An academic library's single service point, where users can get answers and help with their library needs in one place, is often the first and most popular place used by students. Studies assessing desk design are rare but needed to help guide planning for renovation or service model change. This study investigated an academic library's service…

High-quality customer service is an important aim of the library experience. Its importance is evidenced by attention given to the topic in scholarly literature and academic conference proceedings. This article describes the challenging process of creating and delivering a blended customer service training curriculum to all library staff working…

Discusses the development of an electronic reserves software system and related administrative issues at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Topics include staffing; technical and work flow issues; education and training of users, faculty, and staff; assessment; and advice for other libraries building electronic reserve programs.…

This Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) collection of library documents illustrates approaches to and techniques of performance appraisal used in Association of Research Libraries (ARL) libraries. Included are (1) performance appraisal forms, policies, and procedures from Stanford University, University Library Council, Louisiana State…

Discussion of training needs in large libraries focuses on a field test conducted at Simmons College of a course developed by the Library of Congress for developing training skills called "Training the Trainer." Student and teacher evaluations of the curriculum and of the course materials are reported. (LRW)

A personnel appraisal tool was developed at the Iowa State University Library for professionals supervised by the Assistant Director for Technical Services and the Head of the Monographs Department, to evaluate both their supervisors' performance and the appraisal review as an educational tool to improve administrator performance. A Technical…

Outlines techniques of utilizing interlibrary loan (ILL) statistics to establish productivity and staffing patterns to evaluate library services and reveal staffing needs. This article also presents results from an ILL workload and staffing study in Alabama academic libraries. Results are displayed in table form. (JMV)

Effective management and the importance of feedback in relation to improvement are becoming critical issues for libraries. Upward appraisal evaluates managers' performance based on input from their staff, rather than the traditional top-down evaluation format in which a manager is evaluated solely by their superior. This paper discusses the…

This kit contains a collection of representative documents on performance review procedures in academic and research libraries. Multiple documents from the Pennsylvania State University Libraries include a management guide to performance evaluation, a memo on performance evaluation from the librarian, and forms and instructions for use of both the…

Considers the cost of employing student temporary workers in academic libraries and suggests they be replaced with fewer full-time staff. Topics include the trend toward contingent, or temporary, employment; management problems; core employees; cost effectiveness of student employment, including poor productivity and training needs; and evaluating…

This Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) kit contains a collection of representative documents on performance review procedures in academic and research libraries. The kit comprises: (1) performance appraisal forms from the Stanford University Libraries; (2) a rating scale evaluation form and an essay evaluation form for professional…

Based on responses to a survey of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) members in March 1988, this Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) flyer and kit are designed to assist administrators of large academic libraries in the selection of useful methods of conducting user surveys for particular library concerns. The flyer provides a brief…

Discussion of Internet software and its use in libraries focuses on a software evaluation program at the undergraduate library at Southern Illinois University. Highlights include staff training for information technology, availability and selection of shareware and freeware, and an evaluation form for Internet software. (LRW)

Discusses outcomes focused assessments of library research instruction using pretests and posttests, attitude and usage surveys, and focus groups at The Citadel library. Suggests that assessment results influence library instruction content, staffing, collection development, and collaboration with other faculty and academic departments.…

Presents ideas developed by library school students at Emporia State University for planning and implementing a library orientation to meet the information needs of academic support personnel. Library services, information materials, and library personnel are considered; and two methods for evaluating the success of the orientation program are…