Discusses pricing problems of public library service. The meaning of price in a library context is examined, including amount charged and patron's cost; components of price setting are described, including the impact of demand, cost, and competition; and library pricing strategies are suggested that should help achieve the library's goals. (13…

Analyzes the trend of increased budget cutting in public and academic libraries. Examines the use of fee-based services as a source of revenue, a way of supplementing basic library services, and a way of establishing a marketplace for library services. Discusses causes of budgetary cuts and offers a futuristic model for library services. (JMV)

Library book vendors are facing new realities in the 21st century. Changes in continuations, firm order placement, value-added services, approval plans, retrospective collection development, and database creation and maintenance are being effected in an effort to keep current customers and attract new ones. Those changes and the subsequent shift…

Reviews the use of library system efficiency and effectiveness as the accepted method for measuring and evaluating library services, and examines alternative evaluation methods. Other significant influences on library performance are discussed, including professional ethics, concepts of leadership, organizational design, and definitions of…

Reviews the literature on outcome-based education (OBE) and discusses its application in library instruction and reference service, particularly in the introduction of new information technologies. Suggests that an OBE approach in the planning stage can help determine if an information resource is beneficial to the users. (Author/LRW)

Summarizes the experience of the Harvard College Library (Massachusetts) with Total Quality Management (TQM) and its plans for a pilot implementation and training process. The strength of the approach is shown to lie in the broadly based membership of the steering committee, commitment to group process, and ongoing communication efforts with…

Presents the Brown University Library experiences in purchasing electronic services to serve as a model for issues of budgeting for electronic materials in academic libraries. Topics include politics of budgeting; education of users; availability issues; access issues; consortia issues; ownership issues; tracking electronic product prices; and…

Describes the New York State Library's planning process and visions for its future in networked services. Topics discussed include roles for the library in a networked environment; leadership in networked services and training; network navigation; organizational response; services to state agencies and local government; and public kiosk services.…

Based on experiences at Brandeis University libraries, and findings from management literature, a discussion (with figures) is presented on the challenges faced by libraries in integrating technology and information services. Reviews reasons why change is needed, examines information services as a team-based approach, and presents management…

Discusses the future of libraries in the electronic age both in terms of the facility itself and of the types of information to be stored or accessed in the facility. Library facilities must have the ability to adapt easily both to technological changes, changing patterns of service and use, and the growth and change of departments, within the…

It is important that librarians research and plan to make the relationship between library collections and remote access comfortable and successful for users and the library. This article discusses the political, social, and economic advantages and disadvantages of remote access. (JMV)

Describes a model of Total Quality Management (TQM) developed by the Association of Research Libraries. The issues, elements and processes of a comprehensive TQM-based transition, including commitment by management, linkage to organizational strategic planning, organizational culture, understanding customers, and quality teams are covered.…

Contains 13 articles that discuss current issues, future directions, and critical questions regarding successful library resource sharing. The articles present economic decision models, consortia agreements, copyright dilemmas, technological advancements, and a national project to revamp interlibrary loan and document delivery. (Author/JMV)

Explores the value of Total Quality Management (TQM) for libraries as a management methodology to complement the changing needs of research libraries in light of changing information technology. The planning process for a new academic library which used many TQM elements is described. (EAM)

This theme issue presents eight articles that discuss managing changes in technical services in academic, research, and public libraries. Topics discussed include new technological products and services; personnel; budgeting; planning; online library systems; the relationship with public services; organizational structures; bibliographic access…