With all the time and energy spent selecting picture books, is your library making them as accessible as they could be?

The newest marketing term for fiction books in libraries is "New Adult." What do you think? Is it a help or a hindrance for librarians and patrons alike?

When libraries held only books, readers advisory was as easy as recommending a print title. But now that they are the holders of electronic, audiovisual as well as print items, things are a bit different.

One librarian cannot possibly read every book that is newly released. Alas, it is not possible. However, it is possible to have a sense of the appeal of a book through a few simple steps.

What book is next in this series? Has the next book come out yet? Do you know what the first book is? What author writes this particular character's story? These are common questions in the library. Here are a few ways to answer these all to common questions.

Picture books are a wonderful creation. Picture books that are fun to read aloud for children and adults are a treat indeed. Tough Cookie by David Wisniewski is one that you will want to read to a child over and over.

Does your library use social media? Many libraries jumped on the "cool" train with social media and are now struggling with how to use it. Here are some thoughts from a patron perspective to make social media useful.

Libraries loan books and magazines, but some others loan more unusual things. Cake pans, e-readers, video cameras and more. Does your library lend anything unusual? What are the ramifications for lending?

Welcoming teens into the library starts with a space that makes them feel at home. Take a look at the teen space in your library, does it fit the bill? How do you know for sure? Perhaps a second look might be in order.

What is the mission of public libraries? Sounds like such a simple question, but sometimes the true mission of a public library is forgotten because they have become commonplace in every community in the United States.