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Several recent library innovations seem to make professional and clerical staff superfluous such as automated loan and delivery equipment, staff-less libraries open in 80 hours a week, and virtual services, enabling users to search the library catalogue and make reservations of library materials from their home address. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether such developments will necessarily lead to a situation where public libraries become self-service institutions or to what extent self-service and innovative staff-intensive library services can develop and co-exist. Furthermore, the paper will examine what challenges library leaders face and what they can do, and actually have done, to handle staff resistance and other related problems to the benefit of both the users, the local communities, and also, the staff, in particular, when introducing new and innovative services.

The paper is based on the author's evaluations of two recent Danish library development projects. Both evaluations are based on empirical data and apply quantitative (questionnaires) as well as qualitative (interviews, observations) methods.

The findings reveal that staff attitudes toward staff-less libraries, and – more surprising – also toward more staff-intensive practices have been somewhat reluctant and skeptical. The paper also presents leadership initiatives which have proved to handle such resistances constructively.

The paper contains a first-hand report on the results of a recent (2011-2012) unique, full-scale, Danish public library development project, investigating the experiences with pro-active and guest-customer relationships within a public library setting.

The aim of this article is to identify the main approaches and discuss their perspectives, including their strengths and weaknesses in, especially, public library contexts. The purpose is also to present and discuss the results of a recent – 2014 – Danish library user segmentation project using computer-generated clusters. Compared to traditional marketing texts, this article also tries to identify users segments or images created by the library profession itself. Segmentation of users can help libraries in the process of understanding user similarities and differences. Segmentation can also form the basis for selecting segments as target users and for developing tailored services for specific target segments. Thus, several approaches and techniques have been tested in library contexts.

Basically, the article is built upon a literature review concerning different approaches to user segmentation in, especially, public library context from approximately 1980 till now (May 2014).

The article reveals that – at least – five different principal approaches to user segmentation have been applied by the library sector during the past 30-35 years. Characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of the different approaches are identified, discussed and evaluated.

When making decisions on future library user surveys, it is certainly an advantage, concerning the ability to make qualified decision, to know what opportunities that are at hand for identifying important segments.

Some of the approaches have been treated individually in the library literature; however, it is probably the first time that the professions own user images and metaphors are dealt with in a user segmentation context.

The new technology of RF‐ID, intelligent tagging, has become widespread in some industries such as distribution and baggage handling, and is set to dominate retail security in the near future. Library security and automation are tailor‐made applications for it which are ready to roll. What is it and what does it mean for Librarians?

The annual operating costs for traditional libraries can be shown to be greater than the cost to distributing a portable computer and related sources of electronic information to each library user in the academic environment. For public libraries, opportunity to reach the disadvantaged are inherent in this and other developments in the delivery of information. A time frame for the emergence of an information appliance—the tablet computer—capable of supporting the required information traffic, is presented and a model is developed to predict the migration of content from paper to electroform for each subject discipline. As one viable approach to library planning for the coming “new” information environment, the author suggests converting the “central library” into an “electronic information distribution center” that can support users regardless of physical location, while also incorporating automated storage and retrieval facilities to minimize warehousing costs for residual hard copy materials. The economical provision of information SERVICE is the objective; not greater staffs, collections of little used materials, and buildings.

This paper aims to describe marketing methods, techniques and activities used in Greek academic libraries and their staff perceptions regarding the importance of marketing applications. In addition, it identifies factors which hinder the uptake of marketing, and investigates the evaluation methods used.

There are 151 central and departmental academic libraries in Greece, yet there is limited published research concerning their marketing activities. Therefore, it was intended to discover the reasons behind the low/non-use of marketing in Greek academic libraries. A three-section questionnaire was designed as the main research tool and distributed to 151 libraries. Survey results are presented and analysed according to the structure of the questionnaire.

Whilst marketing techniques and methods are used in academic libraries worldwide, the spread of marketing in Greek academic libraries proved to be limited. Basic operational problems were identified as the main barrier to greater uptake. Nevertheless, the majority of Greek academic librarians realize the importance of marketing, but they still have a long way to go in terms of understanding and adopting marketing concepts in their provision of services.

A quantitative survey was employed to determine the current situation, and examine the attitudes and perceptions of librarians in Greek academic libraries. However, the rapidly changing information environment and the increased international interest in academic library marketing have necessitated further research.

The paper presents research on staff perceptions and attitudes, towards marketing activities in Greek academic libraries. However, there is limited published research on the topic. Additionally, it is the first attempt to discover the extent to which marketing is used in Greek libraries' services' provision. The research depicts marketing techniques and methods used in Greek academic libraries and compares its results with international practices.

In September 2015 protests erupted at the University of Missouri following a series of racist incidents on campus and culminating in the resignation of the university president in November 2015. In solidarity with the protests student activists at universities across the United States and Canada organized into the Black Liberation Collective and held the first #StudentBlackoutOut day of protests on university campuses on November 15 followed by the publication of lists of demands to over 80 colleges in 28 states, the District of Columbia and Canada in the hopes of creating more-equitable and inclusive institutions. These demands shared similarity in requests for equity as those put forth during the Black Campus Movement of the late 1960s which led to the establishment of Black studies and cultural centers at colleges and universities. Academic libraries in particular were included with several demands to better serve the Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) community.

While librarianship has largely been a historically White profession, libraries have undertaken many diversity and inclusion initiatives over the years. This article will examine seven case studies concerning college and university libraries addressing demands collated by the Black Liberation Collective in 2015. Six years out from the publication of the lists, we will evaluate statements issued by the libraries and posted on their websites, the promises that have been made to address inequities and the ensuing actions the libraries have taken to create a welcoming, inclusive community.

The authors examine seven institutions where demands from student activists speak directly to the library. We examine the library's response to make changes and subsequent actions.

The authors take a journalist approach to their research and examination of library responses.

This study aims to investigate the information literacy (IL) performance and higher order thinking skills of students with different levels of growth mindset and their perceptions of library-supported learning by using the annotate, summarize, question and evaluate (ASQE)-based learning approach.

In this study, the ASQE-based learning approach was applied to the learning activities to cultivate students’ IL, problem-solving awareness and critical thinking tendency. A total of 60 postgraduate students were invited to participate in this study. In addition, students’ perceptions of library-supported learning were analysed via drawing analysis.

Introducing ASQE-based learning into an IL learning activity promoted reflection and thought and had positive effects on students’ problem-solving awareness and on the critical thinking tendency of students with different levels of growth mindset. Additionally, the drawing analysis indicated that most of the students with low levels of growth mindset believed that learners should actively study in the library and students with higher levels of growth mindset preferred more motivating and enjoyable learning environments.

The findings of this study demonstrate that the ASQE-based learning approach can improve higher order thinking skills of students with different levels of growth mindset. In addition, this study examined the perceptions of students with different levels of growth mindset of library-supported learning via drawing analysis.