vidual profile which was incorporated into the final specifica- tions given to the vendor. The authors thoughtfully include a list of the 11 criteria given to the vendor for selection of children’s books and a sample branch profile, both in appendices to the chapter. The first of the selection criteria is the most important: “Select according to the profile for each branch” (p. 149).

The two special library cases both involve cataloging. The first is a relatively common example in which a vendor was sought by the Chubb Law & Business Library to create a catalog for a previously uncataloged collection, then retained, after a mutually agreeable experience, on an ongoing basis. The sec- ond, however, is unusual, because the authors relate how the contract, originally let to the INCOLSA regional network for cataloging a pamphlet backlog at the Indiana Historical Society Library, eventually led to a desire for “insourcing,” that is, hir- ing a part-time contract cataloger to work within the library. The ultimate result was to hire a former staff member as a part-timer, but the authors attribute their ability to do this successfully to what they, the library, and the parent institution learned from managing the outsourcing project and working with their ven- dor. The institution’s personnel policies precluded hiring a con- tract worker, so the problem was solved by designating the person as a part-time staff member.

Outsourcing Lihrury Technical Services Opemtions is a use- ful volume offering many practical examples of how libraries have contracted with outside vendors to perform work previ- ously done (or expected to be done) within the library by its own employees. Thanks to good editing, the writing is clear and direct. Each chapter begins with an abstract, making it possible for the reader to decide without investing much time whether he or she wishes to read the whole chapter. Some chapters are illus- trated with valuable data shown in attractive tables, charts, and diagrams. As already mentioned, useful checklists, forms, tem- plates, etc. are included in some chapters. Some chapters have bibliographic references; some have very few or none at all; but Marylou Colver’s selected annotated bibliography, which fol- lows the main text and a short list of works frequently cited in it, is outstanding. The bibliography is divided by subject, start- ing with “checklists, manuals, and surveys” and “general arti- cles,” then, three sections of reports of case studies for each of the three types of libraries covered in the main text, two sections on the outsourcing of acquisitions and public services, and a final section listing vendor-authored articles. The titles are up- to-date and the annotations are thorough; sometimes evaluating the material as well as summarizing it. Brief biographies of the contributors and an excellent index complete the book.

This volume will be useful to librarians seeking to answer practical questions such as “Can outsourcing help with my problems?, ” “Has anyone done this sort of outsourcing?,” or “What happens when you outsource [fill in function here]?’ It is not a manual, however, and cannot be substituted for Arnold Hirshon and Barbara Winters’ very similar sounding title, Out- sourcing Library Technical Services: A How-to-Do-It Munual for Librarians (New York: Neal-Schuman, 1996). It can help educate those who are interested in ways to use outsourcing suc- cessfully, even if the twin bugbears of budget shortfalls and staff shortages are not one’s immediate problems. It should be read by all librarians who now serve on the staff of any technical ser- vices operation, but this reviewer suspects only those responsi- ble for the managerial functions of budgeting, directing, and supervising technical services will take the time. Students will find it interesting and instructive, but it is an enrichment, not a

textbook. Highly recommended.-Sheila S. Intner, Professor, Simmons College, Graduate School of Library and Infor- mation Science, 300 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115.

Peter Drucker on the Profession of Management, by Peter Drucker. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1998. 224~. $29.95. ISBN O-87.584-836-2.

The “accepted wisdom” in the area of management over the past five decades has frequently been expressed in the words of Peter Drucker. Particularly influential have been his contribu- tions to the Hurvard Business Rev&v, now numbering more than 30. This book is a collection of some of those contribu- tions, presenting 13 artciles written from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Those articles do not present research or detailed analysis. Rather they are homilies: mediations on the art of management. They exhort managers to make more (and,better) efforts to man- age well, and provide advice on how to direct those efforts. They are rich with examples drawn from a broad knowledge of firms and organizations, although some examples tend to be repeated frequently.

Drucker’s message has been consistent over the years. Man- agement is hard work. Managers and their firms must focus on their philosophy while remaining fexible in their implementa- tion of that philosophy. And, as a reaction against the bean- counters, effectiveness rather than efficiency should be the main concern of management. These themes reveberate like a con- stant drumbeat through the pages of these essays. Library man- agers will find some of these essays more relevant than others. Some topics are relevant to all types of organizations: for exam- ple, mediations on how to plan, how to hire, and, yes, how to subcontract. In an interesting essay for those of us in the not-for- profit organizations, “What Business Can Learn from Non- profits,” Drucker emphazies how important management can be in such organizations. The remaining articles will be of greater relevance for managers in the private sector.

Most libraries supporting programs in Business will already have these essays in their original form, and they may wish to consider whether buying the same content in a new format is productive use of the acquisitions budget. They might also con- sider buying more copies of Drucker’s books, which provide more complete expositions of his thought than this collection of articles. But any manager seeking inspiration, broader perspec- tives, and a consistent presentation of the “accepted wisdom” will enjoy reading this book.-Bryce Allen, Associate Profes- sor, School of Information Science and Learning Technolo- gies, University of Missouri, 217 Townsend Hall, Columbia, MO 65203 cisbryce@showme.missouri.edu>.

Planning for Automation: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians, Second Edition, by John M. Cohn, Ann L. Kelsey, and Keith Michael Fiels. New York: Neal Schuman, 1997. 150~. $49.95. ISBN l-55570-313-5.

This is the second edition of a how-to book about planning for library automation that was first published in 1992. The cur- rent edition is expanded by approximately 30 percent and is sig- nificantly updated to reflect the major changes that have occurred in this area in the last five years. The book is organized into three parts. Devoted to technology planning, the four chap- ters comprising Part I are new to this edition and are a useful starting point for any automation project. Readers learn, step- by-step, how to develop a technology strategic plan. including

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