In this essay, we embrace a vision of the future of academic libraries where librarians confront and creatively address the lack of racial and ethnic diversity within our profession and actively pursue a social justice agenda within our libraries and in the communities we serve. This future requires that we acknowledge that many of our current…

Solo school librarians are the air traffic controllers of the library world, serving hundreds, if not thousands, of students. They are responsible for a book budget, technology resources, orientation and research classes, book talks, and reading promotions, as well as professional development for teachers, guiding them in effective integration of…

It is no secret that library budgets are in a downward spiral like the rest of the economy. The recent annual budget survey by the "Library Journal" indicates that per capita funding for libraries will decline 1.6%, and total library budgets will be reduced by 2.6% in FY 2010. Librarians are all too familiar with this bad news, and some of them…

The librarians at Northern Kentucky University's W. Frank Steely Library have successfully added a new embedded librarianship program to their established reference and instruction services, without the support of increased staffing. In fact, this program was established and has matured during a period of staff reductions. The decisions made in…

Practical advice is offered on managing libraries during a time of declining resources. Librarians are urged to set aside the extravagant and empty rhetoric of the 60s and 70s and take a more realistic view of collections and services for users during the austere 80s. (Author/RAA)

Addressed in this speech are aspects of law library budgets--how to determine need, how to obtain funding, and how to best utilize funds made available. The qualities and duties of a good law librarian are also examined. (LBH)

This document provides basic information on school libraries from 1953-54 to 1999-2000 and is based on the report Fifty Years of Supporting Children's Learning: A History of Public School Libraries and Federal Legislation from 1953-2000 (NCES 2005-311). The full report is divided into four sections that present categories of historical data about…

Discusses expectations of public library reference service and the reality of what librarians can provide amid declining resources. Suggests reference librarians should define the gap between potential and reality in reference service, and inform the customers about how little money it would take to provide better service. Argues that librarians…

This article reviews personnel administration techniques that have been used to establish work-load parameters, but offer no aid in subject deployment. A model which identifies elements that must be included in a consideration of work-load measurement and subject allocation for library collection development tasks is presented. Thirty-four…

College librarians do not always find the characteristics they wish their teaching and administrative colleagues to have: a genuine understanding of the library's mission in higher education; a clearer recognition of the professional librarian's craft and acceptance as a peer; and a reliable flow of communication and consultation. (Author/MSE)