Librarians are the ultimate information workers, with little they can count as done at the end of the day. Staying productive and motivated when there are no finished items that you have created at day's end can be difficult. For just this reason, David Allen, author and productivity expert, has proposed an information-worker-centric theory of…

The economic crisis has caused districts throughout the United States to cut resources and limit spending, particularly with regard to staff. However, the requirements for maintaining safe, efficiently functioning schools and for remaining in compliance with state and federal regulations have not decreased; in many cases, those responsibilities…

Two of the most time-consuming jobs in the library are taking inventory and keeping track of in-house uses of library material. Librarians have long been searching for more efficient solution for these two activities. New technology can be the answer to creating efficiency for libraries. In fact, if one is a SirsiDynix library, there is an easy…

The recession of 2008-2009 and the continuing decline in local, state, and federal funds available to support higher education have resulted in serious budget cuts and belt-tightening. Given that faculty constitute an institution's most costly resource, it was not surprising, though it is nonetheless disheartening, to learn of the University of…

We tested the hypothesis that highly structured course designs, which implement reading quizzes and/or extensive in-class active-learning activities and weekly practice exams, can lower failure rates in an introductory biology course for majors, compared with low-structure course designs that are based on lecturing and a few high-risk assessments.…

There is no doubt that the American economy is in the midst of a major restructuring. While the consequences are not yet fully apparent, two powerful implications for higher education have become clear. First, because solutions to the nation's problems will require a highly educated work force, the demands on colleges can only increase. Second,…

Meet the ever-growing organizational demands of today's changing world with the variety of tools, digital and otherwise, available to you as a teacher. In this book, organization guru Frank Buck shows you how to take expert advantage of the specific electronic and paper-based resources that will help you manage your time and stay on course as a…

The unique challenges presented in good banking business are approached through the concept of job enrichment. Described in this article is one consulting firm's experience with one bank--how they transformed job satisfaction, motivation, and performance into useable tools benefiting the individual and the organization. (Author)

Offers strategies to make schools' cleaning operations run more smoothly. Discusses how to estimate the amount of space that needs cleaning and how long it should take, the benefits of team cleaning versus zone cleaning, and the importance of monitoring complaints and overtime to ensure staff is performing efficiently. (EV)

Suggests ways of improving productivity for public libraries faced with increased accountability, dwindling revenues, and continuing inflation. Techniques described include work simplification, work analysis, improved management, and employee motivation. (RAA)

Defines "batch files," claiming that they can shorten many complicated computer procedures. Describes how batch file was created using the computer program "PC-Write" to streamline the process of creating a work disk and increase students' computer literacy. Lists and discusses each element in the file. Provides references for…

Presents a critique of Taylor's scientific management theory and the negative consequences of work simplification. Compares this method with Maslow's, Herzberg's, and Thorsrud's theories of motivation, and contrasts the experiences of General Motors' application of Taylor's model and General Foods' application of Thorsrud's. (SK)

Gives suggestions for organizing a school newspaper staff's time and work area for more efficient work routines. (HTH)

The work content of eight midwestern college and university presidents is defined and described through direct observation of daily activities. This was done as a critical first step in a line of research which can eventually propose effective presidential work behaviors. Besides discovering how time is used, the study finds that due to the volume…

Discusses job discretion (the degree of worker autonomy) and the American "work ethic" in a historical context and in regard to the current shift from a manufacturing economy to one based on information services and new technologies. (ML)