A librarian's guide to service-learning

One descriptive annotated bibliography in a short journal article cannot possibly begin to delve into the substantive volume of information written to date about service-learning as a teaching methodology, particularly when there are entire sourcebooks and bibliographies dedicated to this subject. Instead, my goal was to create a useful resource guide for faculty members working in management and leadership disciplines who are interested in service-learning. I include a select group of core monographs, journal articles, book chapters, and websites/listservs that will introduce those interested in service-learning to some of the most cited and current work in the area. In an attempt to make this as useful a guide as possible, I added my reactions and reflections to each resource discussed. The decision for inclusion in this guide was threefold. First, for general service-learning sources. each source must provide substantial enough information that the document disseminates significant theory, issues, and application of practice within higher education and be accessible either through the web, libraries, or by purchase; however, older materials (1993 and prior) and general education sources were intentionally omitted as most education literature is frequently speckled with John Dewey and retrospective historical information and is, therefore, considered commonly known. Second, for the business and management or leadership specific section of this guide, each source must provide either "best practice," new or innovative concepts, or exemplary examples of application in one or more academic institutions. Third, while there are wonderfully executed programs within the K-12 market, this article is focused almost exclusively on resources for higher education.