The 30th volume of Advances in Librarianship acknowledges changes in the profession over three and a half decades, while continuing a tradition of identifying new trends and innovations. The contributing authors were invited especially to celebrate the history of the past thirty-six years by reflecting, as appropriate, on advances made in their topic since the first volume of the series was published in 1970.
The twelve chapters in this volume can be loosely grouped into four sections reflecting basic themes in librarianship: tracing issues in communication: relevance and freedom of expression; focusing on library services and resources; tailoring services to different user groups; and educating the profession for the future. Together these offer a milestone in the retrospective view of advances in librarianship.
*Examines changes and developments over the past three decades
*Four sections: Tracing issues in communication: Relevance and Freedom of Expression, Focusing on library services and resources, Tailoring services to different user groups, and Educating the profession for the future

Critically acclaimed since its inception, "Advances in Librarianship" continues to be the essential reference source for developments in the field of libraries and library science. Articles published in the serial have won national prizes, such as the Blackwell North America Scholarship Award for the outstanding 1994 monograph, article, or original paper in the field of acquisitions, collection, development, and related areas of resource development. All areas of public, college, university, primary and secondary schools, and special libraries are given up-to-date, critical analysis by experts engaged in the practice of librarianship, in teaching, and in research.

Throughout this volume, the influence of research funding on advances in libraries and librarianship is addressed from two perspectives: funding agents and specific initiatives. A collection of chapters concentrate on a number of questions: Do the agendas of those agencies and foundations that fund research in the profession shape the topics of sponsored inquiry and methodologies used to gather evidence for research that advances libraries and librarianship? What are the trends in the questions funded, in the areas of librarianship supported, and perhaps of greatest interest, in the impact funders have made on our understanding of libraries, librarianship, and solving problems that face them? The traditions of 'Advances in Librarianship' offer an appropriate forum to explore these questions through a collection of in depth reviews of the literature and practice.

Critically acclaimed since its inception, "Advances in Librarianship" continues to be the essential reference source for developments in the field of libraries and library science. Articles published in the serial have won national prizes, such as the Blackwell North America Scholarship Award for the outstanding 1994 monograph, article, or original paper in the field of acquisitions, collection, development, and related areas of resource development. All areas of public, college, university, primary and secondary schools, and special libraries are given up-to-date, critical analysis by experts engaged in the practice of librarianship, in teaching, and in research.

For library managers, this book explains evaluation and assessment research and identifies the components of proper execution, such as planning, decision making, and accountability. Increasingly, libraries must address questions of accountability, efficiency, effectiveness, and impact-the extent to which a program causes positive changes in the target population. All of these issues are important to library managers and those to whom they directly report. With the heightened interest in customer expectations and increased focus on service quality and customer satisfaction, evaluation and assessment research provides the essential methodology for library managers to obtain meaningful answers. Engaging in Evaluation and Assessment Research introduces evaluation and assessment, clearly distinguishing between the two; explains evaluation and assessment research as a formal inquiry process with individual components; and demonstrates the use of the evidence gathered for planning, decision making, and accountability. This book is not another research methods textbook; it is a resource that will provide real knowledge and strategies to expand the library manager's toolkit for operating in the real world. Beyond exposing the reader to the unique culture of research and to different ways of conducting research, the authors also offer advice on how to get published. Tables and figures enhance the written text and identify supplemental readings Appendices offer learning tools such as an example of a research study and a case study

This guidebook shows academic libraries how to use innovative new performance metrics to achieve greater accountability and higher levels of service. Viewing Library Metrics from Different Perspectives: Inputs, Outputs, and Outcomes helps academic librarians go well beyond the basic guideposts of inputs and outputs to explore a wide range of metrics for measuring their effectiveness and improving performance. Based on their groundbreaking article, "Outcomes Assessment: Not Synonymous with Inputs and Outputs," Robert Dugan and Peter Hernon, along with coauthor Danuta Nitecki, give libraries the tools they need to see beyond their own walls and interpret both outcome and impact metrics from the perspective of the parent institution, the customer, and the stakeholder, as well as the library itself. Viewing Library Metrics from Different Perspectives makes a convincing argument for targeting the right audience with the right metric. The first three chapters introduce key concepts and the relevant literature, and helps libraries make the crucial distinction between assessment and evaluation. Chapters four through nine examine the four perspectives and their attendant metrics. The final chapters discuss how best to present and interpret the results.

As libraries strive to maintain collections with limited space, many have turned to high-efficiency, off-site shelving facilities. This work addresses virtually all major issues in planning, building, and operating high-density storage. Using the Harvard Depository model, but applying the issues and activities to other models as well, a host of contributors cover such issues as governance and cost, design and construction, preservation, selection, pre-shelving preparation, systems, access and management, services, and transportation. An essential guide to anyone considering or involved in high efficiency shelving, this book is also a valuable reference.