Describes the use of docents at the Denver Public Library and explains how to develop a successful volunteer docent program. Discusses their educational background; duties, including training patrons in computer use; cooperation of and acceptance by the professional staff; administrative support; and improved customer service. (LRW)

Considers how the implementation of self-checkout systems may affect library management in general and circulation departments in particular, focusing on the impact on circulation departments' workflow and the financial implications involved in implementing it. Suggests an opportunity for libraries to undergo a paradigm shift concerning the…

Discusses the need to develop leadership in the library profession and describes leadership training methods. Highlights include core values and beliefs guiding leadership training; critical leadership traits; a design model for leadership training; strategies for administrators to develop leadership within their libraries; and stages of…

Discussion of racial and ethnic diversity focuses on the role leadership plays for emerging library leaders of color. Topics include the need for minority library leadership; differences between white and minority leadership; leadership traits of minorities; and marginalized leadership. (Author/LRW)

Provides one approach to a comprehensive library staff development program that addresses the needs of both the new and long-term employee. Discusses keys to successful employee orientation, primary objectives to staff development, developing and enhancing employee knowledge through small training sessions, ensuring opportunities to develop…

In this column, the author relates his experiences in the use of library technology over his 20-year career at Vanderbilt University. He describes how computers in libraries have transformed almost every aspect of how the library provides its services and performs its work behind the scenes. In addition, the author shares a few successful…

Library media specialists need tools to help them manage the school library media program. The Internet includes a vast array of tools that a library media specialist might find useful. The websites and electronic resources included in this article are only a representative sample and future columns may explore additional tools. All the tools are…

School library media centers should be warm and inviting places where the environment entices children to read and explore. Creative bulletin board and case displays along with other exhibits help to make the library media center an exciting place. Bulletin board displays that promote authors, books, and exciting ideas motivate children to find…

Circulation policies are guidelines used by staff and patrons when checking out materials. These policies usually address issues such as the number of items a patron may borrow, the length of time items may be kept, and if there will be consequences for nonreturn of materials. This article addresses issues library media specialists may want to…

This article tells the story of Grayhead Public Library and the results of a new evaluation process developed by the state library that asked staff to critique their bosses' management capabilities and the library's services anonymously. Galloway, the director, was shocked when she received the results. She read the responses in disbelief,…

In this article, the author discusses her personal experience of coming up with a mission statement for her library. A significant part of that goal was to identify what a best-practice library looked like so that she could emulate the model in her library. The entire process is described in this article.

With a mission in mind to change the world, one bibliographic corner at a time Christine Schultz, began with a dream of being in charge. In the Fall of 2004, she was promoted to the position of Library Director at a small, private liberal arts college. In this article, she shares how she overcame the challenges of a tight budget, and a building…

Employees are valuable. The cost of hiring, training, and retaining staff--not just librarians, but all staff--generally makes up the largest part of a library's budget. Since library support staff usually comprise 60-80 percent of the work force, it makes perfect fiscal sense to motivate this segment of employees to stay. There is an even more…

When Leslie Polott arrived at the Hudson Library and Historical Society in 1996. She headed out into the community to find out what people wanted from their library. After rounds of surveys, focus groups, and town meetings, she knew: a library that was the center of their educational and cultural lives, that provided more opportunities for…

The New Orleans Public Library (NOPL) is coming back from Hurricane Katrina--thanks to the State Library of Louisiana, NOPL in mid-September set up a temporary web site (nutrias.org). Unfortunately like many libraries in the Gulf region, it sustained significant damage and retained hope for renewal. This article reports the extent of damage…