Interest in consolidating service points within health sciences libraries continues. This article proposes a definition of a library single service point and mentions some notable examples in academic health sciences libraries. The experiences of two of these libraries are summarized and compared, and the advice culled from those experiences is shared. The advice is in the form of sharing lessons learned, answering six frequently asked questions about combining services and staff under a single service umbrella. The article offers insights for other library staff considering this type of service reorganization.
Purpose -Five web sites, five libraries, numerous departmental pages and thousands of pages of content explained, in part, why users found library resources difficult to navigate. Web redesign became a strategic initiative in 2001 and state funding enabled the purchase of a content management system (CMS). The purpose of this paper is to describe the systematic implementation of a CMS at Texas A&M Libraries Design/methodology/approach -The web implementation team (WIT) was formed to include a diverse group of people from all areas of the library and charged with responsibility for the overall management of the University Libraries' web site. Practical implications -Using a CMS to create the library's web presence is an important and expensive undertaking that requires coordinated management oversight. It also presents opportunities to reconsider the library's organizational structure and culture. Originality/value -This paper describes a management strategy that involves all areas of the organization, encourages teamwork, promotes innovation, and stays focused on organizational priorities. It discusses expected and unexpected consequences of implementing a CMS, and makes recommendations about CMS management in general.
Planning for succession; building the capacity and confidence to exert influence within the context of higher education; promoting a culture of diversity within our libraries and home institutions; creating the essential sense of urgency in order to implement change; understanding how to motivate and inspire our staffs; and learning to create, promote, and implement a strategic vision are some of the driving forces behind the development of the leadership programs described and evaluated in this issue.This collection of articles captures the wide variety of outstanding opportunities available to aspiring leaders in our profession. From a program targeted at those who are poised to take the next step as a CEO of a very large research library, to programs geared towards midcareer librarians in underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, to those developed for librarians within very specialized disciplines, they all demonstrate a strong commitment from our current leaders and professional organizations to support these efforts as well as to sustain, evolve, and improve them over time. As we make our way through challenging and transformational times, requiring skilled and confident leaders, the importance of the success of these efforts as documented throughout these articles must be highlighted to assure these programs are valued and continue into the future. The authors present compelling success stories and cases for their continuation.Duane Webster and DeEtta Jones Young describe the "collective wisdom" that came together to take a new approach to prepare the next generation of library directors, the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Research Library Leadership Fellows (RLLF) program. They outline the challenges in preparing and encouraging potential senior leaders to consider these roles, as well as the distinctive aspects of very large research libraries, the provost's expectations for library senior leaders, and the skills needed to be successful. Participants nominated and selected for this rigorous, two-year, campusbased program were expected to already have a solid foundation of management skills so they could focus on the roles and responsibilities of the 777 778 M. Bedard library CEO. As a participant in the first cohort, I have no doubt that I owe my own advancement to the role of an ARL dean to the well-constructed, deeply enriching and challenging program you will read about in this article."RLLF in the Rear View Mirror," written by Lisa German, Victoria Owen, Jill Parchuck, and Beth Sandore, four participants in the first cohort, report on their surveys of the 2004-6 and 2007-8 cohorts, and the sponsoring directors, to ascertain the impact and value of the ARL program. The results are a clear indication that the goals of the program were met; in particular that 65% of all respondents advanced into new leadership positions since completing the program and cite the program as a key factor for seeking the new roles.
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