Discusses planning "future of the catalog" decisions given AACR2 and suggests that courses of action for small libraries may be developed through self-study and by reference to a list of 11 resources. (RAA)

Describes the Bibliographic Service Development Program begun in 1978 by the Council on Library Resources. The program's goals include (1) providing effective bibliographic services for all who need them, (2) improving the nature and quality of bibliographic products, and (3) stabilizing the costs of many bibliographic processes in individual…

The most elemental identifier of a book is the international standard book number (ISBN). It allows publishers, booksellers, and libraries to label works in a consistent way and to distinguish not only among different titles but also among different versions of the same title, such as newer editions, various bindings, audio products, and…

Chris Dodge, a renowned alternative pressologist and the librarian at "Utne" magazine, has been known to say, "Every library should be a special library." In order to meet this challenge, the librarians at Barnard College decided to start a collection of underground publications known as zines. In this article, the author describes how librarians…

This essay discussing effects of automation on library personnel and library services notes civil service structures; failures in personnel administration; rigidity in library service; access to information by "temporary" language; evaluative, judgmental analysis of the book, data, or journal; dangers of centralized decision-making and…

Provides an annotated bibliography of 42 books that rank as the library profession's most outstanding literature published between January 1997 and March 1998. The list is organized by the following categories: academic libraries; archives/preservation; cataloging/technical services; children's services; collection development; general library…

Reviews trends in catalog and technical service departments in response to information needs of library patrons, administrations of catalog and technical services departments, and professional standards that no longer meet patron needs. Discusses patron search patterns; the role of catalogers; and results of sharing cataloging records, downsizing,…

Describes an ethnic collection development conference held in California that focused on how librarians can meet the needs of the growing numbers of ethnic and racial minorities. Topics discussed include library management; sources of reviews for ethnic titles; selection criteria; acquisitions procedures; cataloging practices; subject heading…