This publication provides abstracts of the 239 literacy activities supported through projects funded under the Library Literacy Program, Title IV, of the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) during fiscal year 1986. The abstracts have been grouped for easy reference by type of activity. In cases where the projects cover more than one…

This report considers the issues of gifts, donations, collection development, long-range planning, and budget constraints which arose as a consequence of a collection development study undertaken for a public library system serving a population in excess of 200,000. Gifts to the general collection are distinguished from gifts to special…

This document provides guidelines on policymaking for public librarians and public library trustees in Vermont. Topics covered include: (1) the importance of policies in bringing order, logic, stability, and continuity to a library's operation; (2) the roles of trustees and librarians in adopting carrying out policies; (3) reasons why policies…

More choice in formats for library customers may mean more constraints on choices in materials acquisition. An increase in the number of formats libraries provide may, over time, substantially alter the quality and diversity of library collections. This ERIC Digest examines some of the costs and challenges presented by format proliferation and…

This book provides a resource to technical services managers in presenting and evaluating case studies of outsourcing programs in academic, public, and special libraries of the United States and Canada. A comprehensive overview of the options, outcomes, and assessments of outsourcing is offered; thus providing ways of managing contractual services…

The Lebanon County Family Literacy Program, a project of the Lebanon Community Library (Pennsylvania), targeted intergenerational/families and focused on coalition building, public awareness, training, and collection development. The Lebanon Community Library serves as: a centralized location for storing and disseminating materials and handouts on…

The 49 papers presented in this volume are evidence of the research, scholarship, and professional nature of the offerings of the third National Conference of African American Librarians, sponsored by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. The papers are arranged into nine tracks and Pre-Conference topics: I: Library Connections: An…

Discusses learning disabilities and describes services that have been developed in public libraries to help patrons with learning disabilities. Topics include collection development; assistive technology; outreach programs; staff development; and sources of help and information. (LRW)

Reduced government payments to school districts in Ontario, Canada have made it increasingly difficult to add resources to school library collections. To meet the needs of its community, St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School will share a new facility with a branch of the Cambridge Public Library. Discusses how the partnership took shape and its…

Provides guidelines for young adult librarians developing nonprint media collections. The discussion covers the formation of collection development policies, the need to involve the community in policies, and material selection criteria. Bibliographies of guides and reviewing sources are included. (CLB)

Describes one library's development of a CD-ROM lending collection. Topics include survey results, policies, procedures, troubleshooting, and promotion. A sidebar contains a brief bibliography of journals which review CD-ROMs and publishers who provide CD samplers. (AEF)

Discusses Indiana-Marion County Public Library's decision to implement centralized collection selection and to hire a collection development librarian. Benefits of centralized selection include the decentralization of subject materials and the consequent broadening of subject materials at branch libraries. Selection depends upon a knowledge of the…

Advocates providing automobile repair and service information in public libraries, and discusses collection development issues, reference services, and problems in making repair manuals available. Describes the collection and services for patrons in Tacoma Public Library and results of a survey of other public libraries holding automobile repair…

Describes the history and development of the Queens Borough (New York) Public Library's New Americans Program that was designed to meet the needs of a culturally and linguistically diverse community. Highlights include outreach services, language classes, collection building, and examples of specific programs for Hispanic, Chinese, and Korean…

Provides an annotated bibliography of 42 books that rank as the library profession's most outstanding literature published between January 1997 and March 1998. The list is organized by the following categories: academic libraries; archives/preservation; cataloging/technical services; children's services; collection development; general library…