Page 10 - DLIS104_MANAGEMENT OF LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION CENTRES

Unit 1: Concept of Management

Notes

Task Explain the scientific Application to Libraries.

1.3 Functions of Administration

A library function is a function that can be called by a programme to perform some task, but it is
not part of the programme itself. Typically library functions are collected together into libraries,
which comprise suites of functions that are loosely related in some way. An example might be a
collection of functions that deal with dates and times and how they can be formatted or represented.
Libraries save programmers the bother of writing code to do the same tasks time and time again;
in short, libraries encourage code reuse.
The code the library comprises is usually in the form of “machine code” that the computer can
understand rather than human-readable source code, although this is not always the case, especially
with “open source” libraries like those from the GNU project.
There are two main types of libraries: static libraries are read by the compiler at compile-time and
bound into the final version of the executable code; and dynamic libraries are referred to by name
to the compiler but the code is not actually incorporated into the executable until the programme
is run. One advantage of dynamic library is that it can be updated without updating the programme.
When programmers want to use a function from a library they call it by name and make sure that
the compiler or the run-time environment can see the precompiled code or “library file.” In C and
C++ the programmers also need a “header file” that describes how the library functions should be
called so the compiler can carry out its type-checking as it compiles the programme. Most compilers
also support options or “switches” to allow programmers to create their own libraries from their
own code.
Function libraries extend the native language they are written in by providing easily accessible
commonly used functionality that the language itself does not directly support. A good example
is the C programming language. C by itself has very little functionality other than the raw
operators the language supports; however, some functions are so useful and needed so often that
they have been packaged into libraries and now form part of the standard distribution of the
language. That is, ANSI C comes with “standard libraries” for manipulating character strings and
for performing input from the keyboard and output to the monitor, even though these things are
not part of the strict definition of the language. Currently nearly all computer-programming
languages have a vast array of libraries, both free and commercial packages that are available to
carry out almost every conceivable function from manipulating socket connections between
computers to performing complex and military-grade cryptographic transformations.

1.4 Levels of Management
The term “Levels of Management’ refers to a line of demarcation between various managerial
positions in an organization. The number of levels in management increases when the size of the
business and work force increases and vice versa. The level of management determines a chain of
command, the amount of authority and status enjoyed by any managerial position. The levels of
management can be classified in three broad categories:
1. Top level/Administrative level
2. Middle level/Executor
3. Low level/Supervisory/Operative/First-line managers
Managers at all these levels perform different functions. The role of managers at all the three
levels is discussed below:

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