 |
 |
---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 00:25:11 -0400 From: Joseph J. Mika <[log in to unmask]> */Special Libraries: A Survival Guide/* James Matarazzo and Toby Pearlstein (Libraries Unlimited, 2013) ISBN: 978-1-61069-267-0 Ebook: http://www.abc-clio.com/product.aspx?isbn=9781610692670 Review by Ulla de Stricker (www.destricker.com <http://www.destricker.com>) Whenever special librarians gather, a topic sure to be discussed is the alarming rate at which organizational libraries (or information/knowledge centers or whatever they came to be called over the years) have been drastically downsized or outright closed.It is an observed fact that in troubled times, organizational libraries and their staff represent a tempting target for budget cuts "now that everybody in the organization has access to the internet".Professional conferences typically feature sessions on strategies for aligning library services with organizational priorities (way back, we used to call it marketing). What a blessing that we have this new book!In it, famed special library professionals Matarazzo and Pearlstein have provided a goldmine compendium of new and previously published material relevant for special librarians concerned about their professional futures - and material equally relevant for educators charged with developing competencies in students at library schools.The book constitutes a master class in planning for specialized information services as the expert contributors share their decades of accumulated expertise.For special librarianship, the book should be considered the definitive textbook.It is a bonus that the book is user friendly, alternating main text with side bar anecdotes and case reports. Several chapters are written by other luminaries in special librarianship, and case studies provide a practical angle.Each chapter is supported by an extensive reference list so that readers may pursue in depth specific subtopics. The inclusion of coverage of the situation in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand makes for useful comparisons and demonstrates that the phenomenon of special library closings is universal.This reviewer - widely known as an advocate for association membership - is particularly pleased with the chapter on the value of being a member of a professional association. On the foundation of an overview of past research into the fate of special libraries, the book offers readers a selection of reality-based guidelines and lessons learned.A central theme among strategies for helping corporate library services thrive is its incorporation or absorption into the day to day business of the enterprise (as opposed to being a separate service unit), and the case studies support that approach.The point is clear that "the prize" is not so much the survival of the/library/ as it is the continued presence in the organization of skilled/information professionals/ to support decision making.(In fact, perhaps the book title ought to have been /Special Librarians: A Survival Guide/.) Part 1 of the book focuses on the need to measure the right activities and offers a literature review of research and writings related to corporate libraries.Part 2 contains a series of strategy descriptions to go with sober looks at the future of special libraries as we knew them.Part 3 wraps up the book with concise descriptions of successful outcomes from innovative thinking about information services in organizations. Question:Who should read the book?Answer:Every information professional associated with information supply to knowledge workers and decision makers should read the book, and so should anyone contemplating a career path in an organizational setting. Having read the book, we would all be able to conduct a self-assessment with the benefit of solid knowledge: /Given the research and the case studies presented ... / // §/How does my information services unit compare with the described scenarios?/ §/How do my activity measures demonstrate value to the organization?If they do not, how could I change the way I measure activity and outcomes?/ §/Do I have significant anecdotal evidence from employees that my services are essential to their performance?/ §/Do I have the ear of opinion leaders and influencers in my organization?/ §/What opportunities do I see for embedding into an organizational unit if indeed the library is to be closed or severely reduced?/ §/What strategies and tactics that worked for others would or would not work for me, given the corporate culture?/ §/How could I parlay my information professional credentials into knowledge centric roles in departments such as marketing or product development?/ §/How can I best support my organization ... outside the box of the traditional special library?/ I highly recommend that library science educators include the book in their curricula, and I highly recommend that every special librarian dogear and postit the book as a daily companion.We owe Matarazzo and Pearlstein a huge gratitude for having "pulled it all together" for us. -- Joseph J. Mika, Professor Emeritus School of Library and Information Science Wayne State University 106 Kresge Library Detroit, MI 48202 USA email: [log in to unmask] cell: 1 (517) 719-3486 fax: 1 (517) 324-3637 www.slis.wayne.edu