Administration of the Public Library

by Alice Gertzog, Edwin P. Beckerman

Overview

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Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781461656128
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	01/01/1994
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	600
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Alice Gertzog (AB, Antioch College; MLS, Catholic University; PhD, Rutgers University) has been a public, academic, and special librarian, as well as a library consultant, educator, and author of books relating to library management. As a public librarian she worked at the Brookline Public Library and New Haven Free Public Library, and served as the Director of the Meadville (PA) Public Library and Administrator of the Crawford County (PA) Public Library System. She has taught at Rutgers University School of Communication, Information and Library Studies at Allegheny College.

Edwin Beckerman (AB, University of Missouri; MLS, Columbia University) has been a public librarian, library consultant, educator, and contributor to books and periodicals in the library field. As a public librarian, he has worked in The New York Public Library, served as Director of the Woodbridge (NJ) Public Library, Assistant Director of the Yonkers (NY) Public Library, Public Library Consultant for the New York State Library, and as a Branch Librarian in the Leicester City Public Library (Leicester, England) as a participant in the Department of State Exchange of Persons Program. As a consultant, he is the author of over one hundred consulting reports on library organization, management, and library building issue. He has taught courses in library management and planning at Rutgers University School of Communication, Information, and Library Studies.

Table of Contents

1 The Public Library In Context
2 History of the Public Library in the United States
3 The Public Library Today
4 The Community Context
5 Legal Status, Governance, and Politics
6 Organization
7 Technology
8 Collection Development
9 Technical Services
10 Access Services
11 Information Service
12 Faciltating Library Use
13 Youth Services
14 Outreach Services
15 Marketing, and Publicizing and Interpreting the Library
16 The Director
17 Human Resources
18 Financial Management
19 The Library Building and Equipment
20 Evaluation

Editorial Reviews

Gertzog and Beckerman manage to cover all aspects of public librarianship in a good handbook and reference for any library director, trustee, or librarian. In each area covered, they provide both a history and a summary of where libraries are at today, and although their efforts bulk up to more than 580 pages, the pages do not intimidate but remain reader friendly, with plenty of practical advice and suggestions throughout. Specific topics include the various forms of library organization, the distinction between the roles of library director and library trustee, collection development, reference, reader assistance, youth services, outreach, marketing, computer technology, human resources (personnel management), financial management, building and equipment maintenance, and evaluation of the library and its services. The ALA Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read statement, and Request for Reconsideration of a Book form are appended, as is a document very useful to library directors and trustees, "Library Walkabout"--a guide to a do-it-yourself evaluation tour of a library's physical plant, with questions to ask at each stop.

Patrick Dewey

Combines theory and practical advice on public library policies, procedures, resources, and human relations, for students and practicing librarians. Covers systems theory, the history of the public library in the US, the planning process, trustees and associations, automation and technology, human resources, and financial management. Appendices include a library bill of rights. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

...a contextual approach to library administration—which is the book's strength.

The Library Quarterly

...will greatly assist directors and administrators...easy to understand language, avoiding technical jargon and unexplained acronyms...extremely beneficial...thought-provoking...Well written, conveniently organized, and unbiased...could easily become a classic reference tool for public library directors and administrators. The information is timely and pertinent to their duties. Intended not only for use by those in charge of public libraries, but as a text for students as well, many schools of library instruction would be advised to use it as a text for management courses.

Lisr

This indexed, 581-page book will be useful to library school students as well as practitioners.

American Libraries

The chapters cover broad subject areas, and the supplemental readings provide an entree into library literature.

Information & Culture

...worthwhile to add to collections on public library management, whether for library schools or for public library managers.

Library Association Record

...cover[s] all aspects of public librarianship in a good handbook and reference for any library director, trustee, or librarian....reader friendly, with plenty of practical advice and suggestions throughout.

Booklist

...the practical advice given by the authors is jargon-free and addresses in a simple, logical and clear fashion the issues which face public libraries...In essence, this work helps us to understand our own past and, in doing so, contributes to a clear realization of our own circumstances in the community that is librarianship.

Library Review

Recommended for graduate schools of library science and larger public library collections.

Public Library Quarterly

This indexed, 581-page book will be useful to library school students as well as practitioners.--American Libraries

...will greatly assist directors and administrators...easy to understand language, avoiding technical jargon and unexplained acronyms...extremely beneficial...thought-provoking...Well written, conveniently organized, and unbiased...could easily become a classic reference tool for public library directors and administrators. The information is timely and pertinent to their duties. Intended not only for use by those in charge of public libraries, but as a text for students as well, many schools of library instruction would be advised to use it as a text for management courses.--Lisr

Library science students and public library administrators alike will profit from this comprehensive introduction....Expect future editions of this eminently readable, yet well-documented text.--Library Journal

From the Publisher

...cover[s] all aspects of public librarianship in a good handbook and reference for any library director, trustee, or librarian....reader friendly, with plenty of practical advice and suggestions throughout.

Booklist