Intended for use by parents of children and youth with handicaps, the guide offers basic information on accessing the ERIC bibliographic database and publications. Answers are provided to the following questions: what is ERIC?; where are the resources?; why use the ERIC system?; what's in the ERIC system?; and how do you get started using ERIC…

This brochure describes the online information services at the New York State Library, which has online access to over 250 databases covering a broad range of subject areas, including current events, law, science, medicine, public affairs, grants, business, computer technology, education, social welfare, and humanities. Many of these databases are…

The types of reference question considered most difficult by the staffs of Northern California public library systems were the subject of a workshop conducted by the Bay Area Reference Center (BARC). The topics included: antiques and collectibles; identifying a poem from its middle line; how to make practically anything; how to repair various…

Criticizes the typical reference librarian's solution to a student's information request--the book--and presents specific reasons for offering a variety of sources and formats. Included is an information 'credo' that emphasizes information, not its package. (JD)

This PIALA 1997 Proceedings follows the tradition of publishing papers from each annual conference of the Pacific Islands Association of Libraries and Archives (PIALA). After welcoming remarks from Sue Moses, Kapily Capelle, and Isabel Rungrad, the following papers are included: "Places of Enlightenment, Places of Dreams" (Maradel Gale);…

This loose-leaf directory of identified California state agency libraries and information sources lists names of staff, address of agency, hours, subject strengths, circulation policies, and services of each agency. Information was collected through questionnaire survey, and telephone and personal interviews. Directory entries are arranged by…

Newspaper librarians discussed the public use of their newspapers' libraries. Policies run the gamut from well-staffed public information services, within or outside the newspaper library, to no service at all to those outside the staff of the paper. Problems of dealing with tax and law enforcement agencies were covered, as well as cooperative…

Proposals are made for a goal oriented approach to coordinate bibliographic control in the multidisciplinary field of mental retardation, establish networks of information service, and provide consultants for setting up services in various institutions and locales. A review of existing efforts for bibliographic control, classification, and library…

The effects of personal systems on formal library and secondary information services use are analyzed. Conclusions are that personal information systems are not personalized libraries;'' formal library services should concentrate on developing complimentary programs. (9 references) (Author)

Paul Ricoeur's narrative theory, when combined with the social theory of Pierre Bourdieu, fosters a fresh perspective on the debate about the language of business and its influence in librarianship. It is suggested that narratives about readers hold promise because they capture the active nature of reading. (Author)

Forty-five electronic pathfinders were selected from nine Canadian university libraries to assess their degree of conformity to suggested guidelines in existing literature about pathfinders. Analysis revealed the guidelines were not uniformly followed, leaving some pathfinders more complex and less useful than others. Specific guidelines must be…

Topics include: digital library projects in the National Science Foundation's NSDL program; an electronic reserve platform at the University of Calgary; highlights from the sixth International Summer School on the Digital Library; the Digital Imaging Project of South Africa; a database of local information at the Oregon State University library;…

Census tapes are not a ready reference tool and must be supported by appropriate program tapes. However, census materials provide the single, most important sources of information and measures which, properly used, provide a better understanding of our society. In utilizing census products, librarians need to fill the role of a user, as well as…

Libraries must be aware of the needs of the users in their funding organization, and yet, there is growing concern among library funding organizations that libraries are not fully coping with the information explosion. In fact, libraries, by not adopting new techniques to become more productive, are actually helping to cause the problems of the…

The purpose of this study was to provide an introductory analysis of the content of the Web sites of botanical and horticultural libraries in the United States to determine what types of resources and information is included, whether or not information is organized and accessible, and to what extent botanical and horticultural libraries are using…