Hibner, H., & Kelly, M. (2010). Making a collection count: A holistic approach to library collection management. Cambridge, UK: Woodhead Publishing Limited.
This book by Hibner and Kelly (2010) describes what is known as "Holistic" library service, which is described by the authors as service that is "taking into account how each piece functions relative to the whole institution." Each chapter of the book describes in detail each function of a typical library, and how to examine and understand the processes of each function. One highlight of the book includes Chapter 2, entitled "Understanding your workflow." In this chapter, the authors outline the best method to understanding the operations that take place within the library though examining the library's workflow. For example, they explain “In order to improve the quality of our collections, it is essential to understand exactly what happens at each stage of the lifecycle. This can be done through an examination of workflows” (Hibner & Kelly, 2010, p. 19). According to the authors, it is essential to look at the workflow of the library in order to understand how the library functions each day, in order to identify areas where there are gaps, or areas where there is a need for improvement. As Hibner and Kelly explain, "Workflows...should be analyzed for ergonomic, redundancies, missing processes, and quality assurance" (p. 20). This chapter provided a great deal of insight into how one should examine the day to day tasks in order to identify areas that need improvement. This is advice I intend to take in order to examine and improve the workflow of the library location where I work, as I am circulation supervisor, and agree that this is the best method to identify areas that we can improve upon.
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