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Library management refers to the systematic process of planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling the resources (both human and material) of a library so as to achieve its objectives of providing Information, learning and knowledge services to its users. In other words, it is the adaptation of general management principles to the context of a library or information centre.
In a library environment, management involves oversight of collections (books, periodicals, digital media), services (reference, circulation, inter-library loan), staffing, user interface, technology and infrastructure. The goal is to provide timely, relevant and accessible information services in an efficient and effective manner.
The scope is wide: from selecting and acquiring new materials, to classifying and cataloguing them, managing their circulation, maintaining and preserving them, and finally assessing and improving services.
Key Functions
Library management is carried out through standard managerial functions:
Planning: setting objectives (for example, improving access, launching e-resources), deciding policies, determining budgets, resources and workflows.
Organising: allocating resources (staff, space, technology), structuring departments/sections (acquisition, cataloguing, circulation, reference), defining roles and responsibilities.
Staffing and Leading: recruiting, training and developing personnel; supervising, motivating and leading library staff to deliver services and work collaboratively.
Controlling & Evaluating: monitoring activities (use of collections, circulation statistics, user satisfaction), performing stock verification, assessing workflows and taking corrective actions where needed.
Collection Development and Services
A central part of library management is collection development: selecting, acquiring, classifying and cataloguing resources so that they meet the needs of the user community. As part of this, a library manager must negotiate budgets, acquisitions, licensing for digital resources, maintenance of physical items and discard of obsolete materials.
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