David Baker

Strategic human resource management: performance, alignment, management

This article looks at current trends in human resource management (HRM) and the relatively new concept of strategic HRM (SHRM) with special reference to the United Kingdom (UK) Higher Education (HE) community. The article reviews recent management theory in the field and considers how it can usefully be applied in a practical context. The second part of the article concentrates on specific issues relating to employment relations in HE with special reference to the University of East Anglia (UEA).

Digital library futures: a UK HE and FE perspective

Purpose – The aim of this article is to review the future of digital library development over the next three to five years. The article is written from a UK viewpoint, and with special reference to higher and further education. Unattributed quotations in the text of this article are taken directly from respondents to the survey or contributors to the Blue Skies event. The article aims to build on two previous articles in Interlending & Document Supply.Design/methodology/approach – The research was undertaken for the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) as part of a route‐mapping exercise relating to digital library resources and services in higher and further education (referred to jointly as tertiary education (TE)). The route map was formulated on the basis of: a survey, using the “Delphi” approach, of higher and further education libraries in the UK; a major “blue skies” event held in May 2005 at the University of Essex and attended by senior stakeholders from the academic library community; iter...

Access versus holdings policy with special reference to the University of East Anglia

Examines the relationship between the traditional hard‐copy based library and the concept of online full‐text document delivery. Identifies key strategic issues facing libraries and librarians in the UK higher education environment. Concludes with a number of basic action points which academic libraries need to address in conjunction with users, document supply centres, authors and publishers.

Document delivery: a new paradigm?

This article complements an earlier discussion by the author with regard to the breakdown of the traditional inter‐library loan model. It looks at the key variables that are driving the development of new models in electronic document delivery, taking account of current projects and products in the field. It argues that there is unlikely to be a single model in the future, but rather a series of models, determined not just by the technology applications available, but also by societal, economic, environmental and political factors. The article is written from the UK higher education viewpoint.

Document delivery – breaking the mould

This article takes a personal look – retrospectively and prospectively – at the application of information and communications technology within library and information services in UK higher education (UKHE). It looks particularly at the ways in which document delivery has been transformed into a central driver in Internet‐based library service developments and considers recent innovations and likely future pathways. It focuses on the results of programmes such as the Joint Information Systems Committee’s e‐Lib Programme and subsequent attempts to provide radical alternatives to the dominant design of traditional inter‐library loan and document supply services, and it draws on first‐hand experience of the innovation process through projects such as EDDIS and Agora.

The multimedia librarian in the twenty‐first century

Academic libraries are at a crossroads. Whether deciding on the pros and cons of converged services or juggling with slashed budgets in a frantic attempt to provide increasing numbers of services to more users. New technology, despite offering wonderful opportunities, changes quicker than the seasons and frequently fails to perform as well as its hype. The author suggests that we should regard this situation as an exciting challenge, rather than a threat. Integrated solutions are discussed and suggestions made as to how best we can balance the old with the new and a question is posed as to whether we can ever overcome the infrastructural problems posed by the Web.

The multimedia librarian in the twenty‐first century: the viewpoint of a university librarian

Academic libraries are at a crossroads, whether deciding on the pros and cons of converged services or juggling with slashed budgets in a frantic attempt to provide increasing numbers of services to more users. New technology, despite offering wonderful opportunities, changes quicker than the seasons and frequently fails to perform as well as its hype. The author suggests that we should regard this situation as an exciting challenge, rather than a threat. Integrated solutions are discussed and suggestions made as to how best we can balance the old with the new and a question is posed as to whether we can ever overcome the infrastructural problems posed by the Web.

Document delivery: access versus holdings

Looks at the move from holdings to access in academic libraries with special reference to structures, working relationships and other management issues. Refers to the electronic document delivery; the integrated solution (EDDIS) project, a major initiative funded under the UK higher education’s Electronic Libraries Programme.

The Library Association′s new Training Guides Series: an introduction by the series editor

Written by the series editor, gives an historical overview of the Library Training Guides Series, of which the eighth series has just been published. There is a subject‐based description of the evolvement of the series followed by Dr Baker′s own comment on the series.