Accessibility is one of the key checkpoints in all software products, applications, and Web sites. Accessibility with digital images has always been a major challenge for the industry. Images form an integral part of certain type of documents and most Web 2.0-compliant Web sites. Individuals challenged with blindness and many dyslexics only make…

Librarians at Washington State University Vancouver helped the campus develop a method of assessing its General Education Program, a program based on university learning goals, one of which is information literacy. The assessment method, which relies on an electronic portfolio (ePortfolio) along with rubrics to evaluate work in the ePortfolio,…

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Records and Archives Management Programme (RAMP) works primarily to help developing countries meet archive and record management needs. This study is intended to inform archivists, curators, and users in the proper handling and care of archival materials. The publication…

Discusses two articles addressing the problem of how to read and evaluate library research in a critical, consumer-oriented manner: Margaret Hayes Grazier's "Critically Reading and Applying Research in School Library Media Centers" (1982) and M. Carl Drott's "How to Read Research: An Approach to the Literature for Practitioners" (1984). (EJS)

Written to guide librarians and staff in all types of libraries, this manual describes steps in the processes of writing collection development statements and assessing library collections. The first section focuses on the collection development policy--the benefits of a written policy, who should write the statement, and elements to be included.…

Discusses the importance of the response time of an online public catalog and its capacity to support multiple users without system degradation; outlines general requirements of an online catalog; explains the difference between menu and command systems; defines response time; and suggests ways of testing an online system accurately. (EM)

Reports on a program held at the 1986 American Library Association Conference which offered a model for locating and evaluating existing research on libraries. Six guidelines for evaluating research are provided, and small group sessions which evaluated actual research and talked directly with researchers are described. (EM)

Students in traditional as well as online classrooms need more than grades from their instructors--they also need meaningful feedback to help bridge their academic knowledge and skills with their daily lives. With the increasing number of online learning classrooms, the question of how to consistently assess online learning has become increasingly…

This step-by-step guide gives librarians the information to develop successful, collaborative ventures with other organizations in an effort to provide comprehensive and integrated services for children and families. Each chapter outlines steps to take in the creation of a family-centered library environment. The topics discussed are: serving…

Policies and procedures are outlined for the Online Database Information Network (ODIN), a cooperative of libraries in south-central Pennsylvania, which was organized to improve library services through technology. The first section covers organization and goals, members, and responsibilities of the administrative council and libraries. Patrons…

Designed for braille transcribers and teachers of the visually handicapped, this document consists of three short articles about literary braille. The first article discusses the changes in the official literary braille code which became effective on October 1, 1980. The second article describes problems commonly encountered by students and…

Identifies and discusses seven critical issues in the implementation and maintenance of a library automation staff training program: timing, a modular learning approach, training location, trainers, documentation, lesson reinforcement, and continuity. An appendix describes some of the options available for computer assisted training programs.…

This procedure manual is designed to assist cataloging staff members at a university library through the 10-step process of barcoding and linking books classified by the Library of Congress system to the library's GEAC online computer system. A brief introduction provides background information on the project. The procedures involved in each…

Describes 10 key elements of generic teaching strategies for developing student thinking and provides a rationale for the participation of school library media specialists in developing student thinking skills. The role of media specialists within the school and the importance of information-based decision making in a free society are discussed.…

This digest begins with a brief discussion of the current status of the relatively recent phenomenon of online searching in schools. The advantages and disadvantages of online access in this context are then outlined, and some suggestions are offered for school library media specialists who wish to initiate online information retrieval for their…