| With the various concerns facing academic library administrators today, their ability to provide effective management will take on ever-increasing importance. The library literature reflects this fact. However, there is insufficient research data conducted to ascertain the attitudes and opinions of currently practicing library administrators.;The study was divided into four chapters. Chapter I contained an introduction to the study. Included was the importance of management theory and its relationship to academic library management. Also included in this chapter were the study's research questions, limitations, sources of data, instrumentation, pilot study, and use of panel of experts, administration of revised questionnaire, and definition of terms.;The sources of data for this study were the academic library administrators in the state of Tennessee whose institutions are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It was thought that the various post-secondary schools in Tennessee would provide a variety of attitudes and opinions based on the different types of institutions represented. Fifty-nine questionnaires were mailed and fifty-four were returned for a 91.5 percent response rate. This high response rate was viewed by the investigator as an indication as to the need for the study as well as the validity of the instrument.;The review of the literature made up Chapter II. It was divided into five sections. The first four sections: underlying problems, effectiveness qualities, styles and techniques, and trends, were distinguished from one another basically because of the way the literature was divided and because these topics met the criteria of the objectives set forth by the study. The fifth section was the summary of the literature review.;The main purposes of this study were, first, to identify currently practicing library administrators in Tennessee and obtain their attitudes and opinions on various aspects of academic library management. The second purpose was to determine some of the underlying problems of academic library administration as viewed by the practicing administrators in this field. The third purpose was to determine the most effective styles and techniques employed by the administrators. A fourth objective was to determine what trends existed, if any. The fifth objective was to provide librarians with additional research data on which to base management decisions. The sixth and seventh purposes were identified to establish a line of communication between academic library administrators, professional librarians, and library science educators, and to stimulate further research in this area.;In Chapter III the research findings were presented. The two parts of the questionnaire, the background information and the Likert-type statements, were discussed and analyzed using tables, where appropriate, to facilitate in the understanding of the results. The tables included means, standard deviations, numbers, and percentages.;The summary, conclusions, and recommendations for additional study were presented in Chapter IV. Included was a restatement as to the study's objectives and procedures. In brief, the conclusions showed that a majority of the library administrators had a positive attitude toward management principles; that shared decision-making was an important factor in library effectiveness; that planning was vital and should be a part of established procedures; that the academic library administrator should be included in the setting of institutional goals and objectives; that technology was viewed as a challenge and not something that should be feared, and that poor communication adversely affects every aspect of the library. Several recommendations were also presented including one indicating the need for additional research in this and related areas. |
