This paper focuses on issues related to library personnel in the British academic library. A background discussion on staff salaries, decreases in funding and increases in availability of information in more electronic formats, and the print culture and the electronic library leads to a statement of the need for increased information technology…

The program of the 128th meeting of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is designed around the notion of examining rapid changes taking place in individual institutions and becoming agile enough to adapt, to manage change, and to learn how to effectively lead libraries through these turbulent periods. The program is divided into three main…

Librarians at Indiana University Northwest Library surveyed patrons on how to make the library's collection and services more accessible by improving signage. Examines the effectiveness of signage to instruct users, reduce difficulties and fears, ameliorate negative experiences, and contribute to a user-friendly environment. (AEF)

Discusses the results of two collection assessments conducted 13 years apart at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Both assessments focused on the central stacks collection, a repository collection serving the institution's 42 branch and departmental libraries. Findings provide insight into the results of deferred collections care and…

The digital library encompasses the application of high-performance computers and networks to the production, distribution, management, and use of knowledge in research and education. A joint project by three federal agencies, which is investing in digital library initiatives at six universities, is discussed. A sidebar provides issues to consider…

Views academic libraries through the lens of the assessment and accountability movements. Illustrates how a research library at the University of Rochester (Rochester, New York) has created an assessment environment in an effort to focus on educational impact. Discusses principles of good practice, and formal and informal evaluation. (AEF)

Discusses the problems of spatial requirements and design as they affect utilization of audio-visual (AV) resources in Nigerian university libraries and presents a new design for an AV media center as an alternative to the current practices. Discusses decision making, consultation and analysis, and storage, access, and display considerations. (AEF)

Explores the management of CD-ROM service in Malaysian academic libraries and marketing strategies used to popularize it. Findings revealed that these libraries use a variety of marketing and promotional channels, some of which need improvement; the libraries need to strengthen their end-user education programs to suit users with different levels…

In addition to building a new facility and providing innovative services to its students/faculty/administration, the Valley Library of Oregon State University, winner of the Gale Group/Library Journal Library of the Year Award, has created partnerships with public libraries, the business community, school districts, and other academic…

Discussion of fund-raising in academic libraries addresses issues of major gifts, capital campaigns, organization, staffing, constituency, and the role of the library development program within the academic community. Highlights include library administrator roles, goals, centralized versus decentralized development, and creating a major-gifts…

Examines how library managers can work with staff to make change initiatives more successful, based on cooperative planning experiences at Duke University Library. Focuses on (1) what the worker wants; (2) barriers to workers getting what they want; (3) technology's liberating influence; and (4) recommendations/predictions. (AEF)

Examines Axel Lodewycks' role at the University of Melbourne (Australia) during the period 1959 to 1973. Lodewycks made a significant contribution to the construction of the Baillieu Library building in this period, but was never able to raise his own standing within the university beyond that established by his predecessors. (Author/AEF)

Describes the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) advisory committees in terms of research, public, college and university, and special libraries. All four of the type-of-library advisory groups work to shape OCLC policies and programs, according to the particular needs of each group. OCLC's financial and programmatic success depends upon…

Academic libraries can improve their management of change by reshaping performance appraisal into performance planning. This article notes problems with traditional employee evaluation as well as benefits of alternatives that focus on the future, on users, on planning and learning, and on skills needed to address problems and enhance individual…

Examines a new approach to measuring service quality--conducted at Yale University's libraries--one that produces findings useful for local planning and decision making. The goal is to probe the service attributes of greatest potential to both actual customers and service providers. The setting for this study was Yale University. (AEF)