REVIEWS OF NEW BOOKS

Harrod�s Librarians� Glossary and Reference Book: A Directory of over 9600 Terms, Organizations, Projects and Acronyms in the Areas of Information Management, Library Science, Publishing and Archive Management. 9th ed. Ed. By Ray Prytherch. Aldershot: Gower Publishing Company, 2000. 787 pp. � 95.00 hard ISBN 0566080184

Here is a work that, in little more than half a century, has assumed epic proportions and shows no signs of tiring on its journey through the acronymic jungle of the information professions. In nearly 800 pages and 10,000 entries, it seeks to provide us with the basic terms likely to be encountered in our work, and it does this very well. As Prytherch maintains in his preface, �no other reference source provides in one volume explanations of the terminology of all the constituent parts of the professions that centre on library science� (p. vii).

In the preface the editor also indicates the new features of this ninth edition. First, the coverage of organisations has been extended considerably, with more than 1000 now being included. URLs are now provided for many of these, and this feature enables the entries to be abbreviated where fuller information is readily available. Organisational coverage ranges from consortia and cooperatives to networks, professional associations and national libraries. Inclusion is �based on those most likely to be sought by readers of English-language professional literature� (p. vii). Second, projects and programmes have now been given extensive coverage, primarily for those within the European Union and the eLib initiatives. Both of these additional areas of coverage greatly extend the usefulness of the Glossary.

As in the past, entries are succinct and informative, with many �see� references - although use of the latter from full names to acronyms and vice versa seems inconsistent. For example, why under BTEC is there a �see� reference to the proper name, whereas under BTECC there is a full definition of that Committee? Inconsistencies such as these are the bane of glossary users. �See also� references are not used, though these would greatly add to integration of information in the compilation � for example, a �see also� linking nihil obstat and imprimatur. Readers of British library literature who may not be familiar with the plethora of reports that have defined the history of librarianship in Britain are well served by the definitions of such landmarks as the Follett Report, the Vollans Report, the Hawnt Report, the Baker and Bourdillon Reports. Note, however, that the equally influential Munn-Pitt and Tauber Reports on Australian libraries are not included.

It is, in fact, when we come to omissions of entries related to the non-British anglophone world that the Glossary loses some of its gloss. For the Antipodes there are many important omissions, among them VALA, LIANZA, CLANN and CONZAL. In fact, in place of LIANZA there is a definition of NZLIA, its previous manifestation. Equally, elsewhere there are important omissions, notably for Africa and parts of Asia (ISTIC, AIT, etc.). On reflection, it appears that the editor's Advisory Board may not be serving him well. With 10 of the 13 members based in the UK, it might be suggested that the Board�s constitution be revised to reflect developments in information work around the world, especially in SE Asia, Southern and Eastern Africa and Canada.

Another suggestion, perhaps more controversial is a division of the Glossary into two volumes, one for what might be termed publishing and print culture, and the other for library and information management. For most practitioners the reality is that there is little congress between these two broad divisions, so a single volume that tries to encompass such a broad range of topics may not be serving its users to best advantage. For example, never in my career have I needed to know about �Costeriana�, and I suspect that those who know about Laurens Coster care little about �cost-effectiveness� or �costs�, the words that bracket Costeriana. A division into two volumes would allow continued expansion of coverage without creating a signle tome of gargantuan proportions.

In his preface Prytherch asks for reviews that make �accurate and realistic comments� that can be taken into account for the 10th edition. It is hoped that this review offers such comments. At the end of the day, and with all criticisms taken into account, Harrod�s Librarians� Glossary is a well-cut gem of a professional reference work that belongs in most libraries. I have owned a frequently-consulted copy of at least one edition for 20 years, and the 9th edition will be no exception.

G.E. Gorman
Victoria University of Wellington

Improving Library and Information Services through Self-Assessment: A Guide for Senior Managers and Staff Developers. By Margaret Kinnell, Bob Usherwood and Kathryn Jones. London: Library Association Publishing, 1999. 180 pp. �65.00 hard ISBN 1856043363

If you�re serious about tackling quality management in your library or information service, this could be the book for you - but don�t take it on unless you�re prepared to stick at it.

One of the book�s main messages is that the process of self-assessment - auditing your services against a model of good practice - is pointless unless you integrate the results into your planning process and repeat the activity on an annual basis. Self-assessment is not a one-off add-on to business as usual; rather, it�s about sustaining continuous improvement. Essentially, the book is a manual on how to do this. "Our aim is to provide a simple, effective and tested method for improving library services� planning of quality services and for reviewing service delivery" (p.1). It sets out a model of good management practice for service improvement from which it derives 10 criteria for libraries to use in assessing themselves against the model. The criteria, which include factors like leadership, customer focus and impact on society, are broken down into 31 sub-criteria. The result is a very solid benchmarking checklist which comes with a scoring system (and other documentation for running the programme) in a companion volume, The Library And Information Services Self-Assessment Training Pack, separately available from Library Association Publishing (no price supplied).

There will be nothing new in these criteria for good managers, but it is useful to have them systematised and incorporated into a methodology which takes libraries step-by-step through the process of self-assessment. There is a great deal of practical comment on the critical factors as well as the barriers to successful implementation, with wise advice on how to address them.

The book is a product of a British Library-funded project to adapt private-sector quality management models and techniques to public sector library and information services in an effort to address the low uptake of quality management in such libraries in the UK. However, resistance to private-sector models, with their commercial ethos, may not be the only reason for low uptake. Although the four-month process, if carried out as directed, would undoubtedly lead to sustained, continuous improvement in library services, as a very busy manager in a large academic library, I quail at the prospect of taking on and repeating annually such a time-consuming programme. Not only would I have to overcome my own reluctance but also that of my senior management colleagues - the book is very firm about the need for library-wide application. The question has to be, can the library afford to run the programme - but in a climate of increased public sector accountability, can it afford not to?

One last comment: the publisher did not supply the companion self-assessment training pack for review and, when contacted, said a lesser number of these had been published. The programme could not be run without it.

Jill Harris
Victoria University of Wellington

The Library and Information Professional's Guide to the Internet. 3rd ed. By Alan Poulter, Debra Hiom and Gwyneth Tseng. London: Library Association Publishing, 2000. 146 pp. �16.95 pap. ISBN 1856043762

This is the third edition of a popular book that was first published in 1996 and subsequently released in the second edition in 1997. Nearly three years of change have necessitated this new edition, with additional topics including advanced Web technologies, new methods of connecting to the Internet and material on e-commerce. Much of the text has been rewritten and reorganised, and the format of the Resource Guide has been revised. One noticeable difference from earlier editions is the absence of screen shots - omitted given their propensity to date faster than text.

As with previous editions, the first section concentrates on the networking fundamentals, with a refreshingly balanced look at the history and development of the Internet both in the UK and beyond. The second chapter, albeit perhaps a little too brief, considers methods of connecting to the Internet and looks at domain names and associated issues. The second section concentrates on the wide variety of resources now available on the Internet, including portals and e-business as well as search engines and subject listings. As with the rest of the book, this section is amply illustrated with references to known quality resources, further details of which may be found in the Resource Guide later in the book. The third section, entitled Using the Internet Effectively, briefly tackles basic networking problems and offers tips to users of e-mail and USENET. Further coverage considers the use of ftp, telnet, the Web, searching the Internet and building a Web page. It should be understood that this section is a brief collection of useful tips rather than a concerted effort at exhaustive trouble-shooting. It also assumes some basic knowledge of Internet resources, or that the previous section has been read. The final and largest section (70 pages) is the Internet Resource Guide, which is divided into broad sections by topics that roughly follow their sequence in the preceding text. Each key resource, whether Web, telnet, ftp or e-mail, is described according to a standard template, an annotated example of which is provided. The authors note that the resources were last checked for accuracy in October 1999.

This is an accessible and realistic book. The authors recognise some of the pitfalls of the modern electronic revolution, such as e-mail overload, but highlight how it may be utilised effectively. This title would be beneficial to anyone who is new to the Internet and not just to those within the information profession. It is clearly written, logical and progressive in structure and easy to read. Experienced information professionals would do well to consult the Resource Guide too, as it provides a useful summary of key resources in essential topic areas.

Ian Tilsed
University of Exeter

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