Customer Reviews

Library's Legal Answer Book

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Minow and Lipinski have crafted a guide for librarians who need guidance in what might seem to be a hopeless quagmire of potential legal entangelements. Its organization is clear, and an excellent index provides good access to its contents. Most important, perhaps, is the clear and unintimidating style of the writing.
Some sections transcend the "library" in the title, and would be useful for anyone a) designing a website; b) working to provide access to resources for people with disabilities; or c) employing staff. Journalists covering library issues will find it to be a useful reference as well.

Ms. Minow and Mr. Lipinski have written a very thorough, extremely readable volume on a tough topic--libraries and the law. In these times, both patrons and those active in the library world need to know the information in this book.
Written in an engaging question and answer format, the book is like reading newspaper questions to the editor with responses!
All of us fit in the patron and/or library world categories (right?) and, therefore, I highly recommend this book to everyone. As a person who falls into both categories, I learned a lot--and, with no pain! Five stars.

The collaborative effort of Mary Minow (President of the California Association of Library Trustees and Commissioners) and Tomas A. Lipinski (Assistant Professor and Co-Director of the Center for Information Policy Research, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee's School of Information Studies), The Library's Legal Answer Book is a thoughtful and authoritative survey and analysis of the intersection of legal matters and library business. Ranging from adapting digital library resources to serve patients with disabilities, to issues of privacy and library records, to issues pertaining to library employment, The Library's Legal Answer Book is a thoughtfully written and extensively researched account, expertly created to give the reader a good grounding in background information about libraries and the law. No private, corporate, academic, or community library system should be without recourse to a copy of The Library's Legal Answer Book.