INSIGHT The latest titles from your sector. Book reviews
An accessible and comprehensive look at a complex subject
AS the need to tag, categorise or organise content of any kind becomes more com- mon, people working in very diverse roles find themselves involved in taxonomy projects. This book aims to appeal to a very broad audience. With contributions from 18 experts, it is a superb, no-nonsense, guide to man- aging a successful taxonomy project from its inception to completion.
The chapters map the tax- onomy lifecycle from getting buy-in from stakeholders, securing resources, determining the taxonomy’s purpose and therefore structure, designing and building the taxonomy to address user needs and imple- menting the final product. A multitude of other topics such as impact, governance, main- tenance, sustainability and archiving of taxonomies are also examined. I have found it particularly interesting to read about the importance of un- derstanding bias and cultural differences when constructing taxonomies as language is hardly ever neutral and the taxonomist’s job is to ensure that the end product reflects diverse perspectives. It is not a technical book – taxonomy construction and some technical knowledge are covered at an introductory level, but the editor underlines that the success of taxono- my projects often hinges on softer skills such as aligning taxonomy creation with your organisation’s principles,
50 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
Lippell, Helen (ed). Taxonomies: practical approaches to developing and managing vocabularies for digital information. London: Facet Publishing, 2022. 258pp. ISBN 978 1 7833 0481 3. £50. CILIP members 35% off.
communicating with budget holders, content producers and colleagues involved in taxonomy work and building partnerships with taxonomy users.
This comprehensive work is highly pragmatic and offers examples, advice, tips, templates, best practise rec- ommendations, techniques for avoiding pitfalls, a handy glossary of terms used in the book as well as appendices with additional resources. This goldmine of informa- tion can be read from cover to cover or used as a dip-in-and- out reference book, a refresh- er for seasoned taxonomists or a student textbook. Highly recommended.
Margaret I. Katny London
Essential guide for those who are or considering mentoring in libraries
AS suggested in the title, this series explores the considerations of men- toring within academic libraries.
The three-volume set has two editors and a hefty 81 contributory authors. The books are clearly designed to complement each other and work together as a whole, but as each volume has a different focus, and each of the 30 chap- ters explores a different aspect, it is possible to read them as stand-alone books.
As a mentor for CILIP Pro- fessional Registration and an institutional FHEA mentor, I have strong interests in this area. As such, I am aware the content of these books is broad enough to appeal to those who have general interests in mentoring, outside the sphere of libraries. The examples included, obviously, are library-related, but the book includes wider discussions of various mentoring models, mentoring ethics and both formal and informal mentor- ships. Various chapters would be of interest to early- (or mid-) career employees considering taking part in a mentorship as a means of growth. Likewise, several chapters would be of interest to strategic leaders as they discuss the organisa- tional-wide impact mentoring can have on company culture. The majority of chapters are suitable for anyone interested in being, or those who already are, a mentor. No previous knowledge of mentorships is required to understand these books, as definitions and clear
Rod-Welch, L. J. and Weeg, B. E. (eds). Volume 1: fundamentals and controversies. ISBN 978 0 8389 3769 3, 180 pp. Volume 2: mentoring of library faculty and librarians. ISBN 978 0 8389 3897 3, 293 pp. Volume 3: mentoring of students and staff. ISBN 978 0 8389 3892 8, 191 pp. Chicago: ACRL. Three-volume set ISBN 978 0 8389 3886 7. £168.
explanations are included. Page vii of Volume 1 includes, what is to me, a stand-out sen- tence: ‘mentoring in libraries implies a belief in the future of library employees… and a fundamental belief in the principles libraries uphold’. With this in mind, mentoring is an interesting programme to consider introducing into your own library and these books will assist anyone wishing to do so.
Cara Clarke QA Higher Education
June 2023
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