ALA Editions/Neal-Schuman

CHICAGO — Gaming programs offer many benefits: they encourage patron participation, strengthen community bonds with the library, and when done right they can be incredibly popular. Elyssa Kroski, a bestselling author as well as an avid gamer herself, gathers programming ideas from public, school, and academic libraries nationwide in her new book “52 Ready-to-Use Gaming Programs for Libraries,” published by ALA Editions.

CHICAGO — The thoroughly updated and revised second edition of “Collection Management for Youth,” published by ALA Editions, provides models and tools that will enable library staff who serve youth to create and maintain collections that provide equitable access to all youth.

CHICAGO — Assisted by social media and other digital tools, today’s children and teens are energetic and active participants in a host of social causes, from climate change and gun control to voting rights and racial equity. Public libraries can facilitate their activism by providing trustworthy information and creating opportunities for young people to develop leadership and participation skills.

CHICAGO — The opioid epidemic, and other behavioral health issues such as alcohol and drug abuse, directly impact every community across the nation; and, by extension, public libraries’ daily work. Because libraries are not only trusted guardians of information but also vital community centers, people struggling with addictive behaviors as well as their family members and friends often turn to the library for help. But many library workers feel overwhelmed, finding themselves unprepared for serving these patrons in an effective and empathetic way.