Definition of a liaison programmeA liaison programme is designed to provide a communication link between the library and the academic community and enhance the image of the library. "Assigning librarians to work with specific departments in a systematic and structured way creates a channel of communication that allows the faculty's needs to be understood by the library and the library to be interpreted to the faculty" [1]. It can be a cornerstone of the promotion and marketing effort of the library and can facilitate the development of a strong library collection that will support the curriculum and the research needs of the various disciplines in the institution. Once a liaison programme has been established, periodic evaluation is necessary. The following is an assessment of an on-going liaison programme. Case studyThe Kent State University Libraries and Media Services (KSU L/MS) Liaison Program was started in 1985 and is composed of librarians (library liaisons) and selected faculty representatives (library representatives) who work together to advance the goals of the programme. These goals are to facilitate collection development and improve services and communication between the library and the academic units within the university. The library liaisons are the communication link, through the library representatives, between the library administration and the academic unit (see Figure 1). Library liaisonA library liaison is a librarian assigned to a specific academic department as the primary contact person for faculty in issues related to library collections and services in that subject area. The librarian is generally assigned to a specific academic department or departments based on subject expertise, interests or job responsibilities. Once a good liaison link is initiated, the library liaison continues to serve as liaison to the same department over several years to provide continuity and to build better understanding and communication. Library representativeA library representative is a faculty member who serves as the primary contact person from the academic department to the KSU L/MS in library-related issues. The library liaison and the library representative serve as a complementary team promoting better understanding and communication between the KSU L/MS and the academic units of the university. Each academic

No abstract

Some feel a good business plan can greatly increase any start-up or early-stage small business's chances for success. But good business plans are not always easy to develop. Often, the preparation of a business plan is one of the most difficult tasks to tackle and complete.In a 1985 survey Ackelsberg and Arlow [IJ reported that the majority of responding small-business firms do plan. The researchers demonstrated that organizations which engaged in planning had greater increases in sales and profits over a three-year period than non-planning organizations.If a business plan is lacking, it is quite possible that the marketing, production, finance, and other functions of the business will each operate under individual guidelines that might be directed toward different and conflicting goals. A sound business plan can go a long way toward avoiding such a situation. In this article various aspects of the business planning process will be explored, and the importance of the business plan for small businesses will be discussed. The results of a study conducted among faculty teaching small-business courses provide particular insights on this topic.What Is a Business Plan?Two definitions of a business plan suggest its breadth and content. Bryan andWelton ([21, p. 44) define a business plan as "a detailed written description of a company's past, current, and projected operations." According to Welsh and White ([11]' p. 300), "{t)he plan for a new business is the description, in precise and concise language, of the activities that will take place and the net result of the "..xchanges of value in the transactions that will occur during the early months and years in the life of a new enterprise."

No abstract

No abstract