Managing Change in the Nonprofit Sector
Lessons from the Evolution of Five Independent Research Libraries

Jed I. Bergman

In this thoroughly researched book, author Jed I. Bergman, in collaboration with William G. Bowen and Thomas I. Nygren, presents a historical review of five of the most prestigious private libraries in the United States. In addition to presenting rich historical portraits, Bergman analyses how these five nonprofit organizations managed the pressures of change that all nonprofits face. He examines the financial pressures, new demands for access and democratization, and common challenges the organizations faced while coping with change.

By offering a thorough understanding of the five libraries-representing a microcosm of the nonprofit sector-the authors provide valuable lessons for directors, managers, and board members of all nonprofits who are coping with the inevitability of change within their organizations. Because the authors had unprecedented access to the libraries and their records, Managing Change in the Nonprofit Sector presents comprehensive and compelling information, including: an analysis of organizational growth; how executives resolved the thorny problem of adhering to the objectives of the library founders while addressing the often conflicting goals of societal pressure; how the roles of executives have changed over the years; the approach used for the management of endowments; an investigation of the factors that caused budget deficits; and how the libraries responded when financial pressures became a serious issue.

This book is written for nonprofit executives, board members, and scholars, as well as librarians, library science students, and historians of social change. It is crucial to understanding the forces that affect organizational change and the interplay between financial and program considerations so vital to long-term success.

1996. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers. ISBN: 0787901385