This SPEC (Systems and Procedures Exchange Center) Kit reports results of a survey attempting to characterize "branch libraries" and "discrete collections" housed in main academic libraries. The results provide a snapshot of current definitions, subject areas, services, and administration of these collections, as well as…

Describes results of two collection condition surveys conducted at the University of Kansas libraries, one of which examined materials returning from circulation and the other which examined the general collection. Paper condition, text block condition, binding, and mutilation are discussed, and the impact on long-term preservation planning is…

The Assessing Quality on Digital Reference team conducted two site visits at Florida Libraries in August 2001. The objectives of these visits were to: document how digital reference services are currently being planned for, delivered, and evaluated in libraries; understand how "quality" in digital reference is defined in these…

Based on a literature review and content analysis of written collection development policies for school libraries in Indiana, a Delphi survey of district-level school media directors in 28 states identified important issues to be addressed in future school library collection development policies. Respondents found copyright guidelines to be an…

Examines demographic and economic trends of rural areas nationally, in the Northeast, and in Pennsylvania, and discusses the impact of these trends on rural library planning and services. Four options for developing rural library policy and implementing quality library services are outlined. (55 references) (CLB)

This paper addresses the preservation needs unique to small libraries, where the majority of special collections exist. A preservation survey of the Herrick Memorial Library (Wellington, OH) was conducted to ascertain the condition of its 45,000 holdings and develop a practical low-cost disaster plan. Using accepted preservation survey criteria,…

This report, in two volumes, is a study of the role and future of public libraries in adult literacy that involved a survey of 200 professionals--state librarians, state library literacy contacts, heads of state literacy resource centers (SLRCs), and local library literacy program heads. The first volume describes the study findings in seven…

Thirty-two case studies illustrating problem areas and situations that develop in the modern environment of the electronic school library media program are presented for use by library science students and library/media center managers. Based on input from practicing librarians at the elementary and secondary levels, the studies are designed to…