Introduction

Abstract

It is difficult for me to believe that this series has been around for a quarter of a century. But then it is hard to rationalize a belief that I am still a young man. As we begin the 26th volume of ALAO, it seems useful to consider the work that has come before. Twenty-five volumes of research studies and papers focused on library management and organizational issues may be a significant milestone for any monograph series in our profession, but it also represents an opportunity to step back, catch one's editorial breath, and take stock of near-term future directions. Clearly, some monograph series never see a 25th anniversary, while others have been pressed to change focus entirely. Yet others have become less-than-relevant to real-world professional challenges. For better or worse, this series has carried on, and, again, as one of our editors noted a few volumes back, offers the reader “an eclectic collection of papers that convey the results of the kind of research that managers need, mixing theory with a good dose of pragmatism.” Since the first volume in 1982, the aim has been to provide a publication venue for those manuscripts that are typically longer than most journal articles but shorter than most books. Moreover, the idea then as now was to relieve authors of the constraints that sometimes attend other genre and at the same time to encourage the presentation of thoughtful pieces that integrate theory and practice. Call me hidebound if you will, but as we offer Volume 26, I would argue that we have stayed true to our tradition of providing good research pieces that are worth reading.

Citation

(2008), "Introduction", Garten, E.D., Williams, D.E., Nyce, J.M. and Golden, J. (Ed.) Advances in Library Administration and Organization (Advances in Library Administration and Organization, Vol. 26), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. ix-xiii. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0732-0671(08)00208-3