Successfully serving the college bound

CHICAGO — Whether they’re students taking the traditional path of entering college from high school, or adult first-time or re-entry students, navigating the admissions and financial aid process can be overwhelming for the college bound. Public libraries can help provide information and guidance for a successful start, and “Successfully Serving the College Bound,” published by ALA Editions, shows how to do it. Incorporating insight gleaned from interviews with librarians serving college-bound patrons, author Africa S. Hands includes:

• checklists to help public libraries take stock of current services, programs and resources for serving the college bound, with pointers on how to make improvements;
• tips for using, marketing and expanding the collection effectively;
• ready-to-adapt program ideas;
• advice on shoring up support among stakeholders, overcoming objections and taking advantage of outreach opportunities;
• worksheets to help library administrators evaluate staff skills and interests;
• reviews of online college-planning tools;
• a directory of college-related organizations, publishers, resources and education authority agencies.

Hands received an MLIS from San Jose State University and an MA in Counseling Psychology from Golden Gate University. She has worked in public and academic libraries and in undergraduate and graduate admissions and advising at public and private higher education institutions. She is active in ALA, and serves on ALSC, ASCLA, and NMRT committees; reviews online resources for Technical Services Quarterly; and presents at conferences and workshops. She is academic coordinator for Project Graduate at the University of Louisville.

ALA Store purchases fund advocacy, awareness and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide. ALA Editions publishes resources used worldwide by tens of thousands of library and information professionals to improve programs, build on best practices, develop leadership, and for personal professional development. ALA authors and developers are leaders in their fields, and their content is published in a growing range of print and electronic formats. Contact us at (800) 545-2433 ext. 5052 or editionsmarketing@ala.org.

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