A few thoughts on Palaces for the People: How To Build a More Equal and United Society by Eric Klinenberg

Palaces for the People: How To Build a More Equal and United Society by Eric Klinenberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a pacy an engaging read, and it still took a long time for me to read it. It highlights the value of social infrastructure including places like libraries for community health. Places like libraries can help connect people and these connections help lead to stronger communities. The examples are not all about libraries, but they show that the connections people have with others in their communities are crucial for community health (and in a key example in the book led to less deaths during a heatwave).

Key points in this book include connecting people of difference ages and backgrounds, and this will take work. Anyway, go and read this book, and think about how you can apply these ideas in your communty.

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a few thoughts on Conducting the Reference Interview: Third Edition by Catherine Sheldrick Ross, Kirsti Nilsen

Conducting the Reference Interview: Third Edition by Catherine Sheldrick Ross
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a pacy and engaging read. It is also a very useful reminder of the value of an effective reference interview. The authors bring together research which highlight the importance of a reference interview to finding out exactly what the person is seeking help to find. There are also sections on online or telephone reference interviews. This is a practical book which could also be used for training.

Some of the research which is described in this books shows how little some staff actually listen to the people seeking help, and this information helps show the value of a well done reference interview.

I really enjoyed reading this book.

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