Building a Popular Science Library Collection for High School to Adult Learners: Issues and Recommended Resources

(Hardback)

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In response to the often-cited need to improve science literacy in the United States, this book examines how popular science information resources contribute to this goal and recommends nearly 2,500 significant titles70 percent published since 1990representing all fields of modern science. This guide provides librarians, educators, and other information specialists with an understanding of science literacy, as well as the knowledge of the skills and principles necessary to evaluate works of popular science. The annotated bibliographies are organized into nine subject areas and represent the body of current, significant popular literature for the entire discipline, including reference works, autobiography and biography, history of the discipline, and specific topics within the discipline. Nonprint resources are evaluated as well. This work will be valuable for collection development, making reference recommendations, and designing programmatic learning activities and is intended for public, high school, community college, and college and university librarians, as well as for science teachers. Librarians and information specialists must develop representative collections and be able to evaluate and recommend scientific information resources effectively. This work is unique in developing a unifying contextual background and linking popular science library collections to science literacy. Part One, Scientific Information, Popular Science, and Lifelong Learning, discusses historical and current issues related to popular science, science literacy, and information resources. Included is the most exhaustive discussion available of how to evaluate works of popular science. Part Two, Subject Guides to Popular Information Resources, is an annotated bibliography of 2,500 recommended print and nonprint works in general science, astronomy and space sciences, biological sciences, chemistry, mathematics, medicine and health sciences, natural history, physics, and technology and applied science. Each core entry contains a complete bibliographic citation, a 25-75 word descriptive and evaluative annotation, and a list of review sources. Annotations consider the resource's level of relevance, scope, comprehensibility, and uniqueness, and compare resources, especially the ways in which they complement or contrast with one another. Additional recommended titles contain a brief annotation.

Reviews

"How often have you needed to recommend a resource for a patron on the spur of the moment This is just the book you'll reach for to provide the support if the request is in the sciences. The superb organization of this book greatly facilitates the search process for the professional or the student and is friendly to the nonscience oriented reader. Librarians and teachers will want a copy of this book at their desk, as well as on the shelf."-VOYA
A helpful tool in building a strong science collection. Recommended.-The Book Report
How often have you needed to recommend a resource for a patron on the spur of the moment This is just the book you'll reach for to provide the support if the request is in the sciences. The superb organization of this book greatly facilitates the search process for the professional or the student and is friendly to the nonscience oriented reader. Librarians and teachers will want a copy of this book at their desk, as well as on the shelf.-VOYA
The need for what is called "science literacy," or the science knowledge one needs to understand public issues, has been growing over the years.-This book is an attempt to present sound advice to ease the problem.- Library and Information Science
"Sapp believes reading popular nonfiction is an important way for high-school students and adult learners to acquire knowledge about science. This book examines nearly 2,500 titles, about 70 percent of which have been published since 1990. Most comparable works emphasize reference materials rather than popular-science nonfiction. Public and high-school libraries should consider this book for their collections."-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
"A helpful tool in building a strong science collection. Recommended."-The Book Report
"The need for what is called "science literacy," or the science knowledge one needs to understand public issues, has been growing over the years.-This book is an attempt to present sound advice to ease the problem."- Library and Information Science

Author Bio

GREGG SAPP, head of Access Services at the University of Miami's Richter Library, writes the annual Library Journal column Best Sci-Tech Books for General Readers. He has studied issues related to science literacy, science education, and information resources for 10 years. He is coauthor of Notable Historical Figures in Fiction (1994) and Access Services in Libraries: New Solutions for Collection Management (1992) and currently preparing a work entitled Primary Sources: Original Scientific Texts and Their Publics, a series of original essays in the history of science.