August 18, 2014
    • George Stachokas
    • English
    Libraries and librarians have been defined by the book throughout modern history. What happens when society increasingly lets print go in favour of storing, retrieving and manipulating electronic information? What happens after the book? After the Book explores how the academic library of the 21st Century is first and foremost a provider of electronic information services. Contemporary users expect today’s library to provide information as quickly and efficiently as other online information resources. The book argues that librarians need to change what they know, how they work, and how they are perceived in order to succeed according to the terms of this new paradigm. This title is structured into eight chapters. An introduction defines the challenge of electronic resources and makes the case for finding solutions, and following chapters cover diversions and half measures and the problem for libraries in the 21st century. Later chapters discuss solving problems through professional identity and preparation, before final chapters cover reorganizing libraries to serve users, adapting to scarcity, and the ‘digital divide’.
  • Scholarly Information Discovery in the Networked Academic Learning Environment

    • 1st Edition
    • August 18, 2014
    • LiLi Li
    • English
    In the dynamic and interactive academic learning environment, students are required to have qualified information literacy competencies while critically reviewing print and electronic information. However, many undergraduates encounter difficulties in searching peer-reviewed information resources. Scholarly Information Discovery in the Networked Academic Learning Environment is a practical guide for students determined to improve their academic performance and career development in the digital age. Also written with academic instructors and librarians in mind who need to show their students how to access and search academic information resources and services, the book serves as a reference to promote information literacy instructions. This title consists of four parts, with chapters on the search for online and printed information via current academic information resources and services: part one examines understanding information and information literacy; part two looks at academic information delivery in the networked world; part three covers searching for information in the academic learning environment; and part four discusses searching and utilizing needed information in the future in order to be more successful beyond the academic world.
  • Six Key Communication Skills for Records and Information Managers

    • 1st Edition
    • August 18, 2014
    • Kenneth Laurence Neal
    • English
    Excellent business communication skills are especially important for information management professionals, particularly records managers, who have to communicate a complex idea: how an effective program can help the organization be better prepared for litigation, and do it in a way that is persuasive in order to win records program support and budget. <I>Six Key Communication Skills for Records and Information Managers</I> explores those skills that enable records and information to have a better chance of advancing their programs and their careers. Following an introduction from the author, this book will focus on six key communication skills: be brief, be clear, be receptive, be strategic, be credible and be persuasive. Honing these skills will enable readers to more effectively obtain support for strategic programs, communicate more effectively with senior management, IT personnel and staff, and master key forms of business communication including written, verbal and formal presentations. The final chapter will highlight one of the most practical applications of applying the skills for records and information managers: the business case. Based on real events, the business cases spotlighted involve executives who persuaded organizations to adopt new programs. These case histories bring to life many of the six keys to effective communication.
  • Classification in Theory and Practice

    • 2nd Edition
    • August 15, 2014
    • Susan Batley
    • English
    Following on from the first edition of this book, the second edition fills the gap between more complex theoretical texts and those books with a purely practical approach. The book looks at major library classification schemes in use in Europe, UK and the USA, and includes practical exercises to demonstrate their application. Importantly, classifying electronic resources is also discussed. Classification in Theory and Practice aims to demystify a very complex subject, and to provide a sound theoretical underpinning, together with practical advice and development of practical skills. Chapters concentrate purely on classification rather than cataloguing and indexing, ensuring a more in-depth coverage of the topic.
  • Windows Performance Analysis Field Guide

    • 1st Edition
    • August 12, 2014
    • Clint Huffman
    • English
    Microsoft Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 are designed to be the best performing operating systems to date, but even the best systems can be overwhelmed with load and/or plagued with poorly performing code. Windows Performance Analysis Field Guide gives you a practical field guide approach to performance monitoring and analysis from experts who do this work every day. Think of this book as your own guide to "What would Microsoft support do?" when you have a Windows performance issue. Author Clint Huffman, a Microsoft veteran of over fifteen years, shows you how to identify and alleviate problems with the computer resources of disk, memory, processor, and network. You will learn to use performance counters as the initial indicators, then use various tools to "dig in" to the problem, as well as how to capture and analyze boot performance problems.