Making the most of the cloud: How to choose and implement the best
services for your library, by Robin Hastings, Lanham, MD, Scarecrow
Press, 2014, 267 pp., £34.95 (soft cover), ISBN 9780-8108-9109-8 (available
from Inbooks)
Cloud computing is a model of technology that enables constant, convenient,
on-demand access to resources that can be configured and built with little
effort by the service provider. It has been a ubiquitous topic in the IT sphere
for the last couple of years. The purpose of the guide is to assist the nontechnical librarian in finding, evaluating and procuring cloud services that will
work for a library. The author, Robin Hastings, is Director of Technology
Services at the Northeast Kansas Library System in Lawrence, Kansas. She
is an experienced writer and presenter, and her background is reflected both
in the technical knowledge of the content and the easy-to-understand writing
style.
The book profiles many cloud applications relevant to libraries. There are
chapters on individual aspects of library services using the cloud; topics
covered include hosting of integrated library systems, social media
management, use of email services, web site hosting, use of office and
graphics software, backing up using the cloud and using project management
software. Each chapter gives the background to the service and provides
information on and examples of cloud-based tools. There is also a chapter
dedicated to security and privacy issues and discussion of how to address
concerns in these areas.
The guide provides readers with a checklist of points to consider when
considering cloud-based services and a list of useful software available on the
cloud. The author also acknowledges the speed at which the industry is
changing and has provided a website for updates to the book’s content. There
are useful definitions of cloud terminology and acronyms, as well as a
comprehensive index and lists of readings for further analysis.
The book is well set out and easy to read. It is also comprehensive in
coverage and easily understood by someone without extensive technical
knowledge. It serves as a useful introduction to cloud computing for libraries
and is recommended to librarians seeking to understand the role of cloud
computing in their work and to evaluate the relevance of cloud computing
services.
Catherine Gilbert
Parliament of Australia Library