Argues that in-house database building offers possibilities for staff development, can provide important links between the library and the community, and can become important tools for local networking and cooperative collection development. Issues related to database planning, design, and testing are discussed, and several examples of existing…

This review of the effectiveness of bibliotherapy as a correctional rehabilitation tool discusses the need for library educators and associations to recognize that the function of prison libraries is to advance the freedom to read, not to provide formal educational or rehabilitational programs. (10 references) (CLB)

A library director and a university professor of English, who has also served as acting director of the library, engage in a dialogue about the role of the interim or acting director. Although they bring quite different perspectives to the discussion, they agree on the fundamental role and responsibilities of the interim director. (Author)

The past decade has seen an increasing emphasis on customer service in business research and management. Two concepts in understanding business customer service practices are discussed: the service encounter and total quality management. Highlights include customer service research and practices in business; implications for library reference…

Discusses administration, leadership, and management in academic libraries. Factors that meet the work-related needs of librarians and that lead to successful management are suggested, including sufficient knowledge, a measure of control over work, participation in decision making, and a sense of ownership in library service. (three references)…

Describes an effort by the Illinois Library Association to encourage and coordinate the continuing professional development of Illinois librarians through a Mentoring Network. The pilot project proposal is outlined, and the current situation is described. (eight references/notes) (EA)

Discussion of productivity in the workplace focuses on libraries, particularly academic libraries. Productivity is defined; opportunities and barriers for productivity in the workplace are explained, including adversity, technology, teamwork, and management styles; and implications for managers are suggested. (16 references) (LRW)

Discussion of format changes in libraries focuses on managing change and phasing out older formats. Standardization is addressed, and five considerations regarding format shifts are examined: aesthetics, audience, compatibility, costs, and copyright. (MES)

Argues that performance measures for student employees in academic libraries should set expectations for their performance and become management tools to motivate, evaluate, and reward them. Management literature on full-time employees is modified to fit students' needs, i.e., that they are part-time and not necessarily motivated by the work…

The qualities of strong leadership and their applications in library administration are discussed in terms of Shakespeare's "Henry V." It is argued that, unlike the checklists found in management literature, timeless classic texts embody leadership qualities, dynamically illustrating their relevance and applicability. (10 references) (EA)

Examines differences between library management and information resource management (IRM). Highlights include a historical perspective of library management education and IRM; the organizational perspective of library management and the emphasis of information as a resource in IRM; library management and advances in information technology; and…

Discussion of organizational development and change focuses on parallel organization, a theory that combines changes in organizational theory with Quality of Work Life (QWL) theory. Criteria for effective employee participation groups are described, design and implementation of the parallel organization are explained, applications to libraries are…

Discussion of music censorship provides a chronology of banned music from 1850 to the present. Highlights include reasons for music censorship, including lyrics that concern politics, sex, drugs, or death; rewriting song lyrics; radio air play versus sales; warning labels; First Amendment principles; and suggestions to defuse censorship in…

Discussion of performance evaluations for administrators focuses on evaluations for library directors. The frequency of evaluations is discussed; reasons to evaluate are described, including identifying areas where improvement is needed and to assist in personal and professional development; evaluation committees are explained; and suggestions for…

Describes a study of gender and race data for 86 academic libraries in eight NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division I conferences. Results show an increase in white women as deans, whereas women and men of color continue to have a small presence in top library management. (Author/LRW)