Compares 48 features of four versions of the ERIC database, two commercial (SilverPlatter, FirstSearch) and two free (AskERIC.org, SeachERIC.org), to determine whether features of the commercial versions were worth the cost to academic libraries. Reports results of a survey that investigated user preferences, and concludes that value added…

Discusses the Internet's impact on library resources and the academic curriculum, highlighting collection development and the library's role in integrating the Internet into the curriculum. Suggests that librarians should promote the use of the Internet in the academic community and should integrate Internet resources with other library materials…

Argues that collection development systems need to exert greater control over scholarly and educational information if the systems are to adapt to changing technical and economic conditions. Steps toward increased control should include categorization of sources and access by function, ongoing definition of a title-specific core, and the…

Describes a study that established criteria for judging the scholarly value of dissertations and disproved the assumption that good dissertations will be published. Bibliographic access to dissertations is reviewed, and the need for librarians to reevaluate their attitudes toward policies governing dissertation acquisition is discussed. (27…

Virginia Commonwealth University reduced its ready reference collection by integrating the majority into the general reference collection. The project was a success and advantages for staff included more time and focus on users; expanded knowledge of collection; and reduced stress. (JMV)

Discusses the increased costs of library materials, the need for a new budgeting approach, and the impact of technology. The development of a library materials index that was developed at Ohio State University to provide a consistent source for measuring library materials expenditures against the marketplace is described. (Contains 14 references.)…

Outlines the issues and concerns of providing spatial data that have been encountered by the Map and Geographic Information Center (MAGIC) at the University of Connecticut's library. Highlights include collecting and archiving, cataloging and indexing, networking, distribution, user education, geographic information systems, and a glossary of key…

Discussion of collection assessment focuses on academic library experiences. Topics addressed include library accountability; funding shortages; barriers to collection assessment; strategies to aid in assessment, including adequate training and performance incentives; and implications of collection assessment for library budgets, including…

Discussion of journal pricing and its effects on academic libraries focuses on data from the Optical Society of America's pricing study that used price per 1,000 words as a quantitative evaluative tool. Data collection methodology is described, and implications of the results for library collection development are suggested. (eight references)…

A comparison of book reviews for humanities and social sciences books named to CHOICE's 1987 "Outstanding Academic Books" with a selection of books not named to the list showed no substantial difference in the number or quality of reviews received. Study suggests that libraries should be cautious in their reliance on published lists for…

Describes a study that investigated the abuse of library materials through theft, mutilation, unauthorized borrowing, and vandalism at the University of Port Harcourt (Nigeria) and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (Saudi Arabia). Motivations for abuse are discussed, and recommendations for improved collection protection are…

Discusses DVD (digital video disc) technology and considers its future possibilities. Highlights include laserdiscs, DVDs in academic-library collections, public-library experiences with DVDs, and problems with changes in video formats and technological obsolescence. (LRW)

Discusses the development of a library acquisition allocation formula at the University of Technology, Sydney. Covers the items included, consultative process adopted, details of the formulae derived and their implementation. (Author)

Even though endorsements of written collection development policies abound in the professional literature, many academic libraries do not have them in place. Interviews with several Louisiana librarians reveal possible reasons for that disparity. Instead of spending time devising policies that quickly become inflexible and outdated, bibliographers…

Discussion of academic library book acquisition reviews pertinent literature on book reviews, book selection, and evaluation and proposes a model for academic library book acquisition using a two-year relational database file of approval plan records. Defines a core collection for the California State University system, and characterizes…