Flextime, telecommuting, compressed work week, job sharing, downshifting, and hot desking--these terms are infiltrating our vocabulary at an increasing rate, keeping pace with change in the workplace. Although there is a large body of literature on the changing nature of work and workplace flexibility, there is no handbook that synthesizes the research on all aspects of this topic. Pulling together the vast literature on this subject, Avery and Zabel explain the concept of flexible work, trace the origin and growth of this workplace trend, and review the research on a range of flexible...

Contributors provide insights about business librarianship in various types of institutions, explore traditional and non-traditional career paths in business librarianship, and discuss numerous strategies for professional growth (from earning an MBA degree to working abroad). Among the topics covered are the following: recruitment of business librarians (including recent data on the supply and demand of business librarians); the special concerns of early career and mid-career business librarians; the importance of mentoring; leadership development; and business librarians on the job in...

The roles of reference and public librarians are constantly changing. Today, it's not unusual for librarians to also serve as trend trackers, data analysts, project managers, IT troubleshooters, marketers, and staffing specialists. Academic and public libraries across the country are experimenting with new service models to accommodate new technology, budget constraints, and a clientele with new needs and expectations. Not surprisingly, librarians are assuming revised roles as a result.

"Reference Reborn: Breathing New Life into Public Services Librarianship" is a collection of over two...

Controversial social problems currently facing Americans are addressed in these 12 astute bibliographic essays that synthesize the literature on the issues and outline strategies for locating additional information. A few of the issues covered are media and popular culture; public policy and government; law and the administration of the justice system; poverty, welfare, and unemployment; child care and elder care; hunger and nutrition; homelessness; and children and the changing American family. The essays provide thoughtful examinations of the issues, discuss possible resolutions, and...

Rethinking Collection Development and Management adds a new and important perspective to the literature on collection development and management for 21st-century library professionals. The work reveals how dramatically collection development is changing, and has already changed; supplies practical suggestions on how librarians might respond to these advancements; and reflects on what librarians can expect in the future. This volume is a perfect complement for textbooks that take a more traditional approach, offering a broad, forward-thinking perspective that will benefit students in...

Academic libraries and librarianship have dramatically evolved in recent years--in everything from their collections and facilities to their relationships with faculty and internal and external partners. These changes demand different mindsets and new skills on the part of librarians. This book explains how the quality of leadership is the key component of successfully implementing innovative service and practices--and as a result, of the success of the library itself. To that end, it offers practical guidelines for implementing leadership principles and achieving success in this evolving...