Professional Media Reviews, March 15, 2011 

Baumann, Susana G. ¡Hola, amigos!: A Plan for Latino Outreach. Libraries Unlimited: ABC-CLIO. (Latinos and Libraries). 2010. 409p. bibliog. illus. index. ISBN 9781591584742. pap. $40. PRO MEDIA
Baumann (Cuesta MultiCultural Consulting & Training), an Argentine American, adds to library outreach literature with an in-depth guide to providing outreach and services to Latinos and all Spanish speakers. Here, public librarians in particular will learn why outreach is necessary, how to create crucial community partnerships, the importance of knowing the makeup of the library’s Latino communities, carrying out targeted outreach activities, and evaluating and assessing efforts. Baumann provides a well-organized manual that lays out the steps to attracting and providing services to Latino communities. The interactive work sheets provided throughout the book and the final chapter, “Your Plan for Latino Outreach,” would serve library staff better if they were accessible digitally as a supplemental CD-ROM or website. VERDICT Recommended for the professional collection of any public library wanting to provide equitable access and meaningful services to Latino communities. Look for this series to continue in October 2011 with Pathways to Progress: Issues and Advances in Latino Librarianship.—Catherine C. McMullen, MLIS, Portland, OR

Huber, John. Lean Library Management: Eleven Strategies for Reducing Costs and Improving Services. Neal-Schuman. 2011. c.175p. index. ISBN 9781555707323. pap. $65. PRO MEDIA
Huber (J. Huber & Assoc.), a management consultant who has helped organizations improve customer service by increasing what is known as “process performance,” now applies his methods to libraries by providing cost-effective means for improving library services through increasing efficiency and cutting waste. Using his “Lean” concept, Huber includes 11 strategies for improving the flow of work at libraries to serve patrons faster and with fewer errors. The concepts include how libraries can measure themselves against their competitors, why organizations resist change and how to overcome the resistance, the realization that a library is not made up of separate departments but is rather a series of interconnected service chains, addressing problems with hold/reserves services, information on becoming “Lean,” case examples from several libraries, and more. Appendixes supply additional “Lean” tools along with helpful advice on good communication skills. VERDICT Recommended for relevant staff in medium and large libraries to run the library more efficiently and as a tool for assessing library operations.—Marie Bruni, Huntington Memorial Lib., Oneonta, NY

Tucker, Virginia & Marc Lampson. Finding the Answers to Legal Questions. Neal-Schuman.(How-To-Do-It Manuals, No. 174). 2010. 215p. index. ISBN 9781555707187. pap. $75. PRO MEDIA
Part-time law librarian Tucker and lawyer and librarian Lampson, both teachers at San Jose State Univ. SLIS, wrote this book to help public librarians assist patrons with legal questions. They provide an overview of the primary sources of legal information followed by a section on conducting reference interviews, with emphasis on the important differences between being a navigator for a patron and offering legal advice. There is a good discussion of basic legal research techniques and several chapters that deal with answering specific legal questions in such areas as employment law, family law, estate planning, criminal law, and lawsuits. The format is well thought out—highlighted boxes in each of the sections recap the resources discussed, illustrate a key concept from the narrative, or point to developments in legal resources worth monitoring. Appendixes include a glossary, a summary of reliable online tools, and a state law resource compilation. VERDICT Librarians will love this—it reflects how legal information is organized as well as how it will be used. It will also appeal to lay researchers who need to understand the legal system.—Joan Pedzich, Harris Beach PLLC, Rochester, NY