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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explicate the universal theme of teamwork within organizations as a performance factor toward effective and efficient library cost savings and long-term group success. Design/methodology/approach – Focusing on lessons from the past, along with current research and experience, library managers can gain insight into tried and true actions increasing the potential for team success essential for smooth operations. Findings – A multitude of elements contribute to effective team management. The cultivation of creativity, the resolution and anticipation of conflict, the blending of physical and virtual interaction and a focus on external environments are key. Originality/value – This paper provides a comparison of current team dynamics with those of the past to show that merely the context of good team management has changed while the core goal of library team management has remained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reveal particular unique aspects of librarian pay, retention and hiring issues as a means of advocacy for managers searching for new ways to tackle this function of their work. Design/methodology/approach – The paper gives specific salary negotiation suggestions, and also provides strategic team building concerns on which future planning may be made. Findings – It is found that salary information is shared much more often between librarians at other institutions and this sharing leads to many negative and positive effects for future pay structures within organizations. Originality/value – The paper is original in the sense that it is written for librarians and non-librarians alike. It presents the issue with candor as a means of sparking fruitful conversation aimed at stabilizing and increasing librarian pay through joint understanding of the issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to discuss strategies for a new library employee seeking to deal with difficult people at work, when the difficult people are his/her own colleagues. It seeks to provide a description of several types of situations that may arise, and general strategies for dealing with them. Design/methodology/approach – The column is based on the author's substantial experience dealing with personnel matters in academic, public, and special libraries, including hiring for all types of positions. It is personal opinion, based on lengthy experience. Findings – The paper addresses library personnel issues. This particular installment helps new employees of libraries identify various types of issues one may have with "difficult" colleagues, and also provides various strategies and options for addressing these issues. Originality/value – The column is intended to help people to deal with all types of personnel issues overall; this specific column is intended to help librarians deal with the challenges of working with "difficult" colleagues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide the structure needed to create an in-house training program for libraries as a means for improving staff competencies during periods of economic problems. Design/methodology/approach – The paper pulls information from the business environment and gives a human resources perspective on training programs used in companies that also have limited financial means. Findings – The information and structure provided for development of a training program has had proven results. Practical implications – This information will require action on the part of libraries interested in gaining this advantage. Originality/value – These proven methods and steps can increase a library's case when seeking to justify allocation of resources and will add value to the organization as it serves its primary clientele. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The rise of academic librarian professionalism coincided with the consolidation and centralization of university libraries. The resulting consolidation of the materials budget offered a revenue stream exploited by increasingly large publishers. Since publishers will always attempt to maximize their profits, the only way to restrict unlimited access to library funds is through reverting to decentralization. One such method is the creation of modules without overlapping funding. The purpose of this paper is to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This paper relies on a wide range of academic library economic literature in an attempt to clarify the structural problem of library budgeting as well as to find means to reverse the slide into budgetary collapse. Findings – Professional librarians have over-centralized academic libraries. This has provided publishers in the past with profitable revenue streams that continue to expand even while the library's ability to maintain funding has contracted. Since publishers will not impose limits on maximizing their profits, it is up to the librarian to impose strictures on available funding. Originality/value – This paper argues that there is a causal relation between the rise of increasingly large for-profit publishing and the rise of the centralized big academic library run by library professionals. It proposes the decentralization of academic library budgets as a means to regain fiscal control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the myriad non-financial ways in which library managers can motivate employees and address performance issues, reducing attrition and increasing productivity and satisfaction without increasing salaries. Design/methodology/approach – A critical self-reflection summarizing the author's experiential learning as a new assistant department head tackling a library department's productivity and cost issues with staff processing of course reserves. After an initial description of the situation, the paper explores the theories that apply to the experience, and includes analysis of the experience in light of those theories. The article includes how application by one library manager of findings from motivation, trust, and leadership theory literature was able to reduce staff attrition, increase staff satisfaction, and reduce costs. Findings – The literature from a number of fields demonstrates that there are areas aside from financial compensation that library managers can harness to increase the motivation and satisfaction of staff members. An awareness of the factors cited in these literatures can help library leadership and managers improve unit performance. As budgets continue to shrink and open positions remain unfilled, it is imperative library managers find creative, non-remunerative, and effective ways to address staffing needs. Research limitations/implications – The continued economic and budget limitations facing libraries create implications for library leaders and managers in terms of replacing and rewarding staff members, and creating workflow efficiencies in necessary library services. Practical implications – This paper brings the issue of responsible staff stewardship and practical management to the forefront in an effort to engage library leaders and managers in a discussion about engaging with other discipline literatures for suggestions on how to maintain productive, satisfied staff while faced with fewer resources for rewarding good work. Social implications – The culture of library management practice could (and should) be affected by this issue, and the work in other disciplines may have wider application in terms of human resources management, distributions of managers' effort, and performance management issues in libraries. Originality/value – The paper outlines one library manager's approach to an under-performing library department, relating those approaches to factors identified in the broader literature as important to managers and leaders, and addresses the issue of how to address library service needs as budgets are stripped and staff attrition without replacement becomes regular practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – While the great recession may have concluded more than a year ago, the lingering effects of state and local budget contraction and austerity are having a highly negative impact on libraries and librarians. The future for publicly funded libraries as institutions that promote learning, literacy, knowledge creation and entertainment is increasingly doubtful as publicly funded libraries across the country are seeing unprecedented levels of budget cuts. While the immediate cause of such reduced funding seems rooted in budgetary pressures, the reality is that library financial support is traditionally premised upon a publicly held assumption of goodwill for libraries and the societal benefits they represent. In order for libraries to survive the economic downturn and austerity measures put in place by government budgets, they need to rethink the role, purpose and benefits of library marketing in favor of a more sophisticated approach that conveys the unique value of their library and its offering to their specific user population. This paper aims to address this issue. Design/methodology/approach – Informed by the author's extensive experience in marketing information services, the paper discusses the current trends in library marketing, especially those aimed at conveying the value of libraries, and ties them to relevant scholarship in the areas of services marketing and value creation. Findings – Assumed goodwill is inadequate to the task of competing for financial support in a post-recessionary environment where expenditure of public funds is highly scrutinized. In order to survive long term, libraries of all kinds must take on a more sophisticated view of library marketing that focuses on value creation. Eliminating the old model of presumptive value in favor of one that utilizes the marketing process in order to communicate the competitive viability of libraries as place and content providers to their users in the form of targeted benefits that convey value, is critical. Simply put, if libraries hope to receive continued support in today's challenging fiscal climate they must elevate marketing to a critical operational function while focusing that marketing effort upon communicating the library's benefits and value to the users it serves. Practical implications – As a librarian, adjunct professor of marketing and former sales and marketing manager for a large information company, the author relies on his years of experience to convey a more purposeful sense of library marketing that is directed at communicating a library's unique value or worth to its users based upon an understanding of their needs, the benefits to them specifically as well as the competing options available to them in terms of information acquisition. Originality/value – The paper shares specific ideas regarding the purpose, role and benefits of library marketing that are connected to improving perceptions of the worth of libraries and the perception of value to a specific community as a means of engendering future support for them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the possibilities for strategically and politically repositioning a library, despite economic hardships, for stronger relations with administration, local government, and user communities. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a case study of Murray State University Libraries' efforts to seize the current recession to conduct capital construction planning, donor development, and political positioning for a new library facility. Additionally, the case study details some of the activities undertaken during the recession to implement a pay-per-view journal article process and value-added reference services. Findings – This case study finds that strategically repositioning a library with administration, local government, or the user community can be undertaken on either larger or smaller scales, depending on the particular circumstances in which a library operates. Originality/value – While the literature is rife with papers urging libraries and librarians to undertake strategic and political repositioning efforts during economic recessions, this paper provides a holistic case study of a library successfully doing just that. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe a case at the University of St Francis (USF), where common fears and, in some cases, harsh realities of library budget reductions can be strategically allayed or altogether avoided through creativity, changes in motivation and implementation of redesigns in organizational work flows and tasks. Design/methodology/approach – The USF Library shifted focus away from a reactionary stance against pending budget cuts toward a proactive strategy in order to circumvent anticipated reductions in funding for library operations and staff. Findings – Changes in attitudinal and service posturing created an environment that allowed the USF to show itself as a more essential function of its university as a whole. The changes suggested in this paper add more workload to USF existing library functions, but also add more interested stakeholders. Originality/value – This paper offers insight and direction to practitioners looking to investigate the feasibility of selectively increasing workload in order to increase overall value to their institutions, resulting in budget security during harsh economic times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper seeks to show that when managing strategically a library administrator might want to use cost-benefit analysis to prudently spend money and, consequently, would need to understand this methodology. Design/methodology/approach - The paper discusses the various types of cost-benefit analysis and discusses some of their strengths and weaknesses. Findings - It is helpful for library managers to have a proper knowledge of cost-benefit analysis. Practical implications - One methodology is provided that librarians should consider when contemplating what purchases to make. Original/value - This paper will help librarians better manage their libraries by making them aware of cost-benefit analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Managing through crises, especially economic ones, represents both peril and opportunity. Libraries of all types, whether academic, special or public, would benefit from an infusion of marketing activity in the current economic climate. Such marketing need not be resource-intensive but must be relevant to specific user populations. In order to reap the greatest rewards while expending the least effort or resources, adopting a narrative or story-based marketing message that develops and reinforces a consistent value proposition can improve patron experience by speaking in a language that resonates with them regarding services and resources that may be unclear or altogether unknown. This paper aims to discuss current trends in developing narrative or story-based marketing that focuses on customer needs and applies it to library marketing specifically. Design/methodology/approach - The paper discusses of current trends informed by current marketing scholarship and draws upon the author's prior experience in sales and marketing as a vendor for LexisNexis. Findings - Adopting a narrative-based marketing plan for libraries of all kinds, one that is based upon a specific user population's needs and expectations, can promote a notion of increased value as well as an overall sense of being indispensable and critical to those patrons. The ultimate goal is a demonstrable strengthening of support from user populations that will translate into avoidance of deeper or ongoing cuts during the current economic climate. Further benefits also include the ability to identify and target users and groups for fundraising opportunities while improving library personnel morale based upon the increased, generalized perception of the library's value within the broader organization or community. Practical implications - Based upon years of sales and marketing experience, the author takes a practical and seasoned approach to creating a marketing plan that draws upon little to no resources but is compelling in its tailored and targeted approach that uses identifiable language to reinforce and describe specific user-driven needs. Originality/value - The paper provides recommendations for developing, creating and executing a narrative or story-based marketing plan that speaks to users in the language and needs most critical to them while highlighting resources and services that may not be currently valued or even known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide insights and commentary into issues encountered in providing computing services to library users in an era of shrinking budgets, reductions in staffing and increased costs.Design/methodology/approach Uses examples and illustrations from the technology literature and both anecdotal and analytic information from the author’s library to highlight some of the implications and resulting costs of password fatigue.Findings Web users are increasingly finding themselves in situations where they are overwhelmed by the stress induced by the need to remember many usernames and password combinations of varying complexities to complete their tasks at home, work and school.Originality/value This paper describes the shortcomings and counter-productive nature of the exceedingly complex and increasingly insecure world of usernames and password-protected web-based services. The cost of help desk-mediated password resets is enormous. Libraries are not immune to a large volume of calls generated by access issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This study aims to provide insights and commentary into issues encountered in providing computing services to library users in an era of shrinking budgets, reductions in staffing and increased utility costs.Design/methodology/approach The study uses examples and illustrations from a real-world deployment of thin client technologies to illustrate efficiencies achieved in not only maintenance and continued upkeep but also consumption of power.Findings Although thin client technologies were largely displaced with the proliferation of inexpensive and powerful desktop computing, great savings in both staff time and electricity can be achieved with a phasing out of desktop computing in favor of a thin client model.Originality/value This paper describes the benefits of a test of the viability of a thin client computing model in a highly utilized academic library computing facility. The consumption of power of the thin client model is compared and contrasted with the desktop systems that were displaced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Over time, management theory has shaped the structure of libraries. No matter the current view of management by matrix, when it comes to library organizations, there is always going to be a hierarchical structure. The object then is for transparency to be in place, and a recognized sense of fairness and equality. This study aims to address this issue. Design/methodology/approach - The paper reviews the concepts of the literature on management and organization theory, and details the literature on valuing human capital and its recent application to knowledge management work. It then discusses how the literature and its deployment over the years have resulted in the formation of pay policies, and shows the application of Fay Hensen's predictive validity testing to the pay policy line in the field of libraries through the study of the New Jersey Library Association's Guidelines for Minimum Recommended Starting Salaries for Library Staff from the years 2007 and 2008. Findings - By measuring for internal job values at libraries through one or more of the measures discussed here, one can arrive at an analysis of the pay policy of the institution. Using trendline analysis, the paper was able to calculate just what the value, worth or salary of the positions should be in order to have a predictive, orderly, hierarchical representation of salaries within the library organization structure. Originality/value - By measuring for internal consistency in job values at libraries, one can be assured that there are fair demarcations among Positions, and yield consistent expectations which are transparent to employees, who will then know what must be done to advance within the organization. A consistent organizational structure, with clearly delineated jobs and equal compensation lets a library know where it stands and where it needs to go from there. By periodically creating a pay policy line study for the organization, human resources personnel can make executives aware of how they may or may not have strayed from balance in fairness and transparent compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe the motivations, creation, and implementation of workflow and organizational redesigns within two academic library acquisitions departments: the University of Alabama (UA) and the University of Florida (UF). Design/methodology/approach - Both institutions utilized a combination of goal identification, staff contribution, and Blackwell's workflow consulting services to build and implement new acquisitions workflows. Findings - A comparison of the projects reveals two paths to conducting a reorganization of acquisitions in academic libraries, but with the same goal: doing more with less staff while promoting a more cost-efficient model of operations. Originality value - In evaluating these analysis projects at UA and UF, common successes that are applicable to future undertakings were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper argues that, while one needs to logically decide on an organization's strategy, it does not need to be a product of a lengthy strategic planning process. Design/methodology/approach - The paper discusses and gives examples to illustrate why an institution does not need to go through an intricate strategic planning process. Findings - A laborious process is not needed to plan a library's strategic direction. Practical implications - A library can more efficiently use its money and time to satisfy its customers than by spending them on a drawn-out strategic planning process. Originality/value - Hopefully, this article will motivate librarians to find the proper balance between having no strategy and wasting too much time and money on creating a lengthy strategic plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to argue that it is important to think strategically when managing a library. Design/methodology/approach -- Discusses and gives examples to illustrate why one should manage strategically. Findings -- That a library administrator needs to think strategically, especially when managing the budget. Practical implications -- This is a very useful source of finding out the fundamentals of each of the basic kinds of budgeting systems. In addition, the article gives many references for finding out more about each of these methods. Originality/value -- Hopefully, this article will motivate librarians to create a strategy and to keep it in mind when managing, particularly when dealing with fiscal matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to discuss how some companies are scanning books to make the text fully searchable. Design/methodology/approach -- Discusses several cases of scanning books and fully searchable text. Findings -- By making so much forgotten text searchable, accessible and potentially relevant again, digitalization allows us to be full-fledged players in the contemporary information arena. Originality/value -- Provides examples of fully searchable texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to show how an effective library manager can handle the issues of employee theft of material, time, data and money. Design/methodology/approach - Reviews and summarizes some of the literature on the topic and recounts personal experiences. Findings - There are different types of theft: of physical materials, of non-financial data, of money, of time. Originality/value - Presents a useful set of general rules for success in the management of library theft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine potential new uses of return on investment (ROI) in alternative methods for library assessment and valuation. Design/methodology/approach - Uses examples of recent uses of ROI by libraries to identify potential new applications of ROI in library assessment and valuation. Findings - ROI investment has historically been used by libraries for the assessment of past performance of library organizations in a reactive/defensive nature or for assessing the value of customer services. ROI has not been widely used as a proactive assessment tool, to introspectively assess administrative or other internal services, or as an offensive assessment and valuation tool, especially for intangible performance assessment and valuation. Originality/value - New applications of the ROI assessment tool could provide library administrators with proactive means of increasing the effectiveness of library assessment, valuation, and their results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to develop and demonstrate a performance-based allocation model for university libraries in India. Design/methodology/approach - Using economic models with weighted values, a system of allocating funds to university library departments is illustrated. Findings - The paper finds that many university libraries in India struggle to continue their existing operations and services due to financial problems. Careful budgeting and most appropriate use of financial resources is essential to solve the existing financial problems. Originality/value - The model takes into account efficiency and equity considerations, which can assist the library in allocating its budget in a transparent and fair manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The key to a successful library development and fundraising program is a synergistic relationship between development professionals and librarians. The purpose of this paper is to investigate this relationship. Design/methodology/approach - The paper focuses on the partnership in achieving the library mission and its fundraising goals. Findings - The study finds that raising funds for any academic library requires commitment and leadership of the library dean and the development officer. With library faculty and staff members' input, the library development team must work together in writing a compelling case statement that has high dramatic and emotional impact on the mission of the library and the institution. Originality/value - The paper identifies three key elements that library faculty and staff can provide to support any successful library development program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to determine the current state of financial support of African university libraries, and explore non-traditional methods of providing funding for them. Design/methodology/approach - The paper takes a comparative look at the funding pattern of library and information services in Africa, particularly academic libraries, over the past two decades. Findings - The paper finds that the national governments, the main financial providers, are usually held liable for the continuing inadequacy of the financial support and are, therefore, seen as having ignored their financial responsibility toward libraries. This financial neglect negatively impacts the quality of services provided by the university libraries and, consequently, the quality of teaching and research programs at the universities served by them. Originality/value - As a possible way of breaking away from the complete and absolute reliance on government funding which has proved to be unreliable, alternative ways of funding are suggested. These include information consultancy and brokerage services and other income-generating activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - To address the issue of poor government funding for Nigerian libraries. This situation has led many librarians over the years to explore the possibility of raising additional funds from alternative sources of income. Design/methodology/approach - Explores the current levels of funding for Nigerian academic libraries and identifies some alternative funding sources. On identifying these sources, the success of alternative sources of income is presented and suggestions are made for funding in the future. Findings - Funding for libraries and information centers in Nigeria is largely through government allocations to the overseeing ministries or institutions. Government funding has been poor, requiring libraries to look for alternative sources of income in order to meet the increasingly sophisticated demand of library users for electronic information services. Several methods for generating income have been identified, explored by many libraries, and discussed in library literature, but have yielded little in the way of additional funding. Originality/value - On evaluating all the sources of income available to Nigerian academic libraries, this paper suggests that the most stable and reliable source of funds remains with allocations from the federal government. As the support from the government has not been adequate, suggestions are included on areas where the government could raise taxes to support education in general, and libraries specifically, within Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article gives details about how the author teaches about "Fiscal Management" at Boston's (USA) Simmons Graduate School of Library and Information Science. Included in the instructional methodology are methods of research, "the box," outside speakers, class assignments, papers, and final presentations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The aim of this conceptual paper is to review Bernstein’s communication wheel to make it a tool that can be used in the selection of a corporate communication mix.Design/methodology/approach A critical analysis of Bernstein’s communication wheel shows it to be a checklist, a starting point in the examination of corporate communication mix, but it is not as such of great help to the decision maker.Findings The findings of reviewing literature highlight that the principle of a clear distinction between strategic decisions and operational decisions is applicable also in the field of corporate communication. For each stakeholder relationship, the authors’ framework suggests typical combinations of activities and means to be used. These combinations are useful to experiment with expert systems which are functional to the choices of corporate communication mix.Practical implications The analysis of communication gaps gives directions for formulating strategic decisions. In this framework, tactical decisions concern the components of the communication mix architecture (or communication chain): activities, means and vehicles of communication. On the contrary, Bernstein’s communication wheel includes only generic channels (or media) and gives no indications as to the architecture of the communication mix.Originality/value This study illustrates the hierarchy of decisions relating to corporate communication mix, the communication wheel could also be useful in communication planning. If this assumption is held to be true it then becomes possible to lay out a framework for a progressive decision-making path that means making sequential choices (first strategic, then tactical). In the stakeholder approach, the aim of strategic decisions is to choose the stakeholder groups on which a firm has to focus its corporate communication activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of corporate logo in organisations’ development of corporate e-communication.Design/methodology/approach This research model was designed based on previous studies on corporate logo, its antecedents on e-communication, corporate image and corporate reputation. Online survey was conducted for consumers and followers of the shopping social networking platforms (Facebook and Twitter) in Colombia.Findings Taking into account previous corporate constructs theories, the authors propose a new conceptual framework to explain how corporate e-communication interacts within an organisation’s structure and also to show that the consumer’s interaction in corporate e-communication platforms is based on the corporate logo perception held by consumers; as a consequence, the corporate reputation is affected.Originality/value This study contributes to the understanding and expansion of the organisation’s structure by introducing a new corporate construct, named “corporate e-communication”, defined as the digital interaction that an organisation has with its stakeholders; it involves everything it says, shows and does. However, there are a few other areas of concern with regard to consequences related to corporate image and corporate reputation, particularly in Colombian retail setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper of this study is to attempt to explore the status of collection in agricultural libraries of Northern India and assess the magnitude of impact of the advent of electronic information resources (EIRs) on the contemporary acquisition.Design/methodology/approach While adhering to the survey method, the questionnaire was used as a data collection tool to collect data from university librarians. Telephonic interaction and e-mail correspondence were also used to clear doubts, remove ambiguities and obtain data of higher significance from the respondents.Findings The majority of the agricultural libraries in Northern India have a sound collection of information resources in the print form, which may continue to act as a source of attraction for users in the future for a long time to come. Yet, the acquisition of information resources in the print form across the studied libraries continues at routine pace, and as such the advent of e-resources seems to have not yet laid any prominent impact on acquisition of resources in print form. E-Books have not yet been fully incorporated into the library collection and that e-journal collection “CeRA” (Consortium for Electronic Resources in Agriculture) seems to gratify the needs of users of these libraries, as no additional e-journals are seen to be subscribed to at present.Research limitations/implications Only seven agricultural libraries have been taken as a sample. Moreover, the work is confined to only two aspects, i.e. current status and the impact of EIRs on acquisition of information resources. Other aspects like those of collection development, storage and accommodation, preservation, library functionality and library services need to also be studied.Originality/value This is first work of its nature in Northern India with agricultural libraries as their domain. The findings will help the librarians and the library advisory committees decide on logical grounds about the proportion at which the print and electronic forms of information resources need to be acquired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this article is to provide insights and commentary into issues encountered in maintaining and assessing library technologies and technology-based services with limited budgets and with limited personnel. Design/methodology/approach -- It uses usage data to illustrate effects of a conversion of a single journal title from print to electronic format. Findings -- The conversion of a print journal subscription to electronic access resulted in a substantial decrease in cost per use despite an increase in overall subscription cost. Originality/value -- This paper examines the effects of acquiring current electronic content based upon usage of a single, high use embargoed journal title in an aggregator package. Differences between print and electronic usage and cost per use are described in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, libraries within all institutions of higher education are viewing serials collection development in a new light. This paper looks at the issues revolving around these new dynamics, including distance education, electronic serials and how librarians should proceed in the near future. Much change is expected in US Copyright law. At the time of writing the US Register of Copyright issued a substantial report on how copyright will be viewed in our new digital era. This paper aims to provide new answers, and ask new questions the library literature has yet to examine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the question of how librarians can win financial resources from their parent organisations. It maintains that securing funding is essential at a time of change and goes on to advocate practical techniques for improving the acquisition and management of financial resources. The paper examines the financial environment of many libraries, covering financial cuts, organisational changes, contracting out, service level agreements and income generation. The importance of the integration of libraries and information units within their parent bodies is considered. The paper stresses the importance of political skills in winning resources and explores what this means in practice for public, academic and special librarians. Finally, the paper looks at some aspects of austerity management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Librarians in the twenty-first century require different skills from their predecessors. The purpose of this paper is to examine what those skills are and how they correlate with new position descriptions. Design/methodology/approach – The paper looks at ways to analyze vacant positions so that libraries can hire the faculty and staff with the necessary skills. Findings – The paper finds that creative ways of thinking about vacant positions are necessary in the current environment and that different skills are needed in the twenty-first century from those that might have been sought previously. Originality/value – The paper provides a way to evaluate and assess vacant positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of the paper is to examine how weeding physical collections might obviate the need for compact shelving. Design/methodology/approach - Provides a viewpoint on how to manage space and budget within an academic library. Findings - The Daniel Library at The Citadel is scheduled to be renovated beginning in May 2009. Heavy weeding needs to start now, to give technical services staff time to process deselections and transfers from reference to the circulating collection. Originality/value - Shows how a balance between space and budget can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper aims to deal with recognizing and reacting to an aging workforce and understanding the value that older workers can still represent to an organization.Design/methodology/approach This article references field literature to support the points addressed.Findings Librarians and library workers have knowledge and experience that can provide value to both their organizations as they approach retirement and afterwards as retirees in a variety of ways.Originality/value This article represents the viewpoint of the author produced from his experiences and understandings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The paper aims to examine the constructs laid down by the information technology (IT) adoption theories to the cloud computing phenomena in conjunction with academic libraries of India to determine the factors responsible for the adoption of cloud computing.Design/methodology/approach Keeping the objectives into consideration, descriptive survey and constructive research method were used in the study. Library professionals engaged in the selected 28 central universities of India were chosen to participate in this study. To find the core drivers responsible for the adoption of cloud computing in academic libraries, constructs were taken from ten IT adoption theories.Findings The findings validate the fact that perceived ease of use, usefulness and ubiquitous availability of the enabling technology are strong drivers of the adoption of cloud computing technology in the libraries. Also, attitude is significantly correlated with the behavioral intention to adopt cloud computing services. High level of correlation was obtained between the cloud computing-perceived attributes and the librarian’s intention to use cloud computing technology. However, security risk is the biggest issue that has been affecting the behavioral intentions.Originality/value The study is a self-conscious attempt to fill the void and determine factors for the adoption of cloud computing in libraries. Further, it attempts to find out the preparedness of Indian academic libraries in adopting cloud computing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper aims to attempt to study the adoption of social media technologies in the process of recruitment and selection process of library professionals and faculty members in India.Design/methodology/approach Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model was used for the study. Two additional constructs, namely, impact of the position of recruiters and level of education were added for the study. Data were collected from 230 recruiters for the study.Findings Results of the study highlighted that the hypotheses of UTAUT model were supported. The constructs were performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence as well as facilitating conditions that triggered the behavioral intention of recruiters to adopt social media.Originality/value Till date, no any study has been carried out on the application of social media in the process of recruitment of faculty members and library professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the competencies, skills and knowledge obtained through a master’s degree in library and information science (LIS) and to identify those competencies that are most valued by graduates who obtained employment in non-library roles. These observations will contribute to an understanding of the transferability of LIS education which will assist LIS professionals and educators to frame LIS competencies in a way that appeals to employers outside of library settings who may not have any knowledge of LIS education or practice.Design/methodology/approach The grounded theory methodology was used with data collection taking the form of semi-structured interviews. Interviews were between 30 and 90 min in length and included career narratives, as well as responses to particular questions about different aspects of professional identity. Participants included graduates of master’s level LIS programs employed in a variety of positions including information managers, policy analysts, human resources specialists, marketers, vendors, taxonomists, search engine designers and information consultants. The participants were employed in sectors including government, information technology, aerospace, oil and gas and retail/online sales in both Canada and the USA.Findings The participants in this study found that their LIS education was valuable to their success in a number of non-library roles. Although the specific career paths of participants were each unique and the different roles they occupied required different combinations of skills, a list of key transferable LIS competencies could be identified. These included a focus on client service, the ability to identify need, and the ability to search for information and navigate databases. In addition, several participants observed that their coursework and opportunities to participate in internships, co-operative positions or work placements prepared them for such workplace conditions as deadlines and fast-paced environments.Originality/value This study involved a population of LIS graduates whose experiences have not been extensively examined in the past. This article helps to fill a gap in the understanding of the professional experiences of LIS graduates who pursue roles outside of libraries. In addition, the semi-structured interview technique allowed for deeper understanding of participants’ perceptions of which of their competencies, skills and knowledge were valuable to employees. This information was gained through answers to specific skills-focused questions intended to identify which competencies developed during their LIS education assisted them most in their careers, as well as larger career narratives. This study will have implications for library practitioners and educators. It will provide insights into valued skills for those who are designing or implementing LIS education programs, as well as LIS graduates who are seeking to market their skills to employers across industry sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a discussion of some of the issues related to the perceived value of Library and Information Science (LIS) degrees. Design/methodology/approach – This is a viewpoint supported with research from current field literature. Findings – This is recognizing some of the problems encountered with perceived value of LIS degrees and comparing other disciplines. Recommendations are made for individuals to lead their own career needs. Originality/value – This is the author’s own points of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss a social media campaign used to promote a digital library of archival resources. Design/methodology/approach – Librarians planned and executed a social media campaign using Tumblr and Pinterest and consulted Google Analytics and database reports to determine the impact. Findings – The campaign resulted in few conversions back to the digital library and little return on investment. Research limitations/implications – The campaign has been in effect for only five months, a longer testing period may be needed. Also, additional social media platforms will be added to the test. Originality/value – This is one of few examples of return on investment applied to social media and digital library promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to encourage caution when considering plans to migrate from physical materials to e-materials. Design/methodology/approach – The author's argument to encourage caution when considering plans to migrate from physical materials to e-materials is based on published statistics and personal observation. Findings – When considering current usage of e-books in comparison to physical materials, the usage of e-books is statistically insignificant. Originality/value – Offers statistical evidence that e-books will not supplant, now or in the foreseen future, the demand for physical materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to examine publication patterns of scholarly literature related to academic libraries and development (i.e. funding), including publication trends over a five-year period, core journals and authorship, so that library directors and library development officers will have a basic collection of relevant resources. Design/methodology/approach -- The methodology consisted of journal article searches in three databases relating to the field of library information science with 2006-2010 as the date limiter. The primary search terms came from the topic of this study and were joined to secondary-level search terms by using the Boolean operator: AND. Secondary-level keywords originated from the literature review and the search process. Results were stored in an Excel file based on pre-determined categories and were evaluated based on the research questions. Findings -- There were 106 articles published on the topic of academic libraries and development authored by 164 individuals, pairs, groups or associations during the five-year period of 2006-2010. In 2010, the greatest number of articles (35) was published on the topic, but in 2008, the least number (14) was published. Originality/value -- This study takes the bibliometric analysis approach, which has rarely been used on the topic of academic libraries and development work with the specific focus on library funding. It provides a foundation for further research on the topic, as well as resources to be used by library practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to point out that it is likely that if research is to be done about library finances, working librarians will probably have to take the lead. Design/methodology/approach - The paper discusses why librarians should take charge of doing research about library finances. Findings - More research needs to be done to help librarians maximize their resources. Originality/value - The paper is a call for librarians to take action to overcome the dearth of research done about library finances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this column is to provide suggestions for recognizing library achievements, and is so doing reinforce donor support. Design/methodology/approach - The column discusses and gives examples of observances to mark accomplishments. Findings - It is suggested that marking accomplishments with appropriate internal and external recognition is essential to a fundraising operation. Originality/value - The value of this paper is in its presentation of examples and strategies for promoting achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of the paper is to examine how one might proactively trim materials spending. Design/methodology/approach - Provides a viewpoint on how one might proactively trim materials spending. Findings - Faced with a statewide budget reduction of 90 percent, the author found numerous microform and print subscriptions to cancel. Clearly priorities exist, and if we are able to acknowledge and codify them, perhaps we can save money even in years with no budget crisis. A list of central principles and functions might also make weeding and cooperative collection development easier. Originality/value - The idea of a collection management plan is not new, of course, but listing some concrete benefits underscores its importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to suggest that a more deliberate strategy of partnering be considered by library administrators. Design/methodology/approach - Provides a viewpoint on effective library partnering. Findings - In a time of the network, complicated by constrained resources, an organization can innovate more successfully by carefully collaborating with other organizations. Originality/value - Guidelines for selecting and establishing partnerships are offered, along with illustrations of effective library partnering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to expound upon integrity, which is the first of the "leadership performance standards" introduced in the last installment of this column. It shows how integrity in the library staff is foundational to good cost-effective library service and how it can and should be modeled and encouraged by the library administrator. Design/methodology/approach - The article sets forth several assertions regarding integrity and then explains and supports them one at a time, concluding with a checklist for developing an atmosphere of integrity. Findings - Integrity is the most highly sought after attribute in library directors and is foundational to all good cost-effective library service. An atmosphere of integrity for the workplace can and should be fostered by the example of the library administrator. Originality/value - Learning why integrity is necessary and how to foster it in library staff and in the atmosphere of the library is the first step toward ensuring that the library will be able to fulfill its mission in a cost-effective manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — To outline the potential hazards of a purely numerical approach to evaluating development professionals and development programs. Design/methodology/approach — Narrative paper outlining various means used to assess a library development program. Findings — Library development assessment that utilizes quantitative analysis alone without substantive analysis of the underlying numbers will likely yield incorrect conclusions. Originality/value — Practical suggestions for utilizing qualitative techniques when assessing a library development program or development professional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: By combining relevant literature and using quantitative methodology, this study aims to look into the role of knowledge management (KM) as a mediator between entrepreneurial competencies (ECs) and the sustainable performance (SP) of manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach: The relationships in the proposed model were examined with data collected from 122 Malaysian SMEs using a cross-sectional technique and a standardized questionnaire and analyzed using structural equation modeling path analysis. Findings: According to the findings, ECs have a positive and considerable impact on KM as well as the SP of manufacturing SMEs. Importantly, KM partially mediates between ECs and the SP of manufacturing SMEs. Research limitations/implications: This research provides a theoretical contribution through the integration of ECs, KM and SP within a unified framework that takes into account the viewpoints of the resource-based view, the knowledge-based view and the triple bottom line. The results corroborate that ECs directly affect SP and indirectly through KM. Nevertheless, the study's use of cross-sectional survey data makes it impossible to draw conclusions about causes. This is because ECs, KM and SP all have effects on time that this empirical framework cannot account for. Practical implications: The findings of this research provide valuable insights for managers and decision-makers in SMEs, who are expected to show an increasing interest in adopting KM processes into their companies through which ECs can be translated into SP. Social implications: By applying the proposed framework, SMEs can conduct their activities in ways that do not harm environmental and societal well-being while achieving appropriate economic performance at the same time. Originality/value: As a result, the findings of this study can add to the literature on ECs and KM, as well as boost the chances of SME sustainability. Directions for future research are also provided in relation to a better understanding of the factors affecting the SP of SMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]