Assists libraries in analysis preceding any decision to automate. Presents a proven planning process, consisting of need analysis, system selection, contracting, installation, & implementation.

Knowing the principles of general management is both useful and necessary for LIS students, but learning management techniques specific to the world of libraries is no less important. Created to fill a surprising educational void, this edited volume focuses on best practices from library management experts teaching in LIS programs across the country. Among the many topics discussed are Classic and contemporary theories of management, and how they apply to the library Human resource planning Marketing and public relations Negotiations, mediation, and financial management of the library Facilities management Information technology management and future trends Change management and organizational culture Ethics and confidentiality In addition to providing students with a solid foundation in library management, experienced managers will also benefit from the structured, practical knowledge included in this impressive volume.

Libraries are becoming increasingly automated. Many libraries have already become automated, and librarians have had to confront a new set of problems in their jobs. Many other libraries are not yet automated, but will soon be acquiring new technology and new problems. This book provides detailed techniques for coping with the problems inherent in automation. While other works offer thorough coverage of the library automation process, this volume provides case studies of the personal experiences of librarians who have had to solve problems related to automation. Included are case studies from large academic libraries, special libraries, public libraries, and smaller libraries. The first section of the book includes chapters on locally developed library automation systems and how those systems have adapted to change. The second section contains chapters on selecting, buying, and installing automation systems. The third section includes chapters on the sharing of automated systems by different libraries. The fourth section, on database maintenance and conversion, contains chapters important to all librarians. The fifth section discusses the management of automated systems. The book concludes with a bibliographic essay that overviews developments in library automation technology and lists sources for further information.

Focuses on recent advances in automation, including the trend toward integrated systems, for a variety of applications. Describes the hardware & software options; offers guidelines for planning & implementation of the automation process.

Most professional librarians, even recent graduates, manage something, whether it be a project, service, department, or a whole library. This book explains the different managerial roles at libraries, looking at the levels of managers, what they do, and how they do it. The goal is to explore the unique challenges faced by different types of library managers, in order to prepare early and mid-career librarians to step into new roles, and to think about how they might progress toward upper-management in a library. The approach is practice-driven, with a particular focus on the soft skills that are needed to be successful as a manager. Library Management: A Practical Guide for Librarians features three parts: project management, middle management, and upper management. These sections cover the different kinds of challenges that face people at each level of their career, exploring how these challenges can help prepare librarians for promotion to the next level. The purpose of these sections is to show how management skills develop over the course of one’s career, and to explore how leaders changes from context to context. Though each section focuses on a particular level of authority, the lessons can be useful for and applied to all of the levels discussed. For example, the same librarian might fill different roles in different contexts. A dean might serve as a library’s executive, but also manage a university-wide project or a middle manager might step into the role of dean temporarily, or might wonder what the next level of management would require.