Advice for avoiding layoffs and closures in special libraries.

• Author: Khamouna, Mo
• Position: Special Libraries: A Survival Guide - Book review

Special Libraries: A Survival Guide

Author:: James M. Matarazzo and Toby Pearlstein with Sylvia James

Publisher: ALA Neal-Schuman

Publication Date: 2013

Length: 167 pages

Price: $55

ISBN: 978-1-61069-267-0

Source: www.abc-clio.com

Before delving into this book, readers will benefit from some brief definitions of special libraries. According to the International Encyclopedia of Information and Library Science, special libraries are "Information resource centers located at corporations, private businesses, government agencies, museums, colleges, hospitals, associations, and other organizations with specialized information needs."

The Encyclopedia of Library History says "Having roots in the ancient and medieval periods, these libraries tend to be wholly centered on the total information needs of their users." It describes special library users as those "who are most often engaged in highly specialized projects that require unique sources and services."

This volume is authored by two well-qualified scholars and veteran librarians, James Matarazzo, Ph.D., who is dean and professor emeritus at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Simmons College, and Toby Pearlstein, Ph.D., who is a retired director of global information services for Bain & Company Inc., a strategic management consulting firm.

Assault on Libraries

Matarazzo and Pearlstein write about how since the financial debacle of 2008, libraries often are the first target for deep budget cuts. Although financial difficulty is experienced by all types of libraries, this book presents case studies of corporate libraries facing reductions in personnel and even closure.

These financial issues are compounded by the assault from the digital world. The printed page as the norm has given way to many other formats, such as electronic books, CDs, and DVDs, further threatening libraries.

Users have also changed in that they usually perform their own information searches, without regard to the value of information they find. In this knowledge economy, they also want immediate access to information, seeking digital downloads, which are easy to find and inexpensive but may be of questionable validity.

Advice for Special Librarians

The authors stress that in times of financial difficulty, special libraries have to prove their value to their organizations, and they provide examples of the ways special librarians have found ways to avoid becoming victims of layoffs.

They advise special...