The objective of this study was to identify common communication issues that arise during the electronic resource lifecycle and identify communication strategies academic libraries are using effectively to manage electronic resources. A survey of academic librarians and staff received 240 responses and included 5-point Likert scale ratings on…

This article describes a wayfinding study conducted in an urban, academic library to better understand the experiences of multilingual student populations. The study, which incorporated traditional user experience methods and video ethnography, exposed communication obstacles and spatial challenges encountered by students of English for speakers…

A solid professional performance on the part of academic librarians at present calls for adequate knowledge about copyright law, not only for the development of their own tasks without infringing the law, but also to guide and provide pertinent advice for library users (faculty and students). This paper presents the results of an online survey of…

Understanding faculty work practices can translate into improved library services. This study documents how education and behavioral science faculty locate, retrieve, and use information resources for research and writing and how they publish and store their research materials. The authors interviewed twelve professors using a structured interview…

This paper describes a project that underscores the critical role of this nation's museums and libraries in helping citizens build such 21st century skills as information, communications and technology literacy, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, civic literacy, and global awareness. Recognizing that every individual requires these…

Using simulated reference questions and a search exercise in a standardized list of subject headings, this test assesses several major skills of reference librarians: question analysis, selection of appropriate source, actual use of the source, and selection of appropriate subject terms. It also provides a means of determining the attitudes of…

This paper examines the literacy services provided by public libraries in the rural areas (communities of 25,000 people or less) of West Virginia and Kentucky. Of the 93 libraries (68%) which responded to the survey, 89.8% acknowledge illiteracy as being a problem. However, although 92% of the librarians agree that illiteracy programs are an…

This final segment of a series of studies to ascertain the degree to which visually impaired persons use the Library of Congress National Library Service for the blind and physically handicapped (NLS) examines the methodologies involved in conducting the studies, as well as the problems associated with those methodologies. Chapters explore the…

Discusses problems with access to local government information faced by libraries and by the public. Local government information policies are discussed, information management practices are considered, library services to disseminate government information are suggested, and a checklist for a model local government information policy is included.…

Over the past two decades, an increasing number of American children are left in self-care after school each day. Parents of these latchkey children often turn to the library as a safe place for their children to go. The purpose of this study was to determine whether public libraries have responded since 1990 to the call put forward by concerned…

The purpose of this study was to assess the need for talking book services by blind or physically handicapped Native Americans residing on reservations in Montana. The Blackfeet Reservation, with a Native American population of approximately 7,000, and the Rocky Boy Reservation, with a Native American population of 2,400, were selected for the…

A questionnaire study assessed 143 faculty members at Kent State University to determine if the problem of theft and mutilation of library materials causes faculty members to view the library as well as the miscreants responsible for this behavior in a negative light. It is hypothesized that a majority of faculty members responding to the survey…

The purpose of this research project was to examine the current state of libraries in the Solomon Islands with particular attention to the resources available and the services provided. Data was collected through a survey questionnaire, site visits, and informal interviews carried out in the Solomon Islands between July and August 1998. The 20…

The goal of this research was to find out if libraries across the country have applied for and received Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) grants to fund latchkey programs. Through the use of a questionnaire sent to all of the state library agencies in the United States, data was collected by structured and open-ended questions. The…

Addresses the necessity of incorporating new computer technologies into school library resource centers and notes some administrative challenges. An extensive checklist is provided for assessing equipment and furniture needs, physical facilities, and rewiring needs. A glossary of 20 terms and 11 additional resources is included. (AEF)