Discusses developing and implementing a collection plan for building Web-based e-libraries. The starting point for developing any collection plan is an assessment of the function of and need for an information collection and the audience it will serve. Discusses guidelines and practical strategies on where and how to find, identify, evaluate, and…

Reports on some of the new ways public library sites are presenting themselves to their patrons and to the broader World Wide Web audience. Discusses library virtual tours; calendar display; audio-visual materials; resource listings; book clubs; money-raising activities; fugitive fact files; hot item advisors; periodicals; FAQs (frequently asked…

The Electronic Information Resources Task Force was formed by the University of Rhode Island Library to evaluate the present program and plan for and develop improvements. The specific charges to this to this Task Force were to: evaluate the range of the electronic information and delivery mechanisms relevant to the programs of the University of…

Bibliotek.dk is a development project, resulting in a World Wide Web site, that gives the Danish citizen access via the Internet to search and order material in the collections of Danish public and research libraries. The citizen decides himself or herself which library he or she wants to collect the material from. Bibliotek.dk is developed in…

This SPEC Kit and Flyer focus on the gifts and exchange function in Association of Research (ARL) libraries. The survey was sent to 119 ARL institutions via e-mail; 62 usable replies were received. Results, discussed in the SPEC Flyer, highlight trends and effects of changes in library automation, staffing decreases, administrative reorganization,…

Discusses how the resources of public libraries are now available to distant learners through telecommunication services. Highlights increases in library Web access, revitalizations of libraries, and increases in library use. Summaries key items in one university-public library cooperative agreement. (AEF)

In using conventional print, CD-ROM and online resources, librarians are still middlepersons between publishers and users. By exploiting Internet and World Wide Web online technology and developing local databases, libraries can tap new information sources and make them available to local audiences and others dispersed around the world in an…

Provides a history of Native American studies, focusing on Native Americans in North America, and includes an annotated bibliography for library collection development under the headings of reference works, before the Europeans, Indian-White relations, videos, and Web resources. (LRW)

Examines Web sites that provide bibliographic information useful to librarians as well as to end users, some for free and some that charge fees. Highlights include the possibility of canceling database subscriptions; information quality on free Web databases; retrieval-based comparisons between free and fee-based databases; and document delivery…

Discusses results of a Web-based survey conducted by the University of Maryland libraries among faculty and graduate students to determine their views on and use of electronic journals. Distinguishes between print and electronic format preferences for journals most central to research as well as less important titles, and includes copies of the…

Discusses results of a Web-based survey that was conducted to determine the extent to which Canadian public libraries are collecting multilingual materials, methods used to select materials, and whether public librarians are prepared to provide multilingual clientele with adequate materials and services. Examines constraints preventing public…

Analyzes the ways publishers' Web sites can be used by librarians to locate additional science and technology reference materials which fall within budget constraints while meeting the needs of the patrons. Reviews specific publishers' Web sites to compare features and show how they differ. (Author/LRW)

Discusses electronic text collections, bookstores on the Web, reader advisories, cyber book reviews, and resources for librarians explaining how to locate online reading materials. Suggests that librarians can exploit online book resources to complement current collection-development strategies or use them as virtual reader's advisories. Cites 17…

Discusses important considerations for library media specialists creating a virtual-resources-collection policy, including selecting the right resources, navigating licensing fees, and free, searchable online sources. A sidebar lists resources for evaluating Web sites and places that lead to recommended sites for students. (AEF)

The materials included in this reference circular are recommended as basic resources for providing current information on general aspects of visual impairments and physical disabilities. The selections, based on the holdings of the Reference Section, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), were chosen for their…