Once Upon a Time in the Academic Library: Storytelling Skills for Librarians

Editors Barefoot (online learning library, Univ. of Delaware), Sara Parme (project director, Appalachian Association’s Open and Affordable Resources Initiative), and independent researcher and former librarian Elin Woods offer an inspired and structured illustration of the practical uses of storytelling in academic librarianship. One chapter, focusing on an academic librarian who asks first-year students to remember where they were when Comet Borisov was discovered, illustrates that stories help students realize that library research can directly apply to their personal lives. The authors of each chapter guide readers through seven sections including an introduction, their storytelling goal, audience, delivery, theory, cultural considerations, and a practical example. Many chapters have unexpected and unique content that increases the utility of the heavily cited work. Most notable are the practical examples. Full of ideas for practitioners interested in incorporating the concept of storytelling, the book is a quick read with the potential to be a handy reference.