Managing the Electronic Library: : A Practical Guide for Information Professionals

Citation

Burrell, J. (1999), "Managing the Electronic Library: : A Practical Guide for Information Professionals", Asian Libraries, Vol. 8 No. 9, pp. 366-367. https://doi.org/10.1108/al.1999.8.9.366.12

Maybe the very size ‐ nearly 750 pages ‐ should have warned me. At this stage of digital library development, can there really be that much to say? Judging by this tome, unfortunately not ‐ yet the book itself is well laid out and easy to use. Each section contains an overview of one aspect of managing electronic libraries, for example, managing specific electronic services, and nearly every section is supported by at least two case studies to illustrate the practical applications of the overview ‐ a good, logical arrangement. There is also an excellent index.

The production is great, but the content is disappointing. The editors have confined their case studies almost wholly to UK academic libraries. Their presumption is that the principles of managing electronic libraries can be readily transferred to other countries and library sectors. This may be true, but it is not demonstrated here. It is usually interesting and instructive to read a case study, but too many of these are marred by lack of focus. They fail to identify either the conceptual model they have chosen, and why; or their criteria for evaluating the success or failure of their library’s move to electronic resources and services; or how problems could have been avoided and successes built on. Too much space is devoted to UK‐specific background such as the 1993 Follett Review of academic libraries. The editors may have anticipated a global readership of practitioners, but this ambition was evidently not communicated to their authors.

This said, there are some redeeming features. A number of case studies discuss the convergence of IT and library departments, a possible future model for our profession (for example, Chapter 4). There is an excellent article on performance indicators and the need to redefine these; it is impossible simply to transfer traditional measures based on book use (Chapter 14). Indeed, true management of electronic libraries requires a new focus on our service levels, our remit, and our users’ requirements (Chapter 16). The section on budgeting issues is useful (Chapters 11 and 12), as is the section on systems management and technical support (Chapters 27‐29). However, in a book with 38 chapters this really is not enough.

Academic libraries supporting information studies and which have a comprehensive collection development policy and a large budget may wish to acquire this title. Practitioners seeking useful ideas will find it more cost‐ and time‐effective to request individual chapters via document delivery.