Media centre administration: An alternative for success

Abstract

Many media centre administrators worldwide regularly experience budget cutbacks or, at least, the threat of cutbacks. If you have not been threatened by the budget slashers, or if you are satisfied by the level of support your media operation is enjoying, your time might be better spent in reading the other articles in this journal: you have likely discovered your alternative for success.

This paper will challenge the usual ways of thinking about managing media centres I intend to attack some of the sacred cows of media and media centre management, and to offer alternatives to the commonly accepted operational procedures which have resulted in media centre closings and cutbacks during unfavourable economic times. There may be times when I over state my case, but usually it will only seem so. There are, of course, media centres managed in the commonly accepted ways that are succeeding these days. But is it possible to run a centre in such a way that it is practically assured of flourishing when the economy and support for education in general declines? The answer is, "yes", but it requires change - drastic change - from the traditional ways media are perceived. I would like to share with you some successes and failures in media management and the lessons they have taught.