Womens' studies librarians' view that women should be represented at the center of library collections and services generates conflict in the United States academic library. An examination of the development of a women's studies research library in the Rutgers University Libraries System between 1970 and the mid-1990s reveals the bibliographic and…

As the academic library plays the roles of intermediary and adjudicator of collection purchases and cancellations, faculty involvement in library resource decisions is not only commonplace, but essential to making such decisions. Faculty involvement in cancellation projects is often enhanced by a thorough explanation of the depth of financial…

Presents the third annual annotated bibliography of new reference tools published or received in 1990-91 that were nominated by librarians as their favorites. Twenty-five items are reviewed for types of questions that could be answered by the source, comments from patrons and staff, and the librarian's opinion as to quality. (LRW)

Describes a plan developed by the Phoenix Public Library that involved all librarians working in branches in defining what constitutes excellence in professional performance in the areas of collection development, reference and reader's advisory services, and community interaction. Characteristics related to excellence are identified, and…

Library media specialists, 55 from each of 5 states which have organized child-choice state award programs--Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Carolina, and Texas--were surveyed to ascertain their position on the question of whether library media specialists should purchase Caldecott/Newbery or state award books. The survey consisted of two…

The book "Double Fold" is an investigation into what its author Nicholas Baker, a novelist and essayist, terms as a deception of research libraries and their maintenance of books and newspapers, their paper collections. This book is a response to Baker's writings, based on the author's perspective as an archivist. The first chapter introduces…

Presents thought from school library media specialists regarding collection development. Topics include first-year experiences; the importance of cataloging; selection criteria; selection sources; and weeding. (LRW)

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…

Recently the Peru State College Library (Nebraska) had an opportunity to use a special acquisitions grant to study the effects of removing librarian bias in one area of its collection. This study considers the use of the items selected for this grant by humanities faculty and compares their use with other items selected by both librarians and…

Differing perspectives of reference collection development librarians and publishers are presented for the following topics: fairness of pricing trends; best/worst ways to communicate about new reference titles; deciding which sources should be published; impact of electronic materials on reference services; deciding on/selecting formats; and…

Comments on the research finding that the personal convictions of the teacher-librarian about what is made available to secondary school students are more influential in the censorship of school library materials than external pressures to censor by school and community members. (six references) (MAB)

An online survey seeking librarians' opinions about including children's books in the high school library returned many positive responses. Lists ways children's books could be used in high school. Discusses the new wave of children's literature; children's books made into movies; commonality of high school libraries having collections of…

A survey was conducted of randomly selected school library media specialists participating in the Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Carolina, and Texas state "child choice" book award programs to identify any censorship taking place in these programs, and the attitudes of the library media specialists toward such censorship. In most…

A survey of curriculum centers in Illinois academic institutions found that a wide range of library services were offered to education faculty, staff, and students and that librarians were committed to the education community and the larger university. (EA)

Librarians in Library Power schools were asked to describe meaningful student learning experiences in their libraries and to explain what made them meaningful. Responses were analyzed for the quality of the learning experience described and for the kinds of indicators cited as evidence of learning. Case studies observed how school library media…