University library administration, with special reference to new technology : a Tasmanian case study

摘要

This thesis examines the impacts of new technology on universityudlibrary administration as reflected in a case study. Theudinstitution chosen for the study is the University of TasmaniaudLibrary, which has recently adopted a totally integratedudautomated library system based on the Library's own mini-computer.udThe opening chapter introduces the topic, and puts forward fiveudpropositions. These include propositions about the use of newudtechnology to reinforce the organization's niche within theudparent institution; the role of technology in environmentaludturbulence and uncertainty; the effects of new technology onudroutineness, standardization, formalization and flexibility;udthe structural impacts of new technology; and the human andudsocial impacts upon organization members. The chapterudcontinues with a review of relevant literature, and concludesudwith a description of the methodology employed. Subsequentudchapters consider the University Library in the light of each ofudthe propositions. Two chapters are devoted to the backgroundudand particular circumstances of the organization - one on itsudhistory, nature and technology, and another on its taskudenvironment. The nature of the technology employed by theudUniversity Library is then examined in more detail in an attemptudto classify it. Perrow's scale of routineness is chosen as audsuitable classification scheme, and the effects of automation onudthe level of routineness of the organization's technology areudconsidered. A tendency towards increased routineness,udstandardization and formalization is observed, but there is littleudcorresponding loss of flexibility. Rather, new opportunities forudcreativity and flexible services are noted. Structural impactsudof the introduction of automated systems are examined. While theudformal structure remains virtually unchanged, there are changesudoccurring in the informal organization. The results of a surveyudof organization members indicate that the human impacts ofudautomation generally have been minor, although a small group ofudemployees experiencing loss of job satisfaction and deterioratingudsocial relationships is identified. Finally, the impactsudobserved in the case study are considered in the context of theudparticular circumstances of the University of Tasmania Library -udits history, nature, technology, environment and management, asuddescribed in the earlier chapters - and concludes that these areudall contributing factors to the nature of the impacts of theudintroduction of new automated systems in the particularudorganization.