A nationwide survey of online searchers at 150 college and university libraries was conducted to explore various characteristics of this group. From a sample of 380 searchers representing 85 libraries, 201 surveys (52.9%) were returned, and 198 responses were usable. Variables examined include online training, searcher experience, professional…

Reviews a wide range of retrieval problems that arose with the implementation of an online catalog in an academic library, especially the problem of retrieving uniform titles coded as authors. The need for changes in the underlying format of coding uniform titles as a universal solution is discussed. (Author/CLB)

Students at the University of Mississippi were surveyed to compare the usefulness of two types of workbooks in a library/freshman English bibliographic instruction program. The workbook used in the first year of the study required short answers to reference questions; the revised workbook, used the second year, required answers related to term…

A Study of the effects of a one-hour credit course in bibliographic instruction on students' attitudes and library skills compared their scores on an attitudinal survey and objective skills test administered at the first and last classes. Improvement was found in both areas. A copy of the skills test is appended. (2 references) (MES)

Compares features of online public access catalogs (OPACs) at six British universities: (1) Cambridge; (2) Hull; (3) Newcastle; (4) Surrey; (5) Sussex; and (6) York. Results of keyword subject searches on two topics performed on each of the OPACs are reported and compared. Six references are listed. (MES)

This study, which focused on the extent to which Lake Forest College (Illinois) students were aware of library reference services, used interviews and a revised version of a survey used elsewhere. Findings showed student awareness to be relatively high, and that the methodology would work well in other undergraduate settings. (Author/EM)

This paper reports the results of an investigation into the relationship between librarians' status (i.e., librarians having faculty status or librarians lacking such status) and the organizational structure of the college library. The analysis was conducted within the conceptual framework of two organizational models: the bureaucratic and the…

This two-part study was designed (1) to determine differences in the costs of searching BRS After Dark (BRS AD) and Knowledge Index (KI) generally and across ten selected databases, and (2) to determine whether there is a difference in the citations retrieved when the same search is conducted on the same database in both systems. Study methodology…

The process described in this manual is designed to help small academic libraries systematically study the use of their circulating book collections. Originally developed in 1980, the manual has been used successfully in several small college libraries, both with and without assistance from outside consultants. In most cases, the study can be…

This case study of university students' use of reserve materials found that the relationship between grade and reserve use was apparent when one examined aggregates of students, but was not strong enough for use as a predictor of an individual's grade. (EM)

Describes a survey that evaluated time management practices among directors of large academic libraries. Factors such as the ability to delegate authority, leadership style, and the most common time wasters are discussed, and topics are suggested for further research. (19 references) (Author/CLB)

This comprehensive review of the literature on the use of academic libraries by high school students and academic library/school library cooperation, examines descriptive articles, research studies, and reports of questionnaire data. Problems associated with the literature are discussed, and implications for future research are identified.…

Designed to help business firms, corporations, researchers, and others identify libraries with major collections in the fields related to business that are accessible to the public, this brochure may also inform library staff of sources of information in the field for their own networking and for referrals of library users. An expanded and updated…

This kit is compiled from documentation received as a result of a 1975 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) survey on the use of specialists in member libraries; updated materials gathered in 1978 are included. Survey data from 64 ARL members indicate wide utilization of various managerial and technical specialists. Of these, personnel…

In response to Association of Research Libraries (ARL) members' increased interest in the enhancement of manpower resources by greater utilization of paraprofessionals, ARL conducted a survey investigating various aspects of paraprofessional employment in the academic library. For the purposes of the survey, paraprofessional positions were defined…