Jeannette A. Woodward

How do you respond to bad news? Do you mope for days on end? Realize the truth in criticism and resolve to do better? Or, just try to ignore the downward spiral and hope it goes away. I found this book really depressing. It’s central message is that libraries of all types are in decline and the author tries to provide some recommendations for turning gloom and doom into hope. She succeeds at the former and falls short on the latter. Yes, we all know that libraries have been and are show more struggling to cope with the major changes in both information, technology, and the lack of financial resources that plague many institutions in which libraries have thrived in the past. Many voices are calling for libraries and librarians to rethink their mission and the types of services they provide. As a reviewer, I have encouraged the re-thinking of the school library in favor of the learning commons approach. I would rather that while we all tend to recognize the traditional focuses are not working, there is so much opportunity now that it is best we concentrate on that rather than shut down, cry, and go out and eat mud. Thus, pass this one by. Too much mope; not enough hope. show less

I give Jeannette Woodward five stars for the main message: academic libraries tend to operate as administrative bodies, service-oriented management is not their focus - with grave consequences. In a digital era, on-site-services need to be thoroughly reconsidered: awareness of changing needs, social change, service perception or staffing are key factors in developing an academic library into the 21st century .
Examples are U.S. oriented and argumentation gets a bit lengthy, but there is much show more value to be taken from this book. An eye-opener. show less

Uneven and disappointing. While some chapters are decent (notably the RFID chapter, which covers issues that are more political than technical), the technical information is lacking and, in some cases, downright incorrect. At one point the author suggests that a slightly older computer in the library will slow down Internet access for newer computers on the network. There is a typo on the first half-page of text, in which the citation for a paper about the Patriot Act is dated from 2000, one show more year before the Patriot Act was tabled. show less

Woodward concentrates on making the library a pleasant place with lots of professional assistance to visiting patrons. Little connections here to curriculum, instruction, collaboration or activism in teaching and learning. Not our cup of tea in an era when both school and academic librarians must reinvent themselves.