Provides an introduction to this theme issue by reviewing the status of bibliographic instruction, particularly in academic libraries, over the past decade. Topics include criticism, the need for evaluation, practical and theoretical viewpoints, the need for collaboration, the impact of technology, the need to recognize cultural diversity; and…

Considers the need for renewal of library instruction and provides 10 sample assignments. Topics include the reaffirmation of the goals of library instruction; the use of the real world for examples; collaboration with faculty, students, and other librarians; and relevance. (Author/LRW)

Outlines strategies academic librarians can incorporate to develop effective Web-based tools for library instruction. Topics include Web page design; content; technical and copyright issues; usability and evaluation; site maintenance; Web coding tools; and examples from the University at Albany and the Texas Information Literacy Tutorial (TILT) at…

Reviews the literature on academic librarian's increased teaching role with the emergence of the Internet; discusses the changing student populations who require instruction and the skills students need for information literacy; and reviews how the Internet has affected teaching strategies, including Web-based instruction and integrating…

Discusses the role of technology in library reference interactions and suggests the need to focus more on what the users bring to the reference interaction. Topics include how the Internet impacts reference; the role of information literacy; representational and system models; users' mental models; studies in mental models; and reconstructing…

Reprints the introduction to a past theme issue that discussed library instruction and reference services in academic and public libraries. Topics include library instruction as part of public services; and two main viewpoints of library instruction, one of which believes in its value and one which believes it is unnecessary. (LRW)

Discusses principles of learning and instructional theories and relates them to instruction in academic library user education. Highlights include a conceptual approach, Gagne's hierarchical knowledge and instructional design, Merrill's instructional theory, Reigeluth's elaboration theory, Kolb's experiential learning, Perry's cognitive…

Provides a historical overview of bibliographic instruction in academic libraries from the 1800s to the present. Highlights include convincing administrators and faculty of the need for library instruction, various types of instruction, methods of improvement, the need for faculty and staff cooperation, and examples of successful and unsuccessful…

Describes a cooperative venture in bibliographic instruction between faculty and librarians at the American Graduate School of International Management that was developed to introduce students to the kinds of external information sources they would encounter in the business world, to aid in strategic planning, and to achieve a competitive edge.…

Discussion of off-campus bibliographic instruction focuses on the experiences of Genesee Community College (New York) students who receive their bibliographic instruction in the library of the State University of New York College at Geneseo. Topics include cooperation between librarians, and communication between faculty and librarians.…

Discusses some of the problems created by the introduction of the Internet to academic library services. Topics include problems with the structure of the Internet, librarians' training on the Internet, the preparedness of current users for the Internet, and the impact on bibliographic instruction. (Author/LRW)

Discussion of librarians' training for teaching user education focuses on experiments at the University of North Texas in providing resources and empowering education for librarians and staff members who teach. The use of computer-based education principles and Ranganathan's laws of library science are explained. (Author/LRW)

Discusses the role of stacks support staff and student assistants in providing point-of-use assistance and instruction in Oregon State University's library. A user's survey is described; staff training is explained; and survey instruments and Stack Maintenance Team recommendations are appended. (LRW)

Presents ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) guidelines for library instruction and services for distance education. Highlights include the lack of service issues addressed in digital library discussions; distance students' characteristics; the library's role; and remote service to distance users. (Author/LRW)

The Machine Readable Collections Reading Room of the Library of Congress is described with an emphasis on the reference assistance required and how it compares with assistance required in other areas of the Library of Congress. The interaction between users and librarians is shown to be like that of bibliographic instruction. (EAM)