Presents an overview of the massive changes that are, or will be, taking place in main libraries. Particularly discusses networked technology and its enormous shift in customer expectations and behavior, and forecasts it will bring massive changes to central libraries.

While there is always the potential for dissatisfaction in any buyer‐seller relationship, some libraries have been more successful than others in negotiating with vendors. Even though there is no one strategy that will work for all situations, five approaches seem to have proven themselves. By...

Unlike the banking services many of us remember as children, the banking services offered to corporate accounts today can be of use to libraries as they streamline operations, negotiate for cost savings, and budget for both day‐to‐day operations and service to patrons. The modern bank has...

This list of 41 “Stupid Things that Libraries Do” was largely culled from public library practitioners’ postings on the PUBLIB electronic discussion list. Libraries must take action to ensure that their operations, and particularly their public services, are unhampered by these common bad...

Purpose – To illustrate that potential donors often can have difficulty in determining how to give to libraries and offer solutions that libraries can employ to eliminate those barriers. Design/methodology/approach – Uses real‐life examples to illustrate various ways donors can give to...

Purpose – Strives to illuminate the types of relationships many libraries have with friends' organizations and to illustrate what makes a good relationship between the two organizations. While many libraries have had successful experiences with such groups, not all relationships have a happy...

Purpose – To show that many of the old ways in which people think about libraries are not based on fact, but rather on fiction. Many ideas that library managers hold to be truths are, in fact, baseless assumptions about library operations. Design/methodology/approach – Uses six examples of...

Purpose – To guide library directors and their boards when financial issues arise – especially in finding a good balance on the level of involvement that the library board should have. Design/methodology/approach – Uses a list of nine key responsibilities that can guide library board...