McFarland Divided Libraries: Remodeling Management to Unify Institutions

Review "Thought-provoking and a worthwhile read"--Catholic Library World. Product Description Given the highly trained library workforce now available and the vast and growing array of packaging information and knowledge, libraries have the capacity to become pre-eminent places of learning, research, and teaching. Yet, despite this potential, libraries remain divided from their constituencies and their governing bodies, be they students, faculties, university administrations, municipal governments, or ordinary citizens. Indeed, many modern university administrators, viewing librarians as ancillary citizens in academe, have allowed their libraries to wither under the burden of shrinking budgets, staffing inadequacies, and deteriorating facilities. This thought-provoking volume by a 35-year veteran of academic libraries identifies, diagnoses, and provides remedies to the damaging divisions in and between libraries and librarianship, arguing that the processes of teaching constitute the genuine context in which to steer librarianship into the future. About the Author T.D. Webb is retired from a long career in academic libraries, during which he was a library dean at three universities, an assistant university library director, and associate university vice president for instructional technology services. The author of four other books on the profession, he has contributed many articles to such library publications as Library Journal, American Libraries, College & Research Libraries, IFLA Journal and Public Library Quarterly.