Libraries offer Missourians of all ages educational and cultural opportunities unsurpassed by any other governmental institution or community agency. Missourians value their libraries, as demonstrated by high usage, approval of library tax levies across the state, and increased demand for library services. This plan provides direction for the…

The primary areas of concern challenging Missouri's libraries as they move from the 20th to 21st century can be divided into three major themes and two sub-themes: current library services and operations; technology and information access; and leadership and funding; and training; and operation. Librarians and library clients are concerned about…

Presents an interview with two librarians who are participating in joint-use projects, one between a public library and a school library, and one between a public library and an academic library. Personnel, commingling collections, changing library roles, and governance boards are considered. (LRW)

Describes the development of a courier service in Oregon for document delivery between libraries to support coordinated collection development activities. Organization of the service by individual libraries without dependence on the Library Services and Construction Act is discussed, and costs and response time are considered. (two references)…

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's Division for Libraries and Community Learning frequently receives requests for information on the legality and desirability of combining school and public libraries. The purpose of this publication is to help communities and school districts determine whether a combined school and public library…

A 1990 New York State Assembly bill requiring a $27.7 million increase in the local assistance budget for libraries for 1990-1991 reflects the priorities of the 1990 New York State Regents Legislative Program for Libraries and the State Department of Education to promote "better beginnings" for New Yorkers. The bill would increase aid…

Excerpts from testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources regarding the proposed Technology for Education Act highlights the need for strong school library media collections and programs in addition to the latest technology. Highlights include funding, expenditures, media centers and student achievement, librarians'…

As the purchase of virtual resources accelerates, particularly through consortial agreements, the autonomy of the local library will fade and the roles of librarians will change drastically. This rapid transformation is illustrated by a discussion of OhioLINK and its positive and negative effects on one member library. (Contains 21 references.)…

Summarizes the responses of research library directors to the Library of Congress' Network Advisory Committee statement, which stresses an egalitarian network environment. The special role of research libraries and the effect on their participation in local area and multitype networks are discussed. (6 references) (CLB)

Reviews the history of the relationship between OCLC and the regional networks, and examines current stresses in this relationship. Strategies that might be used to preserve this partnership are suggested. (1 reference) (Author/CLB)

The purpose of this document is to help communities and school districts determine whether a combined school and public library will be the best way to provide the most efficient library service for all community residents. A combined school and public library is one that is located in a single facility and operates cooperatively to perform the…

A footnote to state legislation provided an opportunity to examine the extent to which joining Wyoming's libraries might better serve the needs of those who depend on library services. The footnote designated an appropriation of $20,000 to evaluate the feasibility of merging the state library and the university library by: (1) reviewing the space…

Librarians' work has become more challenging and complex over the past 15 years. Fifteen years ago, the telephone was a librarian's most used and most effective instrument, and librarians mostly relied on the resources within their own walls. In that era, resource sharing placed substantial burdens on larger libraries, and the resources of smaller…

This paper discusses changes in services, technology, and organization as libraries prepare to enter the "network-centric library world." Part 1 addresses the transition from the analog era to the digital age, and the convergence of libraries and education, including opportunities for library leadership in Internet access, digital…

Details the design, financial support, organizational structure, and evolution of a program to facilitate the automation of small public libraries in Massachusetts and to promote resource sharing among those libraries. A sidebar by Governor Dukakis expresses his views on the role and importance of libraries. (MES)