Suggests guidelines for library administrators in dealing with employee substance abuse and related problems. Early warning signs are listed, general organizational approaches (i.e., the write-off approach vs the treatment approach) are discussed and actions that should be taken are described as well as actions that should be avoided. (7…

Provides a practical example of how to demonstrate the library as a cost-saving center, through evidence of financial savings on books and periodicals, facilitating a way to communicate that the net cost of the library is small. (Author/JKP)

Discusses mentoring among entry-level librarians and examines whether mentor-protege relationships are truly beneficial. Topics addressed include career advancement for women, the role of library management, staff training and development practices, and advocacy for the library profession. (LRW)

Proposes a solution to the problem of preventive microcomputer maintenance in libraries. The strategy involves a batch program, small paper form, simple WordPerfect macro, and on-diskette log form which saves time, quickly generates standard reports, increases efficiency, eliminates most paperwork, and offers the flexibility for modification and…

Presents a functional organizational model for research libraries consisting of six major divisions and subunits: acquisition (buying, borrowing, leasing); organization (records creation, records maintenance); collections (collections management, selection, preservation, special collections and archives); interpretation (reference, instructional…

Recommends and describes assertive management techniques for dealing with conflicts or problems in libraries: (1) listening to understand problems; (2) stating expectations clearly; (3) focusing attention on the real issue; (4) explaining situational givens; (5) compromising/negotiating when possible; (6) being persistent and patient; (7) giving…

Discusses the role of library trustees or board members in public library administrative decisions, examines managerial styles among public library directors, and describes situations that invite the board to micromanage. Sidebar "Success in 10 Steps" suggests ten steps to maintain a balance of power between staff and trustees. (LRW)

This article discusses the importance of setting and implementing goals that can help change and improve a library media program over time--goals that go beyond merely keeping the library media center running. Suggestions for developing an action plan and strategies for effective time management are also presented.

Many movers and shakers inspire admiration and even awe, but those who inspire love are the mentors who have changed lives. That is why many grateful librarians nominated Linda Golian-Lui and George Oberle. Both of them were accidental librarians, work-study students whose supervisors encouraged them to become paraprofessionals, and then…

Traditionally, school libraries have been evaluated primarily in terms of library management; the impact they have on teaching and learning has rarely been a focus. For this reason, they have often been omitted from whole school self-evaluation. Self-evaluation can help schools to prepare for inspection, but more importantly to identify strengths…

A library media specialist describes the way in which she and her assistant re-evaluated the library media center program so that they could help students in finding books of their choice, easily. Library media center orientation includes remainders for students that there are often variations in library arrangements and formal and informal…

When recently asked by an administrator for some realistic questions and "recommended" responses to expect while interviewing candidates for school library positions, the author grouped the questions into three categories: library management, information skills and teaching skills. In this article are the questions she suggested, along with topics…

Three months after Darcy Cahill was promoted to head the Randallstown branch of the Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL), at 6 a.m. on a Saturday morning, the branch suffered a devastating fire. When firefighters finally contained the blaze, she was shocked to see the building drenched and in disarray. This article gives a detailed description…

This article describes a qualitative upward evaluation of the leadership performance of library managers. Follow-up studies were conducted, focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of the qualitative approach to upward appraisal. The authors discuss pros and cons to guide others who might use this methodology for upward appraisals in the…

When a university acquires the library of a national institute and the institute's active and worldwide membership expects continued and uninterrupted access to services from the collection, shockwaves can reverberate throughout the university's main library and among its staff. This was especially true for the Reference Department of the…