After a needs assessment exposed that even daily library users were unaware of the best resources, tools, and services, the Rider University Libraries switched gears from a focus on the creation of long step-by-step tutorials, to the creation of short promotional videos for all users, with attention on the needs of distance learners. This project…

This article provides a case study of how the University of Nebraska College of Law and Schmid Law Library use "buttons" to manage Law College faculty members' and librarians' online presence. Since Google is the primary search engine used to find information, it is important that librarians and libraries assist Web site visitors in…

At most colleges and universities, there are a number of small, nonlibrary collections across campus, such as those found in student centers or academic departments. Historically, at American University, partnership with these collections was done through absorbing them into the main library collection. Recently, however, the Library has seen…

Today's academic library provides resources that users can access both physically in the library and virtually from academic offices. This increasing availability of online access means that information resources are no longer confined within library walls and librarians need to rethink how their constituents' information needs are being met.…

At least since the early 1990s, academic libraries have been merging Circulation and various other related functions into a single department typically labeled "Access Services." In many cases, however, that merger has proven to be administrative rather than functional, with minimal integration of common workflows. This article describes…

The society relies on institutions of higher education to produce a literate workforce; one that is able to function in a dynamic, technological, information-overload environment. In support of this new thrust, most universities have incorporated the use of new media and ICTs in the teaching learning process resulting in a multi-modal approach…

Good libraries are a critical part of any university's research and teaching, whether in physical or digital form. But, as numerous accounts have documented, many African libraries have struggled to maintain good collections in the face of falling budgets, rising purchasing costs, and expanding student numbers. This paper draws on a literature…

This article analyzes a textbook collection project that spanned three semesters at the University of Minnesota. The project consisted of collecting extra copies from professors in several departments and placing the items on reserves for short term circulation; there was a small amount of money dedicated to the project. An analysis of circulation…

Beyond collecting traditional circulation statistics, tracking in-house use of library materials is a significant measure of how patrons use our resources. In our pilot project, Lending Services staff members conducted nightly pick-ups of library materials left on tables, in carrels, in study rooms, as well as books cast aside in the stacks areas…

The Penn State Libraries' Open House activities for incoming students find Access Services staff extending beyond their everyday routines to creatively help relieve students' fears of the library and understand how Access Services can help them. Serving on the Access Services Open House Committee offers staff many opportunities for development as…

Describes cataloging the Slavery Pamphlets Collection microforms set at the University of Southern Mississippi, a collection of 2,348 titles concerning slavery or published by religious societies publishing anti-slavery materials. Highlights participation in the OCLC Major Microforms Project, procedures, title search, review of records and pieces,…

Describes the evolution of the Louisiana State University Digital Library, highlighting its differences from comparable tools at other institutions (a local database plus a framework designed for distribution and growth), content, and future plans. (PEN)

Academic branch libraries located at a distance from the parent institution often face unique challenges in meeting users' needs for scholarly information. This is especially true for distant branch libraries that do not have a specialized function or collection, but who often face the challenge of meeting users' needs for scholarly materials…

This report examines the process of planning library services for off-campus students that was undertaken by the Vermont State Colleges (VSC) in 1982, and considers the implications of the plans for the system as a whole as well as for the Community College of Vermont (CCV), a non-campus, non-traditional college without a library. Following a…

Today, it is advantageous for academic libraries to look outside their own organizations to other potential campus and commercial partners when considering new services. This case study describes the planning and implementation of electronic reserves at the University of Kansas Libraries, including the integration of two commercial partners,…