Library Management Questions and Answers

Answer: D

The schools of management thought among those listed are the scientific management school, the human behavioural school and the classical school, option D, statements (i), (ii) and (iii). Scientific management was Taylor's school, the classical school covers the administrative theory of Fayol and others, and the human behavioural school grew out of the human relations studies.

A school of authority (iv) is not one of the recognised schools of management thought, so options A, B and C, which each include it, are wrong.

Answer: A

The keyed answer is that both statements are true but the reason does not correctly explain the assertion, option A. Book selection must indeed be done with care, because funds and shelf space are limited. Resource sharing is also a real need today because no library can buy everything.

The two statements are separate points. Resource sharing is a response to the limits of one library's collection, and does not itself show why selection has to be careful, so (R) is not the correct explanation of (A). Options B and C call one of them false, and option D calls both false, which contradicts the key.

Answer: C

Both statements are true, option C. An organisation works in an environment marked by constant change, which is the reason given. If the organisation cannot adapt its framework to those changes, it falls out of balance with its environment, which is the assertion.

The reason supports the assertion, though the question offers only the choice between the two statements being true or false. Options A and B call one statement false, and option D calls both false, which cannot be so, since dynamic environments and the need to adapt to them are standard ideas in organisation theory.

Answer: A

Both statements are true, option A. Libraries need continuing evaluation, and their value must be appreciated, so that they can justify their use of resources. There is also real economic pressure on public budgets, which is the reason libraries must show that they give value.

Since each is a true description of the position of libraries, options B and D, which call (A) or (R) false, are wrong. Option C is wrong because (R) is a true statement and cannot be called false.

Answer: B

The match is Right man at right library with Deployment, Budget with Annual financial statement, Journal with ISSN, and Identifying users' views and expectations with TQM, option B, a-ii, b-i, c-iv, d-iii. Placing the right person in the right post is deployment of staff. A budget is the annual statement of estimated income and expenditure. A journal is identified by its ISSN. Total quality management begins by finding out the views and expectations of users.

Options A, C and D mismatch at least two pairs, such as giving TQM to staff deployment or ISSN to the budget.

Answer: A

The scalar chain is one of Fayol's principles of management: it is the chain of superiors running from the top of an organisation down to the lowest rank, through which authority and orders pass and communications are expected to follow. It therefore shows the authority structure. It is not a scale for rating the performance of staff, nothing to do with the layout of racks in a library, and 'a link in the chain' is not what the term means. The answer is Authority structure, option (A).

Answer: B

Segmentation means dividing a market into groups of users with similar needs, so that services can be planned for each group. It belongs to the marketing of library and information services and is linked to the market survey report, which shows the groups and their needs. It has no place in a reference service, a digest service or an indexing service, which are services to users and do not describe the market. The answer is Market Survey Report, option (B).

Answer: C

Many libraries have no written collection development policy and yet have sound collections, so (A) is true, as some have grown by sensible practice. A collection built to meet the demands of users is also a good one, and demand driven collection building plays a strong role, so (R) is true. The key gives that both are true, option (C). The options calling either statement false are wrong; this is a recall item, and the key is followed.

Answer: B

The Browne charging system is simple and quick, since the issue and return need only a card in a pocket, so (A) is true. The reason is false because the Browne system does not keep a permanent issue record: the record kept in the library while a book is out is only a temporary one, and it is dropped when the book is returned. So (A) is true and (R) is false, option (B). The options that call (A) false, or the reason true, are wrong.

Answer: C

Audio materials are used less in academic libraries, so (A) is true. The reason, that people consider these materials intellectually less sound and fit only for recreation, is taken by the key as only partly true: some readers do see audio materials that way, but the view is not held by all. The key therefore gives (A) true and (R) partially true, option (C). The options that call (A) false or both false are wrong, and the option that calls (R) true takes the reason as the full explanation.