ROIs and Surveys in Special Libraries: One Corporate Experience

Special libraries, especially in corporate environments, face a challenge in measuring their value and communicating it to their customers and management. This can be especially difficult in organizations where libraries or information centers are perceived as cost centers that make minor financial contributions. A return on investment study, when combined with contextual information, can help overcome this perception while providing valuable information on customer needs.     

An Unlikely Collaboration: How Academic and Special Libraries Can Help Each Other Survive

This column uses the occasion of James Matarazzo and Toby Pearlstein receiving the 2016 John Cotton Dana Award from the Special Libraries Association to reflect on their unique partnership, which has lasted decades and resulted in a wealth of research results and tools for corporate librarians. Despite the tools available to them to measure and demonstrate their value, however, special libraries continue to face closures, downsizing, and increasing pressure to do more with less. Today, special libraries are not alone in feeling this pressure, as even the academic libraries that have been so central to campus life find their place questioned. As Matarazzo and Pearlstein formed the unlikely yet lasting partnership of scholar and practitioner, perhaps academic libraries and non-academic special libraries can join forces to effectively leverage their collective experience and knowledge in demonstrating their worth to stakeholders.     

Collaboration and Competition in Special Libraries

Librarianship has a long tradition of collaboration and cooperation between libraries, but the literature yields scant evidence of formal partnerships in practice in special libraries. This column explores the barriers to collaboration for special libraries, from organizational culture to legal constraints, as well as the potential benefits and how librarians can overcome the barriers to reap these benefits. Different types of collaboration, including among similar special libraries and between special libraries and other types of libraries and related organizations, as well as informal and formal cooperation, and short-term and long-term partnerships, are discussed. Collaboration and cooperation were part of the impetus to form professional associations. The column provides a brief history of professional library associations and their role in supporting library partnerships in the United States. The conclusion explores how the increasingly digital nature of information and library work affects collaborative library efforts and where the future of these efforts may lie, especially for special libraries.     

地方音乐院校图书馆的专业藏书特色刍见

本文结合天津音乐学院图书馆的专业藏书建设的实际，就地方音乐院校图书馆专业藏书特色的形成问题提出了个人的一些见解。     

Hidden Leadership in Small Special Libraries

“The Specialist” addresses the administration of special libraries, however, identifying the administrator of a small special library is problematic. In these small libraries within organizations, the librarian often works alone and the library is overseen by a non-librarian manager. In these cases, it is not as easy to identify or define the library's administrator as it would be in a public or academic library, or even a larger special library. This column introduces a model where the administration of small special libraries is a collaboration between librarians and non-librarian managers. In this model, information professionals exercise hidden leadership and management skills without leading a staff or possessing a management title. The column also suggests ways information professionals without explicit management responsibilities in the workplace can develop these skills and apply them in their jobs.     

专业图书馆的服务创新

根据专业图书馆的性质和特点,阐述建设独具特色的专题数据库和建立专业门户网站及专业资源导航库的必要性;介绍网络环境下改善服务内容和方式,开展个性化服务的具体内容;并指出提高信息服务人员素质,使其努力成为知识导航员的重要性。     

Special Libraries and PCC: Adopting Community Standards at Focused Collections

Abstract

A reminiscence on the positive influence of the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) through the perspective of the author’s career as she moved from university libraries into the specialized realm of a research library within a museum. The author describes her service on the PCC Policy Committee, how The Frick Art Reference Library joined PCC, and how New York City art librarians facilitated best practices in partnership with PCC trainers and the ArtNACO Funnel. The mutual benefits of PCC and the unique contributions of special libraries are emphasized. Challenges to this community’s participation in PCC are outlined, with suggestions for going forward.     

Special Academic Libraries and the Millennial Patron

ABSTRACT

Special academic libraries are in the unique position to blend the innovative and user focused services of academic libraries with the niche collections of special libraries when serving their Millennial student population. Millennials are a highly researched generation, but special libraries may have not updated their services to reflect the needs and expectations of this rising generation. Maine Maritime Academy's Nutting Memorial Library serves as a case study of methods in which special academic libraries can incorporate Millennials' expectations of library spaces, services, and collections in sustainable ways.     

Fake News,Special Libraries and What It Means to Be American

This column is written by column editor Ilana Stonebraker and guest columnist Emily Johnson. Ilana Stonebraker is Business Information Specialist and Assistant Professor at Purdue University. Emily Johnson is the Middle School Librarian and Library Coordinator at Daystar Academy in Beijing, China. They both received an MSI from the University of Michigan. This column focuses on the “fake news” phenomenon and how it affects special libraries.     

面向21世纪的专门图书馆事业发展战略构想

ＣＬＡＳＳＮＵＭＢＥＲＧ２５９．２美国未来学家奈比斯特说：人类社会发展中,农业社会总是重视过去,工业社会总是重视现在,未来的信息社会总是重视未来。当今世界已经进入信息社会,其主旋律就是要把握未来的发展。作为图书馆事业三大系统之一的专门图书馆事业,在当...     

网络环境下专业图书馆二次文献的开发与利用

从专业图书馆二次文献的特点出发,分析了网络环境下专业图书馆二次文献工作面临的问题和挑战,阐述了二次文献在网络环境下通过数字化、专题服务、馆际合作和人员建设等方面的努力将得到进一步的开发与利用.     

The Forecast for Special Libraries

ABSTRACT

Special libraries exist in an ecosystem consisting of the information industry, the library world, their own organizations, and workforce demographics. Librarians need to be aware of the trends shaping all of these facets. This column takes a close look at Outsell's Information Industry Outlook report for 2016 and its implications for special libraries. The outlook for special libraries is neither the previously forecast Baby Boomer retirement crisis nor the dire end of special libraries many feared during the recent recession. Instead, the special library world is transforming, creating both challenges and opportunities for special librarians. Millennials entering both the workforce at large and the library workforce will make their presence known. Savvy information professionals will stay on top of these trends and find their niche, whether in a traditional physical library or in emerging careers outside the library.

Column Editor’s NoteSpecial libraries share concerns with their more general academic, public, and school counterparts, but they also have unique characteristics and concerns which merit separate consideration. Libraries of all types are evolving, and just as special libraries can learn from the general literature on libraries, practitioners in all types of libraries can learn from the experiences and best practices of special libraries. “The Specialist,” appearing in even-numbered issues of this journal, addresses the administrative concerns of special libraries. The column's scope is a broad umbrella of specialized librarianship and includes corporate, non-profit, government, and independent libraries as well as the specialized departments and branches of academic and public libraries. Contributions from practitioners and scholars on any aspect of special libraries are welcome. Interested authors are invited to contact the editor at tmurray@stamps.org for submission guidelines.     

我国民族高校图书馆数字化特色资源建设探析

通过专家面访、电话咨询和网上信息检索等调研方法，对6所重点民族高校图书馆馆藏资源现状进行调查和分析，分析其数字化特色资源建设相对滞后的原因，旨在从策划选题、设计开发、采集建库和维护应用等方面，找寻民族高校图书馆最大限度实现民族文献数字化资源共建共享的对策。     

论特区公共图书馆与人才培养

根据特区经济发展与人才缺乏的,论述了图书馆与人才成长的意义,在培养人才中的作用,如何为人才成长做好服务工作。文章强调读者的需要是图书馆存在的价值。特区公共图书馆为科研服务与人才培养同等重要。特别提出馆不在大,特区政府应该为读者创造更多更好的读书环境少读书场所。     

Applying Research in Special Library Settings

ABSTRACT

Special librarians encourage their users to base decisions on vetted research results and quality information, yet when faced with a problem in their own work, they are more likely to turn to their network of colleagues than to published research. While learning from the experience of colleagues is valuable, greater application of research and evidence-based practice in the special library sector could benefit these libraries in making good, strategic decisions. A few studies have examined whether practitioners use library and information science research and what barriers keep them from doing so. Engaging practitioners and scholars in productive collaboration and communication can help practitioners find and apply lessons learned from research in their work and encourage more participation in research by special librarians. In turn, increased diversity in research settings can benefit all libraries as they evolve and learn from each other's experiences.     

科学专业图书馆在建设创新型社会中的地位和作用

根据我国建设创新型社会任务的提出,分析了科学专业图书馆在建设创新型社会中的地位和作用,并提出了建设创新型科学专业图书馆的若干意见和建议。     

Collection Development and Censorship in Torah Studies Libraries in Israel

A Torah studies library is a type of Jewish library specializing in biblical and rabbinical literature. One of its characteristics is its process of collection development and censorship. This study primarily aims to discuss the collection development policies in Torah libraries, particularly censorship implemented as part of a policy, with an emphasis on how prohibited books are rejected. A qualitative-narrative research technique was used, allowing the viewpoints of the “selectors” to be examined. To present a broad picture, various types of Torah studies libraries were chosen for the study.     

Trends in Support for Students with Special Educational Needs in UK University Libraries: Focusing on Support Personnel and Systems

The provision of service to students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) at university libraries in the UK differs based on the types of positions that are being used to staff these programs. This study finds that although nondedicated staff tended to provide services that required fewer specialized skills, they seemed to place a higher priority on meeting the immediate needs of students with SEN, while dedicated staff members tended to focus on the quality of the support being provided. Second, this study finds that it is difficult for university libraries to provide the tailored training or alternative formats required by students with SEN without support personnel on staff who have specialized expertise. It remains to be determined which type of special needs staffing and support system is most effective, since no significant differences were observed in the responses of those surveyed.     

经济特区村级图书馆的可持续发展

以深圳经济特区村级图书馆（室）的发展为例，着眼村级图书馆的服务职能，从规划，人员，经费，以及业务辅导等方面分析村级图书馆的可持续发展。     

我国公共图书馆法人治理结构的试点实践研究

公共图书馆法人治理结构作为当前和今后一段时期我国公共文化服务领域的重点工作,在中央层面将试点工作向纵深推进的过程中,形成了参考经验,奠定了政策基础,发挥了试点溢出效应,带动了全国各级各类公共图书馆的试点探索。本文通过对7个国家级公共图书馆法人治理结构试点单位的调研,发现我国公共图书馆法人治理结构在试点过程中仍面临区域发展不平衡、突破创新有限、社会参与力度不够、理事会决策支撑力度不够等问题。建议要明确各利益相关方边界,制定一系列相配套衔接的规章制度,制定各地“图书馆事业发展基金会”制度及畅通的收支渠道,改革创新人事制度并因时因地不断改革完善等,逐步建立起以公益目标为导向、决策专业科学、激励监管制度健全的现代治理结构,全面提升我国公共图书馆的治理水平和服务效能。表6。参考文献11。