Abstract

Is the traditional library business model a victim of disruptive digital technologies?
Library Management in Disruptive Times identifies the key skills and attitudes needed by the library leaders of today and tomorrow and delivers a balanced view of the future of the profession.
Contributed to by expert professional library leaders and educators from across the globe, this edited collection offers thought-provoking perspectives on the challenge of the current operating environment across a range of library sectors, library professional associations and geographic regions. Each author brings their own particular area of expertise and perspective on to consider the effects of disruptive change in libraries globally.
Key topics covered include:

• Leading change
• Management fads and their impact on libraries
• User engagement
• The value of collaboration and consortia
• Library management and the global economic crisis Agile management techniques
• The role of professional associations in redefining the profession
• Developing management skills on the job
• Planning for the future.  

This dynamic collection helps readers to envision the purpose and value of future libraries and to see change as a rare opportunity to create truly new roles for librarians.
Readership: This will be essential reading for library managers, directors and aspiring leaders throughout the world.
Library Management in Disruptive Times succeeds in placing ‘disruptive innovation’ into a library management context and offers ideas and insights that can help library managers to plan for a disruptive future. O’Connor’s edited work coherently demonstrates that libraries are operating in disruptive times and offers a plethora of ideas about how libraries should be managed in order to thrive. The book offers insightful analysis from thought leaders in a number of key areas, which should help any library managers, or aspiring library managers, who read this book.
Alexandria
Library Management in Disruptive Times is a good overview for library directors who seek advice on managing the sweeping tides of change.

Sarah Tusa
Coordinator of Collection Development & Acquisitions, Lamar University Beaumont
Serials Review
Steve O’Connor is the Editor of the journal Library Management, Adjunct Professor at Charles Sturt University and the Director of Information Exponentials. He is the author of over 60 articles and a frequent presenter at international library and information management conferences and has conducted workshops on library futures and scenario planning across Australia and China, and in Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
In compiling this international collection (the nine contributors are from Australia, Singapore, Greece, Sweden, the United States and Britain, and a number have extensive international experience) editor Steve O’Connor requested authors to ‘write about the impact of “disruptive change” on libraries, library management and library managers as they saw it’ (xiii). The challenge has elicited a remarkably broad range of responses in essays that both stand-alone but also cohere sufficiently to produce a collection that will have benefit for anyone experiencing rapid workplace change—both managers and the managed...there is some genuine insight and value in each of the chapters and the book can be recommended to a wide readership. While managers will get value by being challenged to think about the change activities within their own organisations, it will also give their staff the chance to (re)consider the issues that confront managers as they undertake change, and the extent to which the interests of all parties might be served by embracing disruption.
Paul Genoni
Australian Academic and Research Libraries
Is the traditional library business model a victim of disruptive digital technologies? Library Management in Disruptive Times identifies the key skills and attitudes needed by the library leaders of today and tomorrow and delivers a balanced view of the future of the profession. Contributed to by expert professional library leaders and educators from across the globe, this edited collection offers thought-provoking perspectives on the challenge of the current operating environment across a range of library sectors, library professional associations and geographic regions. Each author brings their own particular area of expertise and perspective on to consider the effects of disruptive change in libraries globally. Key topics covered include: - Leading change - Management fads and their impact on libraries - User engagement - The value of collaboration and consortia - Library management and the global economic crisis Agile management techniques - The role of professional associations in redefining the profession - Developing management skills on the job - Planning for the future. This dynamic collection helps readers to envision the purpose and value of future libraries and to see change as a rare opportunity to create truly new roles for librarians. Readership: This will be essential reading for library managers, directors and aspiring leaders throughout the world.