The authors report findings of a research study conducted at the Iowa State University Library. Data was gathered on the scanning of library materials by students working in the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) unit. The goals of the study were fourfold: (1) Develop measures of scanning productivity in ILL, (2) Determine if it is more productive to scan…

This article describes ways of measuring the monetary value of resource sharing across jurisdictional boundaries, using the same "buy once, use many times" logic that is the basic underpinning of libraries. (Contains 4 notes.)

This article provides a practitioner's guide to marketing user-initiated borrowing at the point of need. By reviewing interlibrary loan book requests and manually transferring them to an INN-Reach consortial system, Link+, the University of Nevada, Reno Libraries were able to successfully market the service, deliver materials faster, and save…

This article provides an overview of the basic characteristics of database, or eContent, license agreements, defines general licensing terms, maps the anatomy of an electronic resources subscription agreement, and discusses negotiating skills and techniques for library staff. (Contains a list of additional resources and a sample agreement.)

Libraries need to weigh the benefits, usage, and cost-effectiveness of owning collections against seeking alternatives to deliver the information needed by customers. The University of Arizona Library investigated different approaches for meeting the research needs of East Asian Studies faculty and students under great pressure of physical space…

Ask Here PA is Pennsylvania's new statewide live chat reference and information service. This article discusses the key strategies utilized by Ask Here PA administrators to recruit participating libraries to contribute staff time to the service, the importance of centralized staff training, the main aspects of staff training, and activating the…

While the traditional uses of InterLibrary Loan (ILL) can be cumbersome, much of the work is now done electronically. Google and WorldCat can tell patrons which libraries in their areas owns the the titles they want, but they cannot always tell patrons whether there is a copy on the shelf available for loan. Several ILS vendors and OCLC are…

Using Turkey as an example, discusses problems of libraries in developing countries: technological backwardness; non-standard applications of library techniques; lack of coordination among libraries; financial problems; and lack of educated staff. The need for better librarian education and continuous staff development is emphasized. (AEF)

Over the past six years, the University of Utah libraries have developed an extensive international presence through digital resource sharing. Services include instruction, electronic document delivery, shared catalogs, and full-text databases. This paper will describe the process of establishing, extending, and improving these services through…

Campus teaching centers dedicated to improving instruction are commonplace today in academe. This article presents ways in which libraries and teaching centers have developed partnerships and identifies benefits for both entities. Specific examples are drawn from the authors' two institutions, including a review of the ways that relationships were…

At Kent State University, Libraries and Media Services (LMS) and the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) have been working closely in the area of collection management. The article explores the multi-faceted way in which the LMS-SLIS collaboration manifests itself and shows how this collaboration goes beyond what might be expected as…

As academic libraries renovate or build new spaces that provide services to users, they should consider opportunities to collaborate with other units on campus to develop collaborative services in the new space. These collaborative spaces, such as information commons, teaching and learning centers, and multi-media studios, offer advantages such as…

New technology and knowledge push organizations to upgrade and improve the skills of their staff. Paying for professional development programming is a common way of providing continuing education. This article describes a collaborative training program introduced to develop baseline competencies in Canadian academic libraries to support data…

Examines the pros and cons of providing access to the World Wide Web for library patrons as well as suggesting solutions to problems. Discusses the establishment of a library policy governing the use of the Web, as well as the importance of workshops and instructional materials on Web use in libraries. (Author/AEF)

Argues that Mexican and other Latin American libraries must make changes to take advantage of increasingly available electronic information sources. Discusses developments in the previously paper-based publishing industry; the industry's relation with the academic and research environment; and Mexican electronic sources for the study of Latin…