Social and Community Work: Books
How do I find Social Work books?
Many books for Social Work begin with the call number HV and are shelved on the first floor of the Central Library. Many more books with related and/or specific topics can be found throughout the Library's collections. Find them by searching Library Search | Ketu and/or check out the recommended books below.
Distance Students find out more about having books mailed directly to you using the Home Delivery Service.
- Library Search | Ketu This link opens in a new windowLibrary Search | Ketu provides fast, simple, one-step searching across the University of Otago Library's resources. It is designed to make it quick and easy to begin researching a topic. It is not a replacement for the detailed and precise search tools available from individual subject specific databases.
Methodology Books
Becoming a Social Worker by Publication Date: 2011This is based upon the experiences of social work students themselves and therefore provides a unique ′inside-out′ perspective.
Doing Social Work Research by Publication Date: 2010This book is a practical beginner's guide to both conducting and using research within the context of social work practice.
Doing Social Work Research by Publication Date: 2009This book offers many practical examples of research projects taken from the author's own experience as a researcher.
Essential Research Methods for Social Work by Publication Date: 2013Illustrations and examples throughout show you how you can apply research to practice. Outlines, review questions and exercises.
Modern Social Work Theory by Publication Date: 2021This text provides a comprehensive and critical overview of the main practice theories that will act as a companion for students throughout their course and their career as a practitioner.
Qualitative Research Skills for Social Work by Publication Date: 2012A practical guide that escorts the reader through the research process relating to the completion of a small-scale qualitative project or dissertation.
Quantitative Research Methods for Social Work by Publication Date: 2017Explores key areas of data collection, analysis and evaluation and outline in detail how they can be applied to practice.
Re-Imagining Child Protection by Publication Date: 2014This timely book challenges a child protection culture that has become mired in muscular authoritarianism towards multiply deprived families.
Research for Effective Social Work Practice by Publication Date: 2013Qualitative and quantitative research methods, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations and the practical application of research to improve social conditions.
Research Methods for Social Workers by Publication Date: 2009The text is ideal for undergraduate or graduate students who have little or no prior knowledge of research.
Social Sustainability and Social Work Practice in Asia and the Pacific Rim by Publication Date: 2019Combining case studies and country reports from around Asia with a theoretical framework for understanding sustainability concerns, this book aims to show how social work can play a valuable role in mitigating and adapting to environmental challenges and social sustainability.
Social Work: Themes, Issues and Critical Debates by Publication Date: 2009Themes, Issues and Critical Debates, one of the most respected and widely used textbooks in social work.
Social Work Dissertation by Publication Date: 2009A trustworthy guide to the dissertation process from beginning to end.
The Social Work Dissertation by Publication Date: 2013This book is an indispensable and uniquely placed resource for any social work student daunted by the prospect of the dissertation, or indeed for practitioners who are starting out in research.
Social Work Skills and Knowledge by Publication Date: 2010Trevithick provides a comprehensive knowledge and skills framework and excellent practice examples.
A Textbook of Social Work by Publication Date: 2008A Textbook of Social Work provides a comprehensive discussion of social work practice and its evidence-base.
Encyclopedias, Dictionaries & Handbooks
The Blackwell Companion to Social Work by Publication Date: 2013Comprehensively reworked new edition comprising six substantive sections covering essential topics for trainee social workers.
Comprehensive Handbook of Social Work and Social Welfare by Publication Date: 2008The profession of social work; Human behavior in the social environment; Social work practice; Social policy and policy practice.
Dictionary of Social Work by Publication Date: 2010This updated and revised version of a very popular and well received book provides a key quick reference work for students, and new and experienced practitioners.
A Dictionary of Social Work and Social Care by Publication Date: 2018This new edition provides over 1,800 A-Z definitions of terms from the field of social care, concentrating on social work as a significant area within this field.
Encyclopedia of Domestic Violence by Publication Date: 2007A modern reference from the leading international scholars in domestic violence research.
The Encyclopedia of Social Work by Publication Date: 2008Co-published by the National Association of Social Workers and Oxford University Press.
Encyclopedia of Social Work with Groups by Publication Date: 2009This book provides a comprehensive overview of social work with groups from its initial development to its diverse practice today.
Handbook for Social Work Writing by Publication Date: 2024This concise, accessible, and engaging handbook offers a companion for social work students to acquire professional and competency-based writing skills.
The Practicum Companion for Social Work by Publication Date: 2007The ideal companion for the first field/practicum experience, this text guides students through their placement while reinforcing the link between social work theory and practice.
The Routledge Handbook of Critical Social Work by Publication Date: 2019This text brings together the world's leading scholars in the field to provide a cutting-edge overview of classic and current research and future trends in the subject.
The Routledge Handbook of International Critical Social Work by Publication Date: 2022The Routledge Handbook of International Critical Social Work is a companion volume to the Routledge Handbook of Critical Social Work.
The Routledge International Handbook of Digital Social Work by Publication Date: 2023This handbook provides an authoritative and cutting-edge overview of current research and trends related to the emerging field of digital technology and social work.
The SAGE Handbook of International Social Work by Publication Date: 2012This Handbook tackles the global/local aspect of social work in its various forms and interrogates the key concerns that societies are facing through an international lens.
Social Work: a companion to learning by Publication Date: 2007This text is an exciting and definitive new book that will equip readers with the core knowledge and skills they need to successfully complete their social work training, and go on to be an effective practitioner.
Successful Social Work Education: a student's guide by Publication Date: 2006Barsky's student guide can help you make the transition from liberal arts or general education to professional education and the practice of social work.
Understanding Community Care: a guide for social workers by Publication Date: 2006The second edition of this popular textbook on community care has been substantially updated to incorporate both the new requirements for social work training.
Indigenous Focus
Indigenous Social Work Around the World: towards culturally relevant education and practice by Publication Date: 2010How can mainstream Western social work learn from and in turn help advance indigenous practice? This volume brings together prominent international scholars involved in both Western and indigenous social work across the globe.
Pacific Social Work by Publication Date: 2019As a region, the Pacific is changing rapidly. This edited collection centres Pacific-Indigenous ways of knowing, doing and being in Pacific social work. In so doing, the authors decolonise the dominant western rhetoric that is evident in contemporary social work practice in the region and rejuvenate practice models with evolving Pacific perspectives.
Social Work Field Education and Supervision Across Asia Pacific by Publication Date: 2011The editors and contributors, who are engaged in a broad array of professional interests, hope that readers will find this book both inspiring and challenging as they teach and learn from each other across Asia Pacific. Australian and NZ authors.
Chiefly in English, with one chapter each in Korean, Chinese, and Japanese. Chapter abstracts are in English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
Social Work Practice in Africa: Indigenous and innovative approaches by Publication Date: 2009The importance of integrating Indigenous Knowledge Systems into mainstream social work and ensuring context-specific, culturally relevant practice has long been emphasized in Africa and the Global South. This book, based on empirical research, presents a selection of Indigenous and innovative models and approaches of problem solving that will inspire social work practice and education.
Social Work with Indigenous Communities by Publication Date: 2007Covers the issues that Indigenous communities face, with specific chapters devoted to the areas of children, youth, family violence, health, and criminal justice. This book shows social workers how they can develop their skills in this area and excel in providing services with the best fit for Indigenous communities.
Working with Whānau: Māori social work in schools by Publication Date: 2011Working with whanau: Maori social work in schools covers the work of a group of kaimahi working as social workers in largely rural Maori communities. The focus of this text is on kaimahi who work for iwi Maori organisations.
eBook Databases
These databases contain eBooks with Social Work content. Many of these eBooks can also be found searching Library Search | Ketu.
- Bridget Williams Books New Zealand History Collection This link opens in a new windowA collection of ebooks covering topics in New Zealand history, including key texts on the Treaty of Waitangi.
- Directory of Open Access Books This link opens in a new windowAn online directory that provides access to high quality, open access books.
- ProQuest EBook Central This link opens in a new windowAn eBook lending platform that offers content across all subject areas from major academic publishers world-wide.
- PsycBOOKS (Ovid) This link opens in a new windowA full-text database that provides electronic access to thousands of scholarly and professional titles published by American Psychological Association, including recent titles in psychological and behavioural science, plus a substantial backfile of classic and historic works.
- SAGE Knowledge eBooks This link opens in a new windowIncludes SAGE eBook and eReference content, including scholarly monographs, reference works, handbooks, series, professional development titles, and more.
- SAGE Research Methods This link opens in a new windowResearchers can explore methods concepts to help them design research projects, understand particular methods or identify a new method, conduct their research, and write up their findings.
- SpringerLink ebooks - Social Sciences This link opens in a new windowFull-text, peer reviewed journals, books, and reference works.
Database help
Electronic Access HelpIf you have any queries about our electronic resources (databases, e-journals or e-books), please contact the library using the form on this web page.
Interloan ServiceThe Interloan service enables library users request items not held within the University of Otago Libraries. Articles, books, or book chapters are sent to us from other libraries across Australia and New Zealand.Scan Request
This video shows how to request a PDF scan of a book section or print journal from any Otago library.
- Academic Search Complete (via EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowProvides indexing and abstracting for more than 10,000 journals, with full-text coverage for more than 6.000 titles. Covers a wide range of areas of academic study from the sciences to the arts.
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