This, the eighth and final volume of the series, is concerned with management and planning of health sciences libraries in North America. Separate chapters deal with financial management, human resources management, marketing, planning of the physical library space, technological changes and the application of research into library practice.
The opening and concluding chapters set out the management challenges which are as true for the European situation as they are for North America. The terms may be different but the challenges are the same – an emphasis on preventive care, the informed consumer, and, of course, evidence‐based practice, not just for the health professional, but also the librarian. The volume provides an overview of good management practice, with the emphasis more on the overview, rather than case studies or examples. The chapter on fiscal management, for example, outlines the various budgeting methods, principles of costing, leasing and outsourcing, and fund‐raising methods, but does not give any examples of how calculations would actually be done. Similarly, the chapter on human resource management provides a good overview of the main points to be considered when recruiting, training, developing, supporting and appraising staff, with reference to the legal aspects to be considered in the USA. The chapter on marketing gives more practical advice (as well as a good grounding in marketing theory), and sets out questions and “marketing dilemmas”. This format provides a livelier, and possibly more useful “health check” on management skills. The rationale for the chapter on technological transformation seemed obscure, though that type of historical background information is often useful and very hard to locate. The chapter on planning demonstrates that libraries still have to consider their physical space, and provides details of formulae for calculating space requirements.
Handbooks are by definition useful items for occasional consultation, and this volume fulfils that function well. A future edition might wish to consider a format that provided more case studies or “dilemmas” for added interest, but selection is admittedly very difficult as such items can date very quickly.
