Explores the evolving paradigm of academic libraries, the impact of this change on the library director's role, and the orientation and qualifications. Reveals that the "post-hierarchical" library will call for a leader who is flexible and innovative, a superb communicator with good analytical skills and deductive and reasoning ability, as well as…

Explores the changing role of the library and the importance of developing a strategic technology policy. An approach to technology that includes a review of the technology base, continuing education, improved hiring practices, innovative organizational design, and greater involvement of libraries in research and development is recommended. (six…

With increased costs and decreased funding, it will be increasingly necessary for academic library directors to become heavily involved in fundraising, or development. Discussion includes systems development; funding sources; staffing and organization; and impacts of fundraising on the administration, staffing, and organization. (AEF)

Implementing any new service or technology can require a process of trial and error. Often, it is useful to introduce the service as a pilot project, so that the staffing issues and technical details can be worked out prior to fullscale implementation. This is especially important at times when staffing and/or budgetary circumstances are…

As student fees, print vs. electronic access, service quality expectations, and basic economics have an increasing impact on library operations, some academic libraries are taking a second look at the process of charging overdue fines. This article explores the contemporary environment on this issue. It offers as an example a compromise solution…

Purpose: To share the experiences and challenges faced by the Open University Library (OUL) in developing a content management (CM) system for its subject guides. Design/methodology/approach: A summary of multi-format subject guide production at the OUL is provided to justify the decision to develop a new system for their production using a…

Focusing on academic libraries in North America, this article describes the selection and acquisition of library materials for Chinese Studies from the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. It provides an historical overview of the Chinese book publishing and exporting practice, identifies and evaluates current online and printed…

During 2003, Monash University Library conducted a comprehensive quality review as part of the university's program of reviews. A quality management group was established in September 2002 to drive the process. All staff were given the opportunity to contribute input to the initial self-review. Methods of collecting data, collating responses and…

Being "good enough" is no longer adequate for today's library and staff. Total Quality Management (TQM) is a system and philosophy which guides a unified effort towards delivering excellent goods and services. In this video, not available at ERIC, Connie Merritt shows how TQM helps all of a library's departments work together to satisfy…

This comprehensive handbook offers detailed instructions for accessing the current performance of--and setting objectives for--school library media programs. Useful for both practicing school library media teachers and those in training, this manual shows how to identify problems and potentials, set goals and objectives, structure evaluation…

Challenging popular prognostications and asserting that the complex mix of technologies projects suggests no clear path to the future, this book offers an alternative model to a simplistic digital future. The book is divided into four main parts. Chapters in the first part, "Being Analog," consider the need to get over the digital…

Latin American libraries have experienced an important development in the last two decades. Telecommunications and Information Technologies (ITC) have been key elements in this process. There are leading institutions with remarkable programs; nevertheless it is necessary to design marketing strategies to improve their benefits. A case study based…

This study examines the implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) in the Library/Learning Resources Centers (LRC) of Columbia State Community College, Columbia, Tennessee; Delaware County Community College, Media, Pennsylvania; and Guilford Technical Community College, Greensboro, North Carolina. To place the LRCs' TQM experiences in proper…

Explain's Duke University Library's change from a hierarchical management structure to one of self-managing teams developed within a total quality management (TQM) framework. Emphasizes the personal views and experiences of a manager responsible for implementing and guiding the process of change. (JKP)

Discussion of the development of undergraduate libraries focuses on Harvard's Lamont Library. Topics include financial issues, including sources of revenue, computerization, and personnel costs; technological changes, including hypermedia and the virtual library; and organizational changes, highlighting the merger of libraries at Cornell…