Libraries are experiencing major changes concerning the role of technical services. Technical services librarians also are being challenged about their relevance and role, sometimes revealed by a lack of understanding of the contribution technical services librarians make to building and curating library and archival collections. The threats are real: relocation from central facilities, the dramatic shift to electronic resources, budgetary constraints, and outsourced processing. As a result, technical services departments are reinventing themselves to respond to these and similar challenges while embracing innovative methods and opportunities to advance librarianship in the twenty-first century. Library Technical Services provides case studies that highlight difficult realities, yet embrace exciting opportunities, such as space reclamation, evolving vendor partnerships, metadata, retraining and managing personnel, special collections, and distance education. Written for catalog and metadata librarians and managers of technical services units, this book will inspire and provide practical advice and examples for solving issues many libraries are facing today.

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.

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.

"Outsourcing Library Technical Services Operations: Practices in Academic, Public, and Special Libraries gives librarians the chance to "sample" the outsourcing practices of other libraries before making a commitment or a costly mistake." "Outsourcing initially seems attractive to library decision makers, but at the same time they must be wary of its impact on in-house staff, productivity, and quality. Librarians need to be able to answer a number of questions about outsourcing before signing a contract: Is outsourcing the most cost-effective alternative?; What are the in-house implications of outsourcing?; Will outsourcing actually free up staff to provide better services to patron?" "Experts from academic, public, and special libraries with a wealth of experience in outsourcing different technical services activities provide their views in this book. Each experience is examined from the perspective of its original objectives, effectiveness, operational success, problems, and outcomes. An extensive bibliography provides additional resources on outsourcing." --Book Jacket.

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.

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.

Advancements in technology are impacting many businesses and institutions, including libraries. As such, it is increasingly imperative to research purchasing methods to boost cost-effectiveness and efficiency. Library Technology Funding, Planning, and Deployment is an authoritative reference source for the latest research on the best methods of the purchase and implementation of various technology systems by libraries. Featuring extensive coverage across a range of relevant perspectives and topics, such as library systems management, Open Source software, and budget constraints, this book is ideally designed for academicians, researchers, practitioners and librarians seeking current research on library purchase and utilization of technology.

Everything you need to know about technical services--in one handy volume! For library technicians working in technical services and students in library technology programs, Introduction to Technical Services for Library Technicians is a practical, how-to-do-it text that shows how to perform the behind-the-scenes tasks the job requires. This essential volume comes complete with a suggested reading list, helpful charts and tables, a look at trends and issues to consider, and review questions at the end of each chapter. From the Preface: ”Budgetary constraints and the computerization of library functions and routines have changed the composition of library personnel forever. Library technicians are being hired to replace librarians in many library areas, particularly in technical services. What has not kept up with this trend are the training and education of library technicians, a necessary component of a successfully operating library.” This book examines terminology, organization, and the practical aspects of the tasks that technical services workers deal with every day. Here's a sample of what is explored in Introduction to Technical Services for Library Technicians: computers and library automation bibliographic utilities and networks including OCLC, RLG, UTLAS, the Internet, and more library cooperation from the local to the international level acquisitions procedures, gifts, and exchanges copy cataloging, original cataloging, subject cataloging, and the MARC record government publications serials--ordering, cataloging, control, terminology, e-journals, and more preservation--treating damaged materials, book repair, good housekeeping practices, factors of deterioration, and more Intended primarily as a textbook for students in a two-year library technology program or one-year certificate program, this book will also serve very well as a general reference for library technicians or other staff members working in the technical services area.

"This book discusses the considerations and implications surrounding the outsourcing and offshoring of professional services, such as software development computer-aided design, and healthcare, from multiple global perspectives. This book, offers industry professionals, policymakers, students, and educators with a balance between a broad overview and detailed analysis of offshore outsourcing, would make an invaluable addition to any reference library"--Provided by publisher.