Waiter, more swordfish": expanding what we have, while assessing what we accomplish

The Bottom Line

ISSN: 0888-045X

Article publication date: 1 March 2003

392

Citation

Walther, J.H. (2003), "Waiter, more swordfish": expanding what we have, while assessing what we accomplish", The Bottom Line, Vol. 16 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/bl.2003.17016aaa.001

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited


"Waiter, more swordfish": expanding what we have, while assessing what we accomplish

"Waiter, more swordfish": expanding what we have, while assessing what we accomplish

Sometimes, and even in the most prosperous times, it is sometimes beneficial to re-evaluate the way we do business. Libraries are not immune to maintaining the economic status quo. The old adage of "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" causes many different and good ideas to be cast aside or overlooked. In this issue, we present research and practical applications in libraries that prove sometimes more is more and that we can accomplish more than ever expected with some keen strategy.

Included within are new spins on recurring themes in the journal, especially in examining our applications in funding and marketing our services. Not only are the ideas presented in this issue thought provoking, they also provide an illustrative, international perspective. To many librarians, the need and benefits of library service are so obvious that we forget to share with our non-library colleagues the importance of our work. The article by Anthony Adeloye points out how dangerous this practice can be. While many large libraries have marketing departments, the job of marketing the library in smaller institutions falls upon the director or head librarian. Properly marketing the library will not only expose its services to a larger population, it can sometimes ensure the library's future.

Also discussed in this issue is an economic source of varying importance to different libraries: overdue fines. Overdue fines are engrained in both librarians and the customer's idea of library use. Some libraries depend on the revenue from fines as an income source, while others question the need for charging users any fee for overdue material. Discussion listservs often chat of one public library wanting to drop their overdue fines to create a sense of goodwill within the community, while in other libraries, services depend on overdue fines for income and direct this extra money specifically to purchase new materials, fund programming, etc. But, has the question of how library patrons view overdue fines been properly addressed? Esharenana Adomi from Delta State University Library in Nigeria decided to tackle this issue from the customer's point of view. The article "Attitudes of university library users towards overdue fines in Nigeria", presents some surprising results while raising many questions for continued research in this complicated area.

And, to continue on with our more is more theme of this issue, I would like to welcome Ms Lindsey Miller of Rio Grande Valley Library System, Albuquerque, New Mexico and Ms Patricia Wood, from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education, Washington, DC to our Editorial Advisory Board. Their histories and experience in corporate, public and academic libraries will serve our readers richly.

Finally, I introduce and announce the addition of a new role of assistant editor, that Editorial Advisory Board members, Mr Kent Boese and Mr John Furlong, have both accepted for the upcoming volume. Both will join me in working through my fifth and final volume as Editor of the journal. John and Kent have been invaluable colleagues on the board, and I think having the additional fruits of their labor here could only enhance the journal.

Best regards.

James H. Walther

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