Library Science Library Administration and Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which governance body typically provides policy oversight and advocacy for a public library in the US?
- Library director
- Friends of the Library group
- Library board of trustees (Correct answer)
- State library agency
Correct answer: Library board of trustees
A library board of trustees is the governing body that sets policy, approves budgets, and hires the director for most US public libraries.
Question 2: What is a 'SWOT analysis' used for in library strategic planning?
- Evaluating individual staff performance
- Identifying Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats facing the library (Correct answer)
- Assessing the library's collection strengths only
- A tool for evaluating reference service quality
Correct answer: Identifying Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats facing the library
A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool that identifies internal Strengths and Weaknesses and external Opportunities and Threats to inform the library's strategic direction.
Question 3: What does 'zero-based budgeting' mean in library financial management?
- Starting with last year's budget and making incremental adjustments
- Building the budget from scratch each year, requiring justification for every expenditure (Correct answer)
- Allocating no funds to new initiatives
- A budget with zero deficit spending
Correct answer: Building the budget from scratch each year, requiring justification for every expenditure
Zero-based budgeting requires each budget cycle to begin from zero and justify every expense, rather than using the previous year's budget as a baseline.
Question 4: What is 'MBO' (Management by Objectives) in library administration?
- Managing collections by subject objective
- A management approach where supervisors and staff collaboratively set specific, measurable goals (Correct answer)
- Managing the budget by defined objectives
- An online management training program
Correct answer: A management approach where supervisors and staff collaboratively set specific, measurable goals
Management by Objectives (MBO) is a performance management approach where supervisors and employees jointly set specific, measurable goals and then evaluate performance against those goals.
Question 5: Which federal law requires public and school libraries receiving E-rate funding to have an internet safety policy?
- FERPA
- CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act) (Correct answer)
- USA PATRIOT Act
- COPPA
Correct answer: CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act)
CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act) requires libraries receiving federal E-rate discounts or LSTA grants to have an internet safety policy and use technology protection measures (filters).
Question 6: What is a 'Friends of the Library' organization?
- A government agency supporting library funding
- A volunteer advocacy and fundraising group that supports the library's programs and services (Correct answer)
- A professional association for librarians
- A library cooperative for resource sharing
Correct answer: A volunteer advocacy and fundraising group that supports the library's programs and services
Friends of the Library groups are volunteer organizations that advocate for the library, raise supplemental funds, and organize programs to build community support.
Library Science Library Administration and Management 1
Which governance body typically provides policy oversight and advocacy for a public library in the US?