Discussion of cooperation between church and synagogue libraries and public libraries notes church and synagogue library collections (materials organized to serve local congregation in study and teaching of its heritage, materials on role of clergy and laity, biographical information); building cooperative relationships; Church and Synagogue…

Introduces information request form developed by Cooperative Reference Services Committee of American Library Association's Reference and Adult Services Division to be used whenever a library cannot supply information requested by a patron and would like to ask another library for assistance. Front of proposed form with sample question is shown.…

This article explores the unique features of zoo/aquarium libraries--their history, users, staff, collections and services, access, location, budget, networking and cooperation--and discusses problems they have in common with other special libraries. Increased cooperation and communication as major goals for the future are noted. (8 references)…

This 62-item bibliography lists library journal articles published in the 1980s which provide an overview of what is happening in the world of bibliographic utilities, i.e., organizations that maintain large online bibliographic databases and provide products and services related to these bases and to its members. Subdivision within bibliography…

An essentially comparative descriptive-analytical framework is the result of this tentative analytical approach and its application in one statewide study. (Author/JN)

The legal and structural arrangements for public-academic library cooperation are examined. Rhode Island's program illustrates the problems involved as well as the importance of the role of the state library agency in successfully establishing cooperative programs. (Author)

Describes the role of the school library media program in networking in terms of nine network considerations requiring group agreement, joint programs and services, media specialist's roles, and challenges to be met. (CMV)

Describes the live virtual reference service, Q and A NJ (Question and Answer New Jersey), strategies used to meet the challenges of day-to-day management, scaled growth and quality control. Describes how it began; how long it took; how to manage a large project (constant communication; training and practice; transcript analysis and privacy;…

Includes five articles that discuss digital reference in elementary and secondary education; the need to understand the technological environment of digital reference; question negotiation in digital reference; a pilot study that evaluated chat reference service quality; and collaborative digital museum and digital library reference services. (LRW)

Summarizes events at an OCLC-sponsored conference at which three major issues were addressed: (1) how public libraries will improve access to services and resources; (2) how public librarians will interact with users and what skills/attitudes they will require; and (3) the impact of interlibrary cooperation in light of changes in society and…

Includes three articles: (1) describes a collaboration that investigated integrity within the distributed nature of digital libraries through value-added surrogates; (2) describes the digitization of special collections at the University of Iowa libraries; and (3) explains the Collaborative Digital Reference Service (CDRS) being developed by the…

Explores the possibility of using Web contact center software to offer reference assistance to remote users. Discusses a project by the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System/Santiago Library System consortium to test contact center software and to develop a virtual reference network. (Author/LRW)

Discussion of efforts in Canada to support print disabled users focuses on the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) Library's national network (VISUNET: CANADA) that supports the premise of a virtual library. Describes international collaborative efforts among libraries to better serve print disabled users. (LRW)

Translated from its original German because of the great interest in mass deacidification in the United States, this report summarizes a substantial study of deacidification techniques conducted for the West German Library by the Battelle Institute. It begins with a summary of the findings of the study, which is followed by discussions of: (1) The…

This paper examines the reasons for and the means of providing public library service to business and industry. It discusses the organization of a business and industry service, staff qualifications and training, and the composition of the collection. The importance of studies and surveys to determine the information and service needs of the…