As outsourcing becomes more commonplace in libraries, the need for a authoritative guide becomes indisputable. This book, designed to give librarians a broad understanding of outsourcing issues in academic libraries, synthesizes prevailing theories on the topic and describes current outsourcing practices in all areas of librarianship. After a historical overview and a detailed analysis of the pros and cons of outsourcing, the authors outline the steps for planning and implementing a successful outsourcing program. Individual chapters cover collection development, acquisitions and serials management, cataloging, retrospective conversion, authority control, preservation, and public services and systems. A special feature of the book is a detailed survey of more than 200 academic research libraries and other academic libraries about outsourcing practices.

Outsourcing is a strategic way for libraries to maximize fiscal and human resources. This text provides detailed, practical advice on: re-engineering library operations; how to determine when outsourcing is appropriate; conduct cost studies to evaluate technical operations; prepare formal requests-for-proposals (RFPs) to outsource acquisitions cataloguing and other technical services; evaluate vendor responses and services; and monitor the quality of outsourced operations. The guide also explores the pros and cons of outsourcing versus human resource needs and contract management and compliance. Detailed appendices included checklists for procuring book and journal vendor services, cataloguing services and other techincal services.

Technology has revolutionized the ways in which libraries store, share, and access information, as well as librarian roles as knowledge managers. As digital resources and tools continue to advance, so too do the opportunities for libraries to become more efficient and house more information. Effective administration of libraries is a crucial part of delivering library services to patrons and ensuring that information resources are disseminated efficiently. Digital Libraries and Institutional Repositories: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice addresses new methods, practices, concepts, and techniques, as well as contemporary challenges and issues for libraries and university repositories that can be accessed electronically. It also addresses the problems of usability and search optimization in digital libraries. Highlighting a range of topics such as content management, resource sharing, and library technologies, this publication is an ideal reference source for librarians, IT technicians, academicians, researchers, and students in fields that include library science, knowledge management, and information retrieval.

Showcases strategies for successfully embedding librarians and library services across higher education. Chapters feature case studies and reports on projects from a wide variety of colleges and universities. --from publisher description.

International authority control will soon be a reality. Examine the projects that are moving the information science professions in that direction today! In Authority Control in Organizing and Accessing Information: Definition and International Experience, international experts examine the state of the art and explore new theoretical perspectives. This essential resource, which has its origins in the International Conference on Authority Control (Italy, 2003), addresses standards, exchange formats, and metadata—with sections on authority control for names, works, and subjects. Twenty fascinating case examples show how authority control is practiced at institutions in various nations around the world. Authority Control in Organizing and Accessing Information provides an essential definition of authority control and then begins its sharply focused examinations of essential aspects of authority control with a section entitled “State of the Art and New Theoretical Perspectives.” Here you’ll find chapters focusing on: the current state of the art—with suggestions for future developments the importance (and current lack) of teaching authority control as part of a library/information science curriculum the guidelines and methodology used in the creation of Italy’s SBN Authority File Next, “Standards, Exchange Formats, and Metadata” covers: Italy’s Bibliografia Nazionale Italiana UNIMARC database, which was created using authority control principles the past and present activities of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), and an examination of IFLA’s Working Group on Functional Requirements and Numbering of Authority Records (FRANAR) metadata standards as a means for accomplishing authority control in digital libraries traditional international library standards for bibliographic and authority control the evolution and current status of authority control tools for art and material culture information the UNIMARC authorities format—what it is and how to work with it “Authority Control for Names and Works” brings you useful, current information on: changes and new features in the new edition of the International Standard Archival Authority Record (Corporate Bodies, Persons, Families) Encoded Archival Context (EAC)—and its role in enhancing access to and understanding of records, and how it enables repositories to share creator description the LEAF model for collection, harvesting, linking, and providing access to existing local/national name authority data national bibliographic control in China, Japan, and Korea, plus suggestions for future cooperation between bibliographic agencies in East Asia authority control of printers, publishers, and booksellers how to create up-to-date corporate name authority records authority control (and the lack of it) for works “Authority Control for Subjects” updates you on: subject gateways—with a look at the differences between the Program for Cooperative Cataloging’s SACO program and browsable online subject gateways MACS—a virtual authority file that crosses language barriers to provide multilingual access OCLC’s FAST project, which strives to retain the rich vocabulary of LCSH while making the schema easier to understand, control, apply, and use the efforts of Italy’s National Central Library toward semantic authority control the interrelationship of subject indexing languages and authority control—with a look at the “semantics vs. syntax” issue how subject indexing is done in Italy’s Servizio Bibliotecario Nazionale “Authority Control Experiences and Proje

Bring technical and public services together to create a more user-friendly library!Written for public and technical services librarians, this vital book examines the changes in the profession that have contributed to the integration of the two services. It explores the responsibilities of public and technical services, the effect of dualism on libraries and the profession, and management concerns in this overlapping environment. With case studies and insightful predictions for the future, Integration in the Library Organization discusses the changes in the profession that have contributed to the integration of the two services. This book fills a gap in the available information about team management and the blurring of public/technical services lines in libraries. Integration in the Library Organization shows you how to create an environment of full staff cooperation within your library and provides examples of ways that other libraries have accomplished this. Here you'll discover management techniques to use in such an overlapping environment. Integration in the Library Organization discusses: the false dualism of technical services vs. public services working as partners in a team-based environment tailoring library positions to match individual skills outsourcing in Hawaii satellite cataloging operations and nonprint backlogs . . . and much more!Integration in the Library Organization will provide you with the insight you need to help your library balance and integrate technical and public services and improve the capability of your library to offer patrons quality services and large amounts of information.

Workplace culture refers to conditions that collectively influence the work atmosphere. These can include policies, norms, and unwritten standards for behavior. This book focuses on various aspects of workplace culture in academic libraries from the practitioners' viewpoint, as opposed to that of the theoretician. The book asks the following questions: What conditions contribute to an excellent academic library work environment? What helps to make a particular academic library a great place to work? Articles focus on actual programs while placing the discussion in a scholarly context. The book is structured into 14 chapters, covering various aspects of workplace culture in academic libraries, including: overview of workplace culture, assessment, recruitment, acclimation for new librarians, workforce diversity, physical environment, staff morale, interaction between departments, tenure track/academic culture, mentoring/coaching, generational differences, motivation/incentives, complaints/conflict management, and organizational transparency. - Includes the most current best practices and models in academic libraries - Represents the viewpoints of both the employee and manager - Focuses on the academic library as workplace rather than as a service provider

How can you, as an acquisition librarians, keep current on the output of hundreds of publishers? The answer, of course, is that you cannot. For over 30 years, approval plans have been used by librarians to acquire current titles, save staff time, and build core collections. Even today, these reasons seem appropriate, as libraries try to maintain up-to-date collections and control personnel and operating budgets. However, as shown in Approval Plans: Issues and Innovations, the use of approval plans is not so simple and straightforward; their use is subject to complex procedures and policies--and even politics. This book presents research by librarians from academic libraries and professionals from approval vendors to give you necessary insight on the major approval plan issues and to show you some of the innovative approaches to solving the problems associated with approval plans. Unfortunately, approval plans are not as simple as creating a “needs” profile and receiving the books that match that profile from an approval vendor. Problems and questions invariably arise. If you are in acquisitions and collection development or administration, it is particularly important that you explore the following questions posed in Approval Plans: What mechanisms can reduce receipt of duplicate titles? Do vendors see small college libraries as a viable market? What role does technology play in improving approval plans? What level of returns is acceptable? Do the hidden operational costs of approval plans offset their benefits? Approval Plans is full of useful information that will show you how to save time and money, improve collections, and utilize new technology. The book discusses such key issues as: the benefits of approval plans to public service vs. the costs to technical service; the call for refined profiles to help keep return rates low; proper management in key areas such as profile development, quality control, and plan maintenance; approval plan overlap; and vendor responsibilities. Innovations covered include: the call for introduction of approval plans to small college libraries; the possibility of “outsourcing” technical service functions with vendor-supplied cataloging and end-processing; the use of online services, World Wide Web, and the Internet to improve communication between vendors, publishers, and libraries; and a list of criteria to be considered when selecting an automated acquisitions system. Approval Plans is especially useful and timely as libraries are considering the best ways for acquiring books during an era of declining materials budgets. This collection also has special importance, in a broader sense, to the many changes that are occurring in academic libraries today.

Updated and enhanced, the second edition of this text provides both library students and practitioners with a thorough understanding of procedural and philosophical approaches in acquisitions management. Since the last edition of this text was published over a decade ago, library acquisitions practices have changed dramatically in response to economic and industry changes and the introduction and maturation of new technologies. An essential tool kit, this updated edition covers every aspect of current acquisitions management from organization of acquisitions departments to professional ethics. The step-by-step guide takes you through acquisitions department activities from the beginning of the ordering process through making materials available to the public. You'll learn about the latest acquisitions systems, negotiating bids and RFPs, gifts and exchange, and decisions of permanence. In addition, the book provides expert guidance on relationships with vendors as well as on the publishing industry in general. Key among the updates to this second edition is information about major changes that have occurred recently, including what's new in integrated library systems, electronic resource management, and patron- and demand-driven acquisitions. An appendix offers a wealth of resources on topics related to acquisitions and includes a comprehensive glossary.