Mash, dean of library services at Lander University, offers an in-depth study of decision-making processes at five American universities that recently built new libraries. The book is based on the author's dissertation, which was written during doctoral studies in higher education administration at the University of South Carolina. The study explores the dynamics of decision-making in higher education, with special attention to technology forecasting, as applied to the process of planning and building academic library buildings. Rather than focusing on decision-making techniques, the author explores the realities behind ingrained assumptions about what decision making is and how decisions are made. Although the book does not try to reduce decision making to a simple formula, the study finds general patterns within the complexity and unpredictability of institutional decision settings. The book will be of interest to libraries considering construction projects or seeking insight into the decision making process in general. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
