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First published in 1983. The Consortium for Longitudinal Studies was formed in 1975 to answer the question of whether early education programs had measurable long-term effects on the performance of children from low-income families. This unique collab­oration of individual researchers who developed and evaluated early education programs in the sixties has now provided convincing and ecologically valid evidence of the effectiveness of these programs.

Introduction to Global Health is a comprehensive look at today's most critical global health concerns and the actions that people around the world are taking to solve public health problems and to promote health and wellbeing. The Fourth Edition of Introduction to Global Health maintains the clarity and ease of use of the prior edition, while featuring a greater emphasis on the specific interventions that are being implemented to promote longer, healthier lives worldwide and prevent disease, disability, and early death in countries of all income levels. Every chapter balances material about pandemics, climate change, and other emerging threats to global public health with evidence of how global health interventions are enabling progress toward achieving health equity.Key Features:•Chapters on globalization and health security, the socioeconomic and environmental contributors to population health, ethics and human rights, health systems financing, and global health agencies and organizations closely align with the student learning objectives recommended by the Consortium of Universities for Global Health.•Updated science, policy, epidemiology, and data visualizations are featured in the chapters on infectious diseases, reproductive health, nutrition, noncommunicable diseases, mental health promotion, injury prevention, child and adolescent health, and healthy aging.•Expanded coverage of history, values, and functions of global health, plus new content about COVID-19, prevention and implementation science, culture and health, ecosystem and planetary health, interprofessionalism, and other trending themes have been added.•Chapters and sections are organized to ease navigation for eBook readers.•More than 35 tables, figures, and photographs enliven the content.•The glossary provides definitions for more than 90 key terms.•A robust set of instructor's materials provide discussion prompts for each section of the text, active learning exercises for each chapter, author-created PowerPoint slides, quiz and test banks, and sample syllabi.

DEA Special Agent Garrett Kohl must rescue a CIA officer when she’s kidnapped in Texas by a ruthless band of mercenaries in this pulse-pounding thriller for fans of C. J. Box.Special Agent Garrett Kohl has just taken down a dangerous and deadly cartel boss when he finds trouble brewing back on his family’s homestead. A powerful energy consortium, Talon Corporation, has started an aggressive mining operation that threatens to destroy Garrett’s land, his family’s way of life, and everything they hold dear. To achieve its goals, Talon is flouting the law, bribing public officials, and meeting anyone who challenges it with physical violence. When the Kohls themselves are attacked by Talon guards, Garrett goes on the offensive, embarking on an investigation that he hopes will rid the Texas High Plains of the intruders once and for all.Garrett soon discovers that the company has origins in the dark hinterlands of countries across the globe. Using coercion and assassination levied by men from former Russian special operations forces, Talon is working on a highly secretive scheme to commandeer precious U.S. resources. The tit for tat exchange between Talon and the Kohls erupts into a full-scale war when Russian spy, Alexi Orlov, kidnaps Garrett’s friend and ally, CIA operative Kim Manning. While Talon may be accustomed to getting its way in many places around the world, they have yet to encounter this rare breed of warrior down in Texas—a man who will fight to the death to protect those that he loves.

“Polaris Rising is space opera at its best, intense and addictive, a story of honor, courage, betrayal, and love. Jessie Mihalik is  an author to watch.”--Ilona Andrews, #1 New York Times bestselling authorA space princess on the run and a notorious outlaw soldier become unlikely allies in this imaginative, sexy space opera adventure—the first in an exciting science fiction trilogy.In the far distant future, the universe is officially ruled by the Royal Consortium, but the High Councillors, the heads of the three High Houses, wield the true power. As the fifth of six children, Ada von Hasenberg has no authority; her only value to her High House is as a pawn in a political marriage. When her father arranges for her to wed a noble from House Rockhurst, a man she neither wants nor loves, Ada seizes control of her own destiny. The spirited princess flees before the betrothal ceremony and disappears among the stars. Ada eluded her father’s forces for two years, but now her luck has run out. To ensure she cannot escape again, the fiery princess is thrown into a prison cell with Marcus Loch. Known as the Devil of Fornax Zero, Loch is rumored to have killed his entire chain of command during the Fornax Rebellion, and the Consortium wants his head.When the ship returning them to Earth is attacked by a battle cruiser from rival House Rockhurst, Ada realizes that if her jilted fiancé captures her, she’ll become a political prisoner and a liability to her House. Her only hope is to strike a deal with the dangerous fugitive: a fortune if he helps her escape.But when you make a deal with an irresistibly attractive Devil, you may lose more than you bargained for . . .

"Jessie Mihalik is an author to watch.”--Ilona Andrews, #1 New York Times bestselling authorTo save her brother and protect her family’s future, a powerful princess must join forces with a dashing man from her past in this thrilling space adventure, the second novel in the Consortium Rebellion trilogy.As the dutiful daughter of High House von Hasenberg, Bianca set aside her personal feelings and agreed to a political match arranged by her family, only to end up trapped in a loveless, miserable marriage. When her husband unexpectedly dies, Bianca vows never to wed again. Newly independent, she secretly uses her wealth and influence to save other women stuck in dire circumstances. Information is power and Bianca has a network of allies and spies that would be the envy of the ’verse—if anyone knew about it.When her family’s House is mysteriously attacked, Bianca’s oldest brother, the heir to House von Hasenberg, disappears. Fearful for her brother’s life, the headstrong Bianca defies her father and leaves Earth to save him. Ian Bishop, the director of House von Hasenberg security—and Bianca’s first love—is ordered to find and retrieve the rebellious woman. Ian is the last man Bianca wants to see. To evade capture, she leads him on a merry chase across the universe. But when their paths finally collide, she knows she must persuade him to help her. Bianca will do anything to save her sibling, even if it means spending time alone on a small ship with the handsome, infuriating man who once broke her heart.As the search takes them deep into rival House Rockhurst territory, Bianca must decide if she can trust Ian with the one piece of information that could destroy her completely . . .

Interplanetary intrigue and romance combine in this electrifying finale to the Consortium Rebellion series.As the youngest member of her High House, Catarina von Hasenberg is used to being underestimated, but her youth and flighty, bubbly personality mask a clever mind and stubborn determination. Her enemies, blind to her true strength, do not suspect that Cat is a spy—which makes her the perfect candidate to go undercover at a rival House’s summer retreat to gather intelligence on their recent treachery.Cat’s overprotective older sister reluctantly agrees, but on one condition: Cat cannot go alone. Alexander Sterling, a quiet, gorgeous bodyguard, will accompany her, posing as her lover. After Cat tries, and fails, to ditch Alex, she grudgingly agrees, confident in her ability to manage him. After all, she’s never found a person she can’t manipulate.But Alex proves more difficult—and more desirable—than Cat anticipated. When she’s attacked and nearly killed, she and Alex are forced to work together to figure out how deep the treason goes. With rumors of widespread assaults on Serenity raging, communications down, and the rest of her family trapped off-planet, Catarina must persuade Alex to return to Earth to expose the truth and finish this deadly battle once and for all.But Cat can’t explain why she’s the perfect person to infiltrate hostile territory without revealing secrets she’d rather keep buried. . . .

Color Management serves as a comprehensive guide to the implementation of the ICC (International Color Consortium) profile specification, widely used for maintaining color fidelity across multi-media imaging devices and software. The book draws together many of the White Papers produced by the ICC to promote the use of color management and disseminate good practice; the ICC specification has become widely accepted within the color industry, and these papers have been updated, expanded and edited for this collection. Other chapters comprise material that will go on to form future ICC White Papers, as well as some original content. The ICC review process ensures that the material and recommendations included are collaborative, reflecting the input of the wide community of color and imaging scientists and developers who make up its membership. Readers can be assured of the best advice for achieving optimum results. Provides an overview of color management in applications and the role of ICC profiles in a color reproduction system.Presents user guidelines on color measurement procedures and discusses measurement issues for media such as optically-brightened papers and inkjet prints.Offers comprehensive guidance on the latest version of the specification and the application of the perceptual rendering intent with its reference gamut.Examines the construction and benefits of different types of ICC profiles, and sets out compliance test considerations, implementation notes and evaluation of profile quality.Includes a glossary of terms.This book is written for color and imaging scientists developing, implementing and using color management systems within a range of imaging devices and software. Senior undergraduate and postgraduate students will also find the book of use.

Leading experts present the latest technology and applications in adaptive optics for vision scienceFeaturing contributions from the foremost researchers in the field, Adaptive Optics for Vision Science is the first book devoted entirely to providing the fundamentals of adaptive optics along with its practical applications in vision science. The material for this book stems from collaborations fostered by the Center for Adaptive Optics, a consortium of more than thirty universities, government laboratories, and corporations.Although the book is written primarily for researchers in vision science and ophthalmology, the field of adaptive optics has strong roots in astronomy. Researchers in both fields share this technology and, for this reason, the book includes chapters by both astronomers and vision scientists.Following the introduction, chapters are divided into the following sections: Wavefront Measurement and CorrectionRetinal Imaging ApplicationsVision Correction ApplicationsDesign ExamplesReaders will discover the remarkable proliferation of new applications of wavefront-related technologies developed for the human eye. For example, the book explores how wavefront sensors offer the promise of a new generation of vision correction methods that can deal with higher order aberrations beyond defocus and astigmatism, and how adaptive optics can produce images of the living retina with unprecedented resolution.An appendix includes the Optical Society of America's Standards for Reporting Optical Aberrations. A glossary of terms and a symbol table are also included.Adaptive Optics for Vision Science arms engineers, scientists, clinicians, and students with the basic concepts, engineering tools, and techniques needed to master adaptive optics applications in vision science and ophthalmology. Moreover, readers will discover the latest thinking and findings from the leading innovators in the field.

Government and individual policymakers throughout the developed and developing world face the common problem of bringing expert knowledge to bear in government decision making. Policymakers need understandable, reliable, accessible, and useful information about the societies they govern. They also need to know how current policies are working, as well as possible alternatives and their likely costs and consequences. This expanding need has fostered the growth of independent public policy research organizations, commonly known as think tanks. Think Tanks and Civil Societies analyzes their growth, scope, and constraints, while providing institutional profiles of such organizations in every region of the world.Beginning with North America, contributors analyze think tank development past and future, consider their relationship to the general political culture, and provide detailed looks at such examples as the Heritage Foundation and the Institute for Research on Public Policy. A historical and subregional overview of think tanks throughout Europe notes the emphasis on European Union issues and points to a dramatic rise in the number and influence of free market institutes across the continent. Think tanks in Germany, Spain, and France are profiled with respect to national politics and cultures. Advanced industrial nations of northern Asia are compared and contrasted, revealing a greater need for independent policy voices. Moving to countries undergoing economic transition, contributors deal with challenges posed in Russia and the former Soviet bloc and their think tanks' search for influence, independence, and sustainability. Other chapters deal with the developing countries of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, finding that the number, quality, and independence of think tanks is largely determined by the degree of democracy in individual nations.

Learn how information professionals are addressing the electronic resource issues being faced in their own libraries and around the world! This informative volume gives you an up-close look at the increasingly important role that electronic serials play in the overall library collection, today and in the future. It addresses many of the themes, problems, and questions raised by this fast-evolving medium, including e-journal publishing issues, troubleshooting, and accreditation issues, as well as e-reserves, e-books, and more. In E-Serials Collection Management: Transitions, Trends, and Technicalities, library professionals from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia discuss these issues, the problems they have faced, and the solutions they have developed for them. From the editor: It is my belief that e-serials will continue to emerge as the key players in the library world, as the physical library gradually and inexorably gives way to the virtual library. As e-journals insinuate themselves throughout the infrastructures of libraries and expand their reach globally, the issues addressed in this book are becoming of concern to all librarians, not just the electronic resources and information technology specialists. Librarians all over the world are struggling with how to manage electronic serials and the issues associated with them. In this book, readers will see how library professionals just like themselves deal with electronic journals, their transitions, trends, and technicalities. With helpful graphs, figures, and charts making the information in the book easily accessible and understandable, E-Serials Collection Management: Transitions, Trends, and Technicalities will increase your understanding of:the interrelationship between pricing, licensing, technological aspects, and proximity to publishers and librariesfrom the point of view of a leading global subscription agent the benefits and pitfalls of using vendors/publishers, third-party providers, and subscription agents for electronic journal services how information professionals are currently developing and cataloging online materialswith a survey of 70 libraries! the IP ranges vs. passwords conundrum the advantages of joining a consortium to make journals available to users at a lower cost to your library how to determine the amount of usage your electronic products are getting claiming and troubleshooting e-journalswith a fascinating case study from UCLA's biomedical library how to efficiently handle electronic articles destined for a reserve collection how to select an e-book model that will satisfy your users and your staff open-access systems and softwareand what they mean to your institution regional accreditation for e-serials using a database-driven approach to manage e-resources and more!

Learn how information professionals are addressing the electronic resource issues being faced in their own libraries and around the world! This informative volume gives you an up-close look at the increasingly important role that electronic serials play in the overall library collection, today and in the future. It addresses many of the themes, problems, and questions raised by this fast-evolving medium, including e-journal publishing issues, troubleshooting, and accreditation issues, as well as e-reserves, e-books, and more. In E-Serials Collection Management: Transitions, Trends, and Technicalities, library professionals from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia discuss these issues, the problems they have faced, and the solutions they have developed for them. From the editor: It is my belief that e-serials will continue to emerge as the key players in the library world, as the physical library gradually and inexorably gives way to the virtual library. As e-journals insinuate themselves throughout the infrastructures of libraries and expand their reach globally, the issues addressed in this book are becoming of concern to all librarians, not just the electronic resources and information technology specialists. Librarians all over the world are struggling with how to manage electronic serials and the issues associated with them. In this book, readers will see how library professionals just like themselves deal with electronic journals, their transitions, trends, and technicalities. With helpful graphs, figures, and charts making the information in the book easily accessible and understandable, E-Serials Collection Management: Transitions, Trends, and Technicalities will increase your understanding of:the interrelationship between pricing, licensing, technological aspects, and proximity to publishers and librariesfrom the point of view of a leading global subscription agent the benefits and pitfalls of using vendors/publishers, third-party providers, and subscription agents for electronic journal services how information professionals are currently developing and cataloging online materialswith a survey of 70 libraries! the IP ranges vs. passwords conundrum the advantages of joining a consortium to make journals available to users at a lower cost to your library how to determine the amount of usage your electronic products are getting claiming and troubleshooting e-journalswith a fascinating case study from UCLA's biomedical library how to efficiently handle electronic articles destined for a reserve collection how to select an e-book model that will satisfy your users and your staff open-access systems and softwareand what they mean to your institution regional accreditation for e-serials using a database-driven approach to manage e-resources and more!

Examine the nuts and bolts of successful management in today’s rapidly evolving libraries!This book is an essential primer for new library managers and directors. In addition to providing an overview of the practical aspects of management, it is a vital reference tool for managing your library and its staff. The Practical Library Manager’s informative text and comprehensive bibliographies of print and electronic resources can guide you to solutions to the issues that every fledgling library manager must deal with upon appointment.While there are many publications on library management, The Practical Library Manager is one of very few to focus on the practical issues of staffing and the importance of continuous staff training. Also, unlike other books on the subject, this book features a chapter that points you to relevant management texts originally written for the corporate world rather than the library profession.The Practical Library Manager is the perfect single source to help you:understand the challenges of staffing your library and training your staff explore new technology’s impact on library workers and evaluate training programs to help them keep up ensure that your staff has the core competencies they’ll need in the current climate build a “virtual library” decide whether your library should join a consortium and much more!In the words of the author: “Today, the most successful libraries in the country are those addressing the needs of both external and internal customers. However, it takes more than technology to change the working relationship between the institution and its customer. The guiding force for change must include a strong and respectful relationship between the library manager and staff. Much of what is written in this book can assist the fledgling manager in creating an environment of trust, teamwork, and respect.”

Examine the nuts and bolts of successful management in today’s rapidly evolving libraries!This book is an essential primer for new library managers and directors. In addition to providing an overview of the practical aspects of management, it is a vital reference tool for managing your library and its staff. The Practical Library Manager’s informative text and comprehensive bibliographies of print and electronic resources can guide you to solutions to the issues that every fledgling library manager must deal with upon appointment.While there are many publications on library management, The Practical Library Manager is one of very few to focus on the practical issues of staffing and the importance of continuous staff training. Also, unlike other books on the subject, this book features a chapter that points you to relevant management texts originally written for the corporate world rather than the library profession.The Practical Library Manager is the perfect single source to help you:understand the challenges of staffing your library and training your staff explore new technology’s impact on library workers and evaluate training programs to help them keep up ensure that your staff has the core competencies they’ll need in the current climate build a “virtual library” decide whether your library should join a consortium and much more!In the words of the author: “Today, the most successful libraries in the country are those addressing the needs of both external and internal customers. However, it takes more than technology to change the working relationship between the institution and its customer. The guiding force for change must include a strong and respectful relationship between the library manager and staff. Much of what is written in this book can assist the fledgling manager in creating an environment of trust, teamwork, and respect.”

Contains field-tested techniques to enhance the effectiveness of your local social services! Changing Welfare Services: Case Studies of Local Welfare Reform Programs describes promising programs and practices that have emerged in the United States since the enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. Using case studies, this reference provides important lessons that will help social service directors and staff to develop strategies that will improve local welfare-to-work services. This casebook focuses on the agencies rather than the welfare population, emphasizing the guiding values of these agencies and the lessons they learned. Changing Welfare Services explores new approaches to service delivery, with emphasis on removing barriers to work force participation and promoting self-sufficiency through support services. The case studies involve programs focused on working with the community by developing partnerships with local organizations to provide better services. This text emphasizes the organizational changessuch as the development of new training programs, merging employment and social service agencies, and restructuring agency programs to foster collaboration between child welfare services and welfare-to-work programsthat were successful strategies used to implement welfare reform. In Changing Welfare Services, you will learn about:the Connections Shuttle and the Guaranteed Ride Home Programtransportation services for welfare-to-work participants the Exempt Provider Training Program trains Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) participants and others to launch and improve their own high-quality child care businesses co-location of support servicessituating mental health and substance abuse services near the social services agency so TANF participants can make a single visit for all necessary services the Family Loan Programhelps low-income families deal with large or unexpected one-time expenses the JobKeeper Hotlineprovides round-the-clock counseling, crisis intervention, and referral services to help participants stay employed and much more! Changing Welfare Services shows how these agencies discovered new ways to serve the needs of low-income residents and offers you a variety of inventive techniques for improving your own agency’s support for welfare recipients. Enhanced with tables, figures, and appendixes, this practitioner-oriented casebook is a much-needed complement to the many quantitative studies of the welfare population. This book is a valuable resource for state and local human service administrators and staff, policymakers, and university faculty and students of public policy.

Contains field-tested techniques to enhance the effectiveness of your local social services! Changing Welfare Services: Case Studies of Local Welfare Reform Programs describes promising programs and practices that have emerged in the United States since the enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. Using case studies, this reference provides important lessons that will help social service directors and staff to develop strategies that will improve local welfare-to-work services. This casebook focuses on the agencies rather than the welfare population, emphasizing the guiding values of these agencies and the lessons they learned. Changing Welfare Services explores new approaches to service delivery, with emphasis on removing barriers to work force participation and promoting self-sufficiency through support services. The case studies involve programs focused on working with the community by developing partnerships with local organizations to provide better services. This text emphasizes the organizational changessuch as the development of new training programs, merging employment and social service agencies, and restructuring agency programs to foster collaboration between child welfare services and welfare-to-work programsthat were successful strategies used to implement welfare reform. In Changing Welfare Services, you will learn about:the Connections Shuttle and the Guaranteed Ride Home Programtransportation services for welfare-to-work participants the Exempt Provider Training Program trains Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) participants and others to launch and improve their own high-quality child care businesses co-location of support servicessituating mental health and substance abuse services near the social services agency so TANF participants can make a single visit for all necessary services the Family Loan Programhelps low-income families deal with large or unexpected one-time expenses the JobKeeper Hotlineprovides round-the-clock counseling, crisis intervention, and referral services to help participants stay employed and much more! Changing Welfare Services shows how these agencies discovered new ways to serve the needs of low-income residents and offers you a variety of inventive techniques for improving your own agency’s support for welfare recipients. Enhanced with tables, figures, and appendixes, this practitioner-oriented casebook is a much-needed complement to the many quantitative studies of the welfare population. This book is a valuable resource for state and local human service administrators and staff, policymakers, and university faculty and students of public policy.

Advice from the expertson collecting and managing the digital resources that are an increasingly vital part of librarianship! Managing Digital Resources in Libraries is a practical guide to managing library materials in digital formats. Working librarians share their expertise in the acquisition and management of digital resources, addressing questions of licensing, funding, and providing access. The contributors also examine innovative projects and systems, such as the integration of PDA-accessible resources into a library collection and the development of all-digital libraries. You’ll also find supplementary reading lists and bibliographies of additional resources, including relevant Web sites. Addressing the challenges of and barriers to the preservation and dissemination of electronic information, Managing Digital Resources in Libraries explores vital questions, such as:How are librarians coping with digital resources? How do they compare and select titles and formats to purchase? How do they allocate limited fundsto lease or to purchase high-priced electronic titles? Does consortium membership provide the answer to funding problems, or does it force librarians to pay for content their users neither want nor need? Is MARC still an appropriate format for cataloging? How can librarians make themselves familiar with the multitude of available resources?Managing Digital Resources in Libraries will update your working knowledge of:online resources open archivestheir uses and their history the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the First Sale Doctrine, and the Fair Use Doctrineand their implications for librarians e-journal cataloging and e-journal management software electronic collection development and management personal digital assistants digital licensing agreements electronic searching systems, including ELIN@, Electronic Journal Finder, Pirate Source, OPAC, and cold fusion databases

Advice from the expertson collecting and managing the digital resources that are an increasingly vital part of librarianship! Managing Digital Resources in Libraries is a practical guide to managing library materials in digital formats. Working librarians share their expertise in the acquisition and management of digital resources, addressing questions of licensing, funding, and providing access. The contributors also examine innovative projects and systems, such as the integration of PDA-accessible resources into a library collection and the development of all-digital libraries. You’ll also find supplementary reading lists and bibliographies of additional resources, including relevant Web sites. Addressing the challenges of and barriers to the preservation and dissemination of electronic information, Managing Digital Resources in Libraries explores vital questions, such as:How are librarians coping with digital resources? How do they compare and select titles and formats to purchase? How do they allocate limited fundsto lease or to purchase high-priced electronic titles? Does consortium membership provide the answer to funding problems, or does it force librarians to pay for content their users neither want nor need? Is MARC still an appropriate format for cataloging? How can librarians make themselves familiar with the multitude of available resources?Managing Digital Resources in Libraries will update your working knowledge of:online resources open archivestheir uses and their history the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the First Sale Doctrine, and the Fair Use Doctrineand their implications for librarians e-journal cataloging and e-journal management software electronic collection development and management personal digital assistants digital licensing agreements electronic searching systems, including ELIN@, Electronic Journal Finder, Pirate Source, OPAC, and cold fusion databases

Effectively assess whether any library is making good use of the reference/user service resources available todayLibraries need to develop standards by which they can assess their individual performances in a larger context, and Assessing Reference and User Services in a Digital Age makes significant contributions to this ongoing discussion. The book addresses its subject matter via approaches ranging from case studies of individual libraries to general discussions of best practices. The contributors explore the impact of the Internet on the field of evaluation, focusing on electronic reference and instruction. They highlight current issues, present research results, and offer expert advice on how to assess online reference and instruction. All chapters are well referenced to facilitate further study, and many include tables, appendixes, checklists, and other helpful features that make difficult information easy to access and understand.The chapters that make up Assessing Reference and User Services in a Digital Age are as rich and varied as the backgrounds of their authors. Experienced researchers provide the results of studies conducted to determine the nature and effectiveness of the online reference services offered by various libraries. Practitioners and administrators from different institutional settings (academic libraries, public libraries, consortiums, etc.) provide their perspectives on the issues facing librarians who need to assess the electronic services they provide.In this important new book:Andrew Briedenbagh shows how a chat service can be implemented and suggests which data should be collected for it Buff Hirko examines VET: the Virtual Evaluation Toolkit Ruth Vondracek shares the experiences of a university library as it entered a statewide e-reference consortium, and offers advice and issues to consider before entering such a partnership librarians from San Jose State University present a model for evaluating electronic reference services that can be used in public or academic libraries Kathleen Kern discusses holistic evaluation chat transcripts are addressed in several chapters, including Joseph Fennewald’s comparisons of question categories, Lesley Moyo’s analysis of the use of instruction in the virtual environment, and Caleb Tucker-Raymond’s proposed set of quality measures for chat reference Laurie Probst and Michael Pelikan report on the use of a Tell Us What You Think button to gather user feedback Kristi Nelson and Catherine L. Ross examine a research study that asked library school students to submit a reference question online and report on their experiences Melissa Gross, Charles McClure, and R. David Lankes suggest measures to determine the cost and benefits of a virtual reference service librarians from Utah State University describe the development of their online instructional moduleAssessing Reference and User Services in a Digital Age is designed as essential reading for library administrators, public service librarians, and researchers. It provides general advice for practitioners as well as an examination of research results and methodological issues. We urge you to consider making it part of your professional or teaching collection today.

Effectively assess whether any library is making good use of the reference/user service resources available todayLibraries need to develop standards by which they can assess their individual performances in a larger context, and Assessing Reference and User Services in a Digital Age makes significant contributions to this ongoing discussion. The book addresses its subject matter via approaches ranging from case studies of individual libraries to general discussions of best practices. The contributors explore the impact of the Internet on the field of evaluation, focusing on electronic reference and instruction. They highlight current issues, present research results, and offer expert advice on how to assess online reference and instruction. All chapters are well referenced to facilitate further study, and many include tables, appendixes, checklists, and other helpful features that make difficult information easy to access and understand.The chapters that make up Assessing Reference and User Services in a Digital Age are as rich and varied as the backgrounds of their authors. Experienced researchers provide the results of studies conducted to determine the nature and effectiveness of the online reference services offered by various libraries. Practitioners and administrators from different institutional settings (academic libraries, public libraries, consortiums, etc.) provide their perspectives on the issues facing librarians who need to assess the electronic services they provide.In this important new book:Andrew Briedenbagh shows how a chat service can be implemented and suggests which data should be collected for it Buff Hirko examines VET: the Virtual Evaluation Toolkit Ruth Vondracek shares the experiences of a university library as it entered a statewide e-reference consortium, and offers advice and issues to consider before entering such a partnership librarians from San Jose State University present a model for evaluating electronic reference services that can be used in public or academic libraries Kathleen Kern discusses holistic evaluation chat transcripts are addressed in several chapters, including Joseph Fennewald’s comparisons of question categories, Lesley Moyo’s analysis of the use of instruction in the virtual environment, and Caleb Tucker-Raymond’s proposed set of quality measures for chat reference Laurie Probst and Michael Pelikan report on the use of a Tell Us What You Think button to gather user feedback Kristi Nelson and Catherine L. Ross examine a research study that asked library school students to submit a reference question online and report on their experiences Melissa Gross, Charles McClure, and R. David Lankes suggest measures to determine the cost and benefits of a virtual reference service librarians from Utah State University describe the development of their online instructional moduleAssessing Reference and User Services in a Digital Age is designed as essential reading for library administrators, public service librarians, and researchers. It provides general advice for practitioners as well as an examination of research results and methodological issues. We urge you to consider making it part of your professional or teaching collection today.

The primary purpose of this book is to demonstrate how proven quality assurance tools and methods that have been applied successfully in the manufacturing and service industries for the past 20 years can be applied in the testing industry. It defines what is meant by the term "quality" in testing and reviews how three business process concepts – standards, process planning and design, and continuous improvement – can be used to improve the way in which tests are designed, administered, scored and reported so that errors can be eliminated.

The primary purpose of this book is to demonstrate how proven quality assurance tools and methods that have been applied successfully in the manufacturing and service industries for the past 20 years can be applied in the testing industry. It defines what is meant by the term "quality" in testing and reviews how three business process concepts – standards, process planning and design, and continuous improvement – can be used to improve the way in which tests are designed, administered, scored and reported so that errors can be eliminated.

In a nation built by immigrants and bedeviled by the history and legacy of slavery and discrimination, how do we, as Americans, reconcile a commitment to equality and freedom with persistent inequality and discrimination? And what can we do about it? This widely acclaimed text by Paula D. McClain, with new coauthor Jessica D. Johnson Carew, provides a comprehensive and accessible overview of the historical and contemporary political experience of the major groups-African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and American Indians-in the United States. It explores the similarities and differences in these groups' representation and participation in law, politics, and policymaking, discusses the enduring issues and concerns that they face, and examines intra- and inter-group competition and coalition-building in the face of enduring conflict and inequality. The seventh edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to include coverage of President Barack Obama's second term, the 2016 election, police brutality and Black Lives Matter, and the Dakota Access Pipeline protest movement. With a brand-new chapter on the intersections of race and gender, Can We All Get Along? remains unparalleled in its comparative coverage of the current landscape of minority politics in the United States.

Despite the size and relative prosperity of the Asian American ethnic population, the participation of Asian Americans in electoral politics has been low. This study explores the relationship between ethnic identity and political participation on three levels-between the four major racial/ethnic groups of the American nation, inside the multi-ethnic Asian American population, and within a specific Asian American ethnic group (Koreans).Empirical analysis of surveys dealing with ethnic identity, experience, and voting behavior reveals the complexity of Asian American identities and the importance of both positive and negative experiences in shaping political participation. While, in general, individuals of Asian descent tend to participate less in electoral politics, the political involvement of those with a stronger sense of pan-Asian or specific ethnic identity are more complex. Political participation can be increased by a greater sense of group consciousness and identification of interests with either the panethnic group or a specific ethnic group. Most importantly, the socio-political context shapes the impact of ethnicity on political participation. The experience of Korean Americans in southern California exemplifies this process-Koreans, often victimized by hate crimes, were politicized by the riots following the trial of LAPD officers in the Rodney King incident.The study concludes with a discussion of the meaning of electoral participation and financial contributions for Asian Americans, and of the role of political parties, interest groups, and media in the mobilization of Asian Americans into mainstream politics.(Ph.D. dissertation, University of Florida, 1995; revised with new preface, and foreword)