Investigates costs and operations of back office activities of three middle-sized research libraries focusing on costs of labor and effects of automation. Measuring costs, labor compensation differences, differences in hours per volume, differences in organization, reduction of labor costs due to automation, and the quality dimension are…

This report of the Virtual Library Planning Committee (VLPC) is intending to serve as a blueprint for the University of South Florida (USF) Libraries as it shifts from print to digital formats in its evolution into a "Virtual Library". A comprehensive planning process is essential for the USF Libraries to make optimum use of technology,…

The goals of this SPEC Kit were to report on the extent to which ARL (Association of Research Libraries) libraries provide electronic reference services and to offer a snapshot of the types of users reached, questions received, policies established, data-gathering techniques utilized, and innovations implemented. The first section of the kit…

The purpose of this book and accompanying CD-ROM is to provide any library that is undertaking the development of a technology plan with a general introduction to the components of and process for developing a plan, while also providing specific examples of plans that illustrate a variety of approaches. These approaches include stand-alone…

Since libraries make obvious targets for economizing, their existence is threatened. Librarians have plans to save them, but strong support is needed from trustees and administrators. Library-faculty partnerships, resource sharing, and the applications of communications and computer technology to bibliographic processes are discussed. (Author/MLW)

This study examined job descriptions (1975, 1981, 1990) of three paraprofessional jobs in an academic library technical services department at a small, private liberal arts college to determine changes occurring as a result of automation. It found no significant differences. Although changes were more idiosyncratic than expected, they may indicate…

Library patron demands will exert increasing influence over the allocation of materials budgets. To determine the extent to which data produced by automated systems are used to guide collection development, a questionnaire was sent to the 108 university library members of the Association of Research Libraries. Responses (n=79) showed that such…

Reports the results of a study that surveyed online vendors of both large and microcomputer based library management systems to examine patterns of system installation in public, university, college, special, and government libraries in Canada. A directory of online vendors is provided. (CLB)

Each of three articles describes an academic library's online catalog that includes locally created databases. Topics covered include database and software selection; systems design and development; database producer negotiations; problems encountered during implementation; database loading; training and documentation; and future plans. (CLB)

Describes a survey of Wisconsin academic library support staff that explored the effects of computerization of libraries on work and job satisfaction. Highlights include length of employment; time spent at computer terminals; training; computer background; computers as timesavers; influence of automation on effectiveness; and job frustrations.…

Reviews major trends affecting traditional interlibrary loan and document delivery, including rising prices, table of contents indexing services, fax technology, the Internet, interlibrary loan subsystems of bibliographic utilities, and integrated library systems with patron-initiated services. Two examples of the development of new document…

Discusses the acquisition of library materials in electronic formats, particularly CD-ROMs and machine-readable data files (MRDFs) in academic libraries, and considers possible problems that can result related to collection development policies. Cooperation in the selection process between subject collectors and technical experts is suggested.…

Describes methodology for analyzing MARC (machine-readable cataloging) records of highly circulating titles to document common characteristics for collection development purposes. Application of the methodology in a university library is discussed, and data are presented on commonality of subject heading, author, language, and imprint date for…

Discusses the role of professional associations in theological librarianship in accreditation, advocacy, and education. The need for the profession to expand its impact on theological research and teaching, the need for preservation of library materials, the impact of new technology on library budgets and practices, and the myth of free…

Discusses changes that are occurring in academic libraries as they try to keep up with the growth in sources of information. Topics discussed include acquisitions; interlibrary loan; new technologies in libraries; library expenditures; library staff; collection development; and the need to redefine the library's role to that of an information…