Information in today's modernized world has become much more attainable with the use of technology. A resource that has fallen victim to this are library services. What was once a staple of knowledge and communication has failed to keep pace with recent advancements in information service providers. Library practitioners need to learn how to manage change, build influence, and adapt their services to remain relevant within local communities. Libraries can continue to play a key role in future aspects of information provision, but proper research is a necessity. Managing and Adapting Library Information Services for Future Users is a collection of innovative research that encapsulates practices, concepts, ideas, and proposals that would chart pathways for libraries of all types to envision and understand how to thrive and remain relevant in the competitive information provision environment. It is expected to motivate librarians and information scientists to probe further into how libraries would better serve user communities of the 21st century who have options of accessing information from sources other than from libraries. While highlighting topics including artificial intelligence, human design thinking, and alternative finance, this book is ideally designed for librarians, information specialists, architects, data scientists, researchers, community development practitioners, policymakers, faculty members, and students seeking current research on emerging advancements in library optimization.

In recent years, libraries have embraced new technologies that organize and store a variety of digital information, such as multimedia databases, digital medical images, and content-based images. Modern Library Technologies for Data Storage, Retrieval, and Use highlights new features of digital library technology in order to educate the database community. By contributing research from case studies on the emerging technology use in libraries, this book is essential for academics and scientists interested in the efforts to understand the applications of data acquisition, retrieval and storage.

The continued successes of large- and small-scale genome sequencing projects are increasing the number of genomic targets available for drug d- covery at an exponential rate. In addition, a better understanding of molecular mechanisms-such as apoptosis, signal transduction, telomere control of ch- mosomes, cytoskeletal development, modulation of stress-related proteins, and cell surface display of antigens by the major histocompatibility complex m- ecules-has improved the probability of identifying the most promising genomic targets to counteract disease. As a result, developing and optimizing lead candidates for these targets and rapidly moving them into clinical trials is now a critical juncture in pharmaceutical research. Recent advances in com- natorial library synthesis, purification, and analysis techniques are not only increasing the numbers of compounds that can be tested against each specific genomic target, but are also speeding and improving the overall processes of lead discovery and optimization. There are two main approaches to combinatorial library production: p- allel chemical synthesis and split-and-mix chemical synthesis. These approaches can utilize solid- or solution-based synthetic methods, alone or in combination, although the majority of combinatorial library synthesis is still done on solid support. In a parallel synthesis, all the products are assembled separately in their own reaction vessels or microtiter plates. The array of rows and columns enables researchers to organize the building blocks to be c- bined, and provides an easy way to identify compounds in a particular well.

To be an effective manager in today's library, you must know and comply with numerous federal and state laws and regulations. This handbook offers how to information on academic library management and provides a single, up-to-date source for laws, regulations, executive orders, guidelines, and court decisions on employee and employer rights and responsibilities. It includes information on laws relating to recruitment and selection of personnel; the employment relationship; wages and hours; employee benefits; health, safety, and privacy; and income replacement (e.g., disability, workers' compensation). In addition, potential management problems (e.g., discipline and discharge) are discussed and case studies are presented with suggestions for problem resolution. This material will keep administrators and human resources staff apprised of the actions of such organizations as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the Office of Federal Cont

No other book available covers the topic of videocassette acquisitions so completely. This professional reference gives special attention to problems unique to cataloging videocassettes within the electronic, on-line cataloging environment. The text provides ample theoretical discussion, along with practical examples of a variety of solutions. Video acquisitions is one the most difficult tasks confronting any library today. Knowing and deciding what to buy and from whom, keeping track of orders, verifying titles, returning damaged and incorrectly shipped products, dealing with company representatives, obtaining discounts, and purchasing public performance rights are only some of the formidable decisions video librarians must make. This professional reference is a detailed guide to video acquisitions and cataloging. Throughout the work, emphasis is placed on the problems and concerns of acquisitions and cataloging within the electronic, on-line environment of today's library. The text provides ample theoretical discussion, along with practical examples and illustrations of solutions to the problems faced by video librarians.

Special interest in topics relating to library management over the last decade has led to the close examination of crisis management practice among library professionals. Due to the importance of the archives, documents, and books housed within libraries around the world, preemptive planning for potential disaster is necessary to all librarians and their staff. TheHandbook of Research on Disaster Management and Contingency Planning in Modern Libraries brings together the latest scholarly research, theories, and case studies to investigate the scale and types of disasters that can impact a library. Through the evaluation of past crisis management strategies and future best practices, this handbook is an essential reference source for librarians, library staff, archivists, curators, students, professionals, private collectors, and corporations with archival collections to learn from the experiences of others, expand their definition of disaster, and create or redesign their own disaster plans with newfound awareness. This handbook features timely, research based chapters and case studies on crisis management, emergency response, exhibition loans, natural disasters, preserving archives, public and staff safety, and risk assessment.

The development of online digital libraries has enhanced the availability of printed materials. By implementing these systems, this ensures the access of material to universities, students, and bibliophiles. Digitizing the Modern Library and the Transition from Print to Electronic is a pivotal reference source for the latest techniques and initiatives needed to transition libraries into the digital age. Featuring extensive coverage on relevant areas such as electronic resource management, library management software, and semantic web, this publication is an ideal resource for faculty members, research scholars, students, information specialists, and librarians in universities and in academic, public, and special libraries.

This book is the first to examine library and information science leadership in the United States and throughout Europe, providing a critical analysis and comparison of leadership in America versus in Europe and the United Kingdom. Library Leadership in the United States and Europe: A Comparative Study of Academic and Public Libraries discusses prevalent leadership theories, practices, and literature, exploring issues with broad implications thematically and across different countries. After an introduction that overviews leadership, leadership theories, and influences of national culture and related concepts, the authors examine leadership in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe as a whole, and selected European countries, highlighting differences and shared characteristics. The latter half of the work focuses on selected themes such as management and accountability and discusses an international research agenda. This unique book will appeal to a broad range of readers: school library educators and teachers of relevant classes dealing with change management, organizational development, international librarianship, and leadership; researchers in the areas of leadership and international librarianship; as well as LIS students in general.

Hardbound. Change has always been characteristic of serials, and now the nature and speed of that change have altered with the development of electronic technology. Inflation, automation, and changes in publishers' practices and vendors' services all make their mark on serials librarianship. Advances in Serials Management presents essays on current issues in various topics, emphasizing the response to change and clear communication among those who work with serials as producers, processors and users.

This book discusses the development of library and information services in China and the effect of the nation's political and social conditions on that develpment. The author briefly reviews the history of Chinese libraries and librarianship, then describes Chinese library services in the first half of the 20th century. The remarkable consequences of the ideological change after the Communist takeover are described in a concise manner, but the focus of this book is the massive modernization movement that has taken place since 1978. This unique book has been prepared based on data collected directly from Chinese professional journals. In addition, it provides unusual detailed information from sources obtained during the author's extensive official visits to libraries and library schools in China. For the first time, these details are now easily accessible in one comprehensive volume.

Making a Collection Count, A Holistic Approach to Library Collection Management, Third Edition is unique in its focus on collection quality, including topics on making the most of a library collection budget, performing physical inventory, and gathering/using data and statistics about collection use. Beyond collection development, this title looks at the entire lifecycle of the collection and those with responsibilities at each step.

Intended for librarians and library managers in academic institutions, this series aims to cover advances in library administration and organization. The collected articles draw upon practical situations to illustrate administrative principles.

"The Information Audit" is a process by which a library or information centre reviews and assesses its holdings, services, etc. This topic is one that has generated much interest over the last few years. "The Information Audit: A Practical Guide" will take the information professional through the stages of conducting an audit, from planning and carrying out to assessing and presenting the results and how to implement findings. As an aid to understanding, the book contains four international case studies to illustrate the information audit process in action.

"The Information Audit "is directed at library managers in all sectors, but particularly those in special libraries, students and lecturers in library and information science.

Next Generation Corporate Libraries and Information Services recognises the increasing challenges facing the library function in organizations of all sizes and industry sectors. In light of the changing business environment, growing demands on the information services function and, for many, massively reduced budgets, this critical new report will provide you with real-world practical advice that will enable you to overcome these challenges and improve service delivery. Next Generation Corporate Libraries and Information Services will provide you with the information you require to benchmark your strategies, ensure you continue to deliver the services that are required, and demonstrate your vital and integral role in how your organisation operates. Featuring case studies, insight and contributions from information resources and library professionals across a number of business sectors, this new report will cover topics including: Emerging roles: how the librarian's role is evolving in response to the changing business environment; Co-ordinating with other support functions throughout your organisation; Supporting, contributing to and optimising knowledge-management practices to enhance service delivery; How can librarians play a key role in competitive intelligence initiatives? Managing budgets in the current climate, and effectively emonstrating ROI to senior management; Developing a strategic business plan - building the business case for increased resources, staff and additional technology; and Taking advantage of the latest technological advances and trends - including social networking, blogging, RSS and corporate wikis. The report is written by Constance Ard, whose extensive 13 years of experience in working in corporate libraries and information services, coupled with expert opinion and key case studies from leading firms including Beachcroft, Merrill Lynch, YMCA and more provides a truly comprehensive look into the future of library and information services and allows you to learn from your peers who are tackling and overcoming the same challenges you face on a day-to-day basis.

Libraries have enormous potential to support people with dementia and their carers, and demand for dementia-friendly library services is only likely to increase in the future as the numbers of people affected by dementia rise and there is greater emphasis on community-based care. Taking action to create a dementia-friendly library can initially feel like a massive undertaking, but small changes can make a big difference. Supporting People to Live Well with Dementia describes how to effectively develop, promote and evaluate services for people with dementia. It provides readers with an understanding of the different ways in which library customers may be affected by dementia, and an appreciation of some of the ways they can continue to contribute positively to their communities. It then suggests ways in which libraries can better support people with dementia and their carers through approaches to customer service, design, resources, reading interventions, online provision and a range of other activities that promote more positive and inclusive attitudes towards people living with dementia amongst library staff, customers and communities more widely.

This is the first book to consider the development of all three cultural heritage institutions - libraries, archives, and museums - and their interactions with society and culture from ancient history to the present day in Western Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The text explores the social and cultural role of these institutions in the societies that created them, as well as the political, economic and social influences on their mission, philosophy, and services and how those changed throughout time. The work provides a thorough background in the topic for graduate students and professionals in the fields of library and information science, archival studies, and museum resource management, preservation, and administration. Arranged chronologically, the story begins with the temple libraries of ancient Sumer, followed the growth and development of governmental and private libraries in ancient Greece and Rome, the influence of Asia and Islam on Western library development, the role of Christianity in the preservation of ancient literature as well as the skills of reading and writing during the Middle Ages, and the coming of the Renaissance and the rise of the university library. It continues by tracing the gradual division between archives and libraries and the growth of governmental and private libraries as independent institutions during and after the Renaissance and through the Enlightenment, and the development of public and private museums from the "cabinets of curiousities" of private collectors beginning in the 17th century. Individual chapters explore the further growth and development of libraries, archives, and museums in the 19th and 20th centuries, exploring the public library and public museum movements of those centuries, as well as the rise of the governmental and institutional archive. The final chapter discusses the growing collaboration between and even convergence of these institutions in the 21st century and the impact of modern information technology, and makes predictions about the future of all three institutions.

Will American academic and research libraries be able to cope with the current technological, economic, and organizational issues that are bringing about rapid changes in information services or must fundamental changes first take place within these libraries? The twelve essays collected by Spyers-Duran and Mann attempt to answer this question. Section I: "Problems," contains essays on the precarious financial environment of today's academic institutions; the erosion of funding levels in British university libraries; and realistic suggestions for financial planning in academic libraries. Section II: "Changing Approaches," offers discussions on the importance of sharing scholarly resources; the discrepancy between library budgets and services offered; the growing role of the library in the information industry; a review of funding formulas in the academic library; and the changing needs, sources, and styles of financial planning. The final section of the book explores new opportunities for academic and research libraries, and includes information on current library automation; information-sharing among member libraries; external contracting for library services; and grantsmanship.

For the past ten years, Nancy MacKay's Curating Oral Histories (2006) has been the one-stop shop for librarians, curators, program administrators, and project managers who are involved in turning an oral history interview into a primary research document, available for use in a repository. In this new and greatly expanded edition, MacKay uses the life cycle model to map out an expanded concept of curation, beginning with planning an oral history project and ending with access and use. The book:-guides readers, step by step, on how to make the oral history "archive ready";-offers strategies for archiving, preserving, and presenting interviews in a digital environment;-includes comprehensive updates on technology, legal and ethical issues, oral history on the Internet, cataloging, copyright, and backlogs.

Evaluation, which is a critical component of the planning process, assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of library programs and services in the context of stated goals and objectives. This book views evaluation as a type of research study in which evaluators collect either research or management data. Chapters discuss steps of the evaluation process and provide practical examples of the application of these steps to specific library problems. The overall objectives of the volume are to introduce readers to the relationship between planning and evaluation; to discuss the components of an evaluation study in clear prose so that readers can easily understand the different steps; to foster an attitude that recognizes the importance of evaluation for the development of library programs and services; to offer examples of each component of the evaluation process; to identify writings on evaluation in libraries and information centers; and to encourage organizational change and underscore the importance of evaluation to library decision making.

The decade prior to World War II was a time of intense introspection on the part of librarians. There was considerable controversy over whether librarianship constituted a science in any proper sense of the term. Education for librarianship was undergoing close scrutiny and reform. Issues related to federal aid, adult education, and rural library development were unresolved and subject to heated discussion. In the late 1940s the Public Library Inquiry was conceived to study and document the conditions, achievements, and weaknesses of public libraries and librarianship. For the next 40 years, the Inquiry set the tone and agenda for professional discourse about the purpose of the public library.

This book examines the professional and political ideology that informed and sustained the Public LIbrary Inquiry. The volumes of the Inquiry, while representing the results of research on the status of the public library and librarianship, also reveal a remarkably consistent ideological position that united them in a way perhaps unintended by their creators. Inherent in the Inquiry's discourse are particular notions and assumptions about the nature of American democracy, the public library, and relations between them. The Inquiry also reflects, in its recommendations, particular professional values that define what the public library's purpose ought to be if the library is to contribute meaningfully to a democratic culture, and gain social recognition of that contribution.

Solutions to the unique problems of academic libraries in urban and metropolitan areas are provided in this professional handbook. Issues faced by the administrators of these libraries can differ markedly from those encountered by their counterparts in residential college towns, with service demands emanating from both the surrounding community and their own academic community. Written by experienced urban university librarians, each chapter addresses issues unique to the "in-city" academic library. Reaching out to their communities to establish links with business, industry, and other libraries, the administrators of the urban/metropolitan libraries require a great degree of diplomacy and management skills. Service demands arising from urban high schools place additional pressures on limited resources. This handbook shows how the use of new technologies can assist the urban academic librarian in fashioning services for a nonresident faculty, as well as a usually older student body, comprised of many international and part-time students. The characteristics of city living and their impact on information-seeking behavior are discussed. Other topics covered are resource sharing, setting fees, staff and collection security, environmental pollution and space requirements.

This compilation of 97 biographical essays celebrates public and school library service to children and young adults through the professional lives and contributions of its pioneers and leaders. Devoted entirely to the field of youth library services, the essays represent both outstanding librarians in the field, as well as those whose work has made significant contributions supporting the work of professional youth librarians. Sketches include modern-day workers, spanning the late 19th century until 1999. Will inspire young people as it underscores the continuing importance of youth library services.

Though computers have become more common, many academic libraries still lack automation of any kind. With the growing importance of the Internet and the proliferation of electronic databases, automation is likely to be an important part of the future of every library. Fortunately, enough libraries have implemented automated systems so that their experiences can inform those libraries only about to engage in automation projects. This professional reference is a guide to the forecasting, planning, implementing, and monitoring necessary for the successful management of academic library automation.

While novices will benefit from this book, the volume will be of special interest to librarians presently engaged in automation projects. The authors of the book's chapters come from all types of academic libraries and offer a wide range of experience and perspectives. The volume focuses on two major areas of librarianship, public service and technical services; and contributors stress the importance of planning, teamwork, and clear objectives. Each chapter cites sources of additional information, and the volume closes with two bibliographic essays.

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is the leading international body representing the interests of library and information services and their users. It is the global voice of the information profession. The series IFLA Publications deals with many of the means through which libraries, information centres, and information professionals worldwide can formulate their goals, exert their influence as a group, protect their interests, and find solutions to global problems.