Integration in the Library Organization Book

Volume 29, number 2 (1999) of the Journal of Library Administration is presented here in book form. Written for public and technical service librarians, it considers the extent to which library professionals have managed to integrate both public and technical services into a single service-providing organization. With case studies and predictions for the future, contributors discuss the changes in the profession that have contributed to the integration of the two services. They also offer suggestions for creating a environment of full staff cooperation. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Karyle Butcher

This collection of essays describes the possibilities and potentials of having a closer integration of public services and technical services in academic and public libraries. The essays discuss how various libraries have blurred the lines between technical and public services. Each serves a purpose in providing information on historic practices, describing possible barriers, and telling success stories. This is a timely and useful collection that provides practical advice for other libraries that are intending to lower the walls between technical and public services. The book meets its objective through the variety of essays presented. I see this book being of interest to all audiences in public and technical services. The greatest appeal will be to those library faculty and staff who are working towards a more unified working environment and to those administrators who desire more fluidity between technical and public services. Trends that are causing librarians to talk about the need for blurring lines between technical and public services are described, and historical information outlining why libraries are currently organized as they are is included. The bulk of the book describes particular libraries or library functions that demonstrate what such blurring of lines would look like and where successes have been. Also included in this section are examples of where the problems lie. The essays are well written for the most part and deal with real life situations. I think any library seriously considering looking at workflow between technical and public services would learn from this book. The strength is that it describes a variety of libraries. What I would have liked to see is anessay from a large research library exploring what advances they have made in these workflow issues. Is it possible for an older, entrenched research library to make the changes some of these libraries have made and, if so, what do they look like? There are library organization titles that may have chapters relating to the increasing blurring of roles between technical and public services, but I did not find any titles as specific as this.