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Librarians have advanced degrees in the library field, not in the field of management. But the higher one goes in the institutional hierarchy, the more time must be spent in managing. Librarians must take the management process seriously and understand what good managing is. Managers are constantly appraising their staff and being appraised by them. Performance standards, or Management by Objective (MBO) provides a system for such appraisal. Objectives for the manager or staff member should be established on a one to one basis between the supervisor and the individual, but it is useful if the entire staff first decides on departmental objectives. Individual objectives should be made meaningful, measurable and flexible, for the growth of the staff member rather than as punishment. At the Columbia University Libraries, task forces of all levels of personnel are working on the establishment of objectives. This has opened up new lines of communication, but is also shifting the traditional bureaucratic structures and loyalties at an accelerating rate. Organizational redesign is thus becoming a continuing function. The experience of articulating performance objectives has proved difficult, but worthwhile. (SL)