An article on how to manage special libraries. Includes: - Aspects in special library management - Problems, challenges and opportunities involved in managing a special library Course: LIBSCI 36 - Special/Public Librarianship Teacher: Elizabeth Banlat

1. By:
Francheska Vonne S. Gali
BLIS-III
Management
Basics
Aspects of
Managing a
Special
Library
A classic management paper
by Gulick and Urwick (1937)
outlines the standard concepts
of a library manager's
functional activities. They
coined the acronym POSDCRB,
which stands for the following
functions: Planning,
Organizing, Staffing,
Directing, Coordinating,
Reporting, and Budgeting.
POSDCRB functions underlie,
in one form or another, all
management behavior;
however, they do not describe
the work of a manager.
Instead, they merely identify
the objectives of a manager's
work.
How unique is special library
management? The unique
aspects of managing a
special library arise from its
relationship with its parent
organization.
Therefore, the central task of
the special library manager
and staff is to align the
library with the parent
organization's mission,
vision, and strategy.
Consequently, it is essential
to identify the necessary
aspects in the management
of special libraries to enable
organizations to achieve their
goals/objectives.
Budgeting/Funding
Staffing
Special Librarian
Special Library Services
Special Library Collection
Physical
Facilities/Equipment
Location/Accommodation
Organization of Materials
30 March, 2022
Unique
Aspects
Page 1

2. By:
Francheska Vonne S. Gali
BLIS-III
Budgeting/
Funding
Staffing
For the special library to
perform effectively in an
organization and help the
parent institution fulfill its
objectives, the librarian must
engage in budgeting or
funding.
In addition, sufficient funds
and time should be set aside
to enable staff members to
attend conferences or
meetings and visit other
libraries to know their
facilities.
The fund plays a significant
role in the organization and
management of special
libraries, which have to
acquire and build up a
subject-specific collection on a
continuous foundation during
the year and even longer.
Funding of special libraries
varies according to the size
and nature of their parent
organizations. A special
library fund comprises the
funds appropriated to a
library and its expenditure.
This is important due to the
rising costs of books and
journal subscriptions.
In addition, special librarians
may need to employ non-
librarians with the subject
and linguistic competence,
such as bibliographers,
information retrieval
specialists, subject specialists,
documentalists, and
translators.
The management should
consider the above-
mentioned factors before
employing staff in the special
library.
30 March, 2022
There should be written
position classification
specifying the
responsibilities, experience,
academic and professional
classifications, grade levels,
or salaries of the occupants
of particular positions in the
special library.
There should also be a well-
delineated job description
indicating the duties or
responsibilities of the staff
and to whom they are
directly responsible.
Page 2

3. By:
Francheska Vonne S. Gali
BLIS-III
Special
Librarian
Special
Library
Collection
Special librarians add value to
their services by providing
efficient information services
to a defined community of
users. They have expanded
and changed their roles for
better service delivery. Special
librarians are all-rounders
(different types of skills and
abilities).
A special librarian is a person
who works professionally in a
library and is trained in
librarianship. They are in
charge of collecting,
organizing, maintaining, and
disseminating information
that will directly serve a
particular enterprise's
immediate and future needs
through customized
information services.
Special librarians should
make sure that they know
their clients very well to offer
them library resources and
services pertinent to their
areas of endeavor. They plan,
acquire, organize, maintain,
utilize and disseminate
information materials
relevant to the organization's
activities.
The library furniture and
equipment, fittings, and
accessories should be of
standard pattern and design
so that their users can feel
comfortable using them.
Special libraries should be
well equipped, and special
consideration should be given
to structural and space
requirements.
30 March, 2022
Special libraries are sources
of information found within
corporate entities.
government agencies.
archives, professional
organizations, and non-profit
organizations. The collection
can be classified into three
aspects; rarity, format, and
comprehensiveness.
Physical
Facilities/
Equipment
Page 3

4. By:
Francheska Vonne S. Gali
BLIS-III
Organization
of Materials
Some of the furniture and
equipment expected in a
standard special library are
reading tables, chairs for the
clientele, bulletin boards,
periodicals display rack, and
computers.
When a library is centrally
and attractively located, it
can yet have another reason
for deserving a high standard
of equipment and furnishing;
this would help attract users
and thus directly increase the
cost-effectiveness of the
library. Constant Change and
Competition from Other
Information Service
Centers
Lack of Highly Trained
Professionals
Financial Challenges
Infrastructure
Lack of Library
Committee
Improper Salary Sale
30 March, 2022
The organization is one of the
top functions or activities of
the management.
Proper organization through
cataloging and classification
is needed to facilitate quick
access to these special
collections. There is no
specified scheme for special
libraries since each special
library is different from the
other. For example, medical
libraries use the Bernard
Classification Scheme.
Problems and
Challenges in
Managing a
Special
Library
Location/
Accommodation
What should be given prime
consideration in the location
of a special library is nearness
to significant users, but on the
other hand, it should not be
too much out of the way for
additional staff. There must
be sufficient room for staff,
stock, and users to be
accommodated in reasonable
comfort.
Page 4

5. By:
Francheska Vonne S. Gali
BLIS-III
Constant Change
and Competition
from Other
Information
Service Centers
The introduction of computers
and new technology is a
challenge to special libraries.
Special library without
information technology tools
is irrelevant in the
information world.
The absence of a library
advisory committee in the
special library has brought
about a low productivity rate
in the services expected of a
special library.
30 March, 2022
The library and information
science profession lack
professionals, as young
people are not interested in
the course. They think that
librarians work only in the
library and cannot function
anywhere else.
Lack of Highly
Trained
Professionals
Financial
Challenges
Special libraries have
experienced cuts in budgets
and staff downsizing due to
neglect from parent bodies
and government agencies.
Sufficient fund is not
allocated to library
development, and even when
it is not given, it is not on
regular bases and is not as
when due.
Infrastructure
With funding for special
libraries being reduced, the
ability of special libraries to
introduce and sustain ICT
infrastructure in their
organizations has been hugely
diminished. ICT projects which
are implemented are
consequently disbanded or
have failed to migrate to
modern systems due to a
shortage of funds.
Lack of Library
Committee
Improper
Salary Sale
Some organizations pay
salaries based on private
negotiation with the
librarian, allowing for
underpayment of library
staff salaries. This does not
motivate the staff, as they
receive less compensation
than their counterparts in
government establishments.
Page 5

6. By:
Francheska Vonne S. Gali
BLIS-III
Opportunities
in Managing a
Special
Library
Team Learning
Cooperation with other
libraries
Marketing
30 March, 2022
Working in a team to
complete a project can be a
great experience, pulling
together people from various
backgrounds and pooling
together many skills.
For special libraries, it is
essential to build networks
with peers, primarily for
financial reasons and better
operational services.
Some of the common themes
to describe what will make
your special library
management successful in
the future.
Marketing of services,
stronger internal
relationships, centralization
of services not traditionally
associated with the library,
such as education and
training, educating users
about information quality,
the adaptation of
information dissemination
processes, ongoing
digitization of resources and
investment in technology
infrastructure and general
adaptability.
Team
Learning
Cooperation
with other
libraries
Marketing
Marketing determines and
creates client needs
strategically.
Conclusion
References
Obialor, D & Uwandu, L. (2019). Special library management.
Semertzaki, Eva. (2011). Special libraries as knowledge management
centres. Oxford : Chandos
Softlink - The Special Library Feature. (n.d.) Retrieved from
https://www.softlinkint.com/downloads/Special_Library_Feat
ure.pdf
Page 6