Outlines development of business and library management in western countries, management approaches in China in general, and Chinese library and information services in particular. Suggestions for improvement of Chinese library services address geographic distribution, regional cooperation, national referral services, open access, publicity,…

The Sydney Public Library began as the Australian Subscription Library and Reading Room which opened in Sydney on December 1, 1827, with 1,000 volumes. The Municipal Council of Sydney took possession of the library in 1909. The library evolved from a closed access, fixed shelf position library to an open access system in 1910. A complete…

Discusses the factors that led to the rise of the Arabic-Islamic libraries during the seventh through fourteenth centuries. The most famous libraries are identified, the management and organization of these libraries are described, and the factors behind the destruction of the Arabic-Islamic libraries are discussed. (30 references) (CLB)

John Metcalfe was a leader of the Free Library Movement in Australia in the 1930s, becoming a well-known educator, writer, and state librarian. His involvement in national and international library cooperation from the 1940s to the 1960s widened his earlier New South Wales focus. There is a strong democratic focus in Metcalfe's writings on…

This paper argues that the ancient people of Kemet (Egypt), "the black land," built and operated the first major libraries and institutions of higher education in the world. Topics of discussion include the Ancient Egyptians as an African people; a chronology of Ancient Kemet; literature in Kemet; a history of Egyptian Librarianship; the…

Describes the impact of social and political reforms in Russia during the 1860s on the role of the Imperial Public Library. The discussion covers the changes in library organization and operations that reflected a willingness to adapt to changing social conditions, and the resulting perception of the library as a vital tool for progress. (80…

Two articles discuss Chinese libraries and materials: one reviews the role of bibliographic utilities in the bibliographic control of Chinese language materials in U.S. libraries, and one examines characteristics of administration in academic libraries in China from both historical perspective and current practice. (64 references) (LRW)

Attempts to define the unique characteristics of the political, social, and economic obstacles to the modernization of academic libraries in China. The historical development of librarianship in China is described, and a scenario is used to illustrate the organization of academic libraries and the resulting problems. (18 references) (CLB)

Examines the development of Nigerian University libraries and the political factors that created them and continue to effect their development, with a focus on those established between 1980 and 1984. Users, governance, finance, buildings, staffing, collection development, services, cataloging and classification, and automation are described.…

During the last decade, research has become increasingly important to the profession of librarianship. Seven library schools now have doctoral programs, foundation grants have stimulated and supported scores of major projects, and the research method has been recognized as an accepted technique for solving library problems. The increasing volume…

In this report, the Education Commissioner discusses the office's work, with a list of its publications. The Commissioner of Education also presents summary data and discussion on the census related to education and on illiteracy among minors as taken from the census; school age, population, enrollment, and attendance; teacher workforce, salaries,…