The first of two parts, this article discusses concepts of value and establishes a theory of use-oriented value for information and information services. Examines the notion of value in philosophy, economics, and library and information services; explores the connection between value and relevance; and develops models of information use and…

The previous head of the Central Library of Riverside City and County Public Library (RCCPL) (California) examines the economic failure of the system and the effects of the move to total outsourcing to a private commercial firm, Library Systems & Services (LSSI). Concludes that RCCPL had problems long before it was outsourced to LSSI. (AEF)

Describes how the Seattle (Washington) Public Library celebrated National Poetry Month in 1997 with readings, workshops, lectures, and poem-a-day display boards in libraries and community centers. Suggests ways libraries can organize programs, activities, exhibits, and displays for National Poetry Month (April) at minimal cost and staff effort.…

Describes facilities, collections, and services of the Greater Cairo Library, Mubarak Public Library, Heliopolis Public Library, and El Mustaqbal Library and Egyptian efforts to promote literacy and reading. (PEN)

Discusses Internet access in public libraries, filters, censorship issues, First Amendment rights, and intellectual freedom. Suggests that the Internet is a resource, and that the level of library service is dependent on what it can afford to provide, consistent with its mandate to serve the community's information needs. (Author/LRW)

Examines the design characteristics of ready-reference and email reference pages on the Web sites of 110 academic libraries in the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Characteristics examined included the wording of page titles and links, organization schemes, timeliness, and additional means of communication available between patron and…

Contains data on state library agencies in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, including these agencies' governance, services, collections, staff, and income and expenditures. Data are from the State Library Agency Survey, a cooperative effort of several government agencies, including the National Center for Education Statistics.…

Discusses the availability and quality of commercial reference services available on the World Wide Web such as Ask Jeeves and the decline in library reference service statistics. Describes a project in California to help libraries develop live, real-time reference services over the Web by adapting Web contact center software. (LRW)

Examines the reference interview in the digital library environment. Compares and contrasts traditional face-to-face reference interviews with electronic interviews; and presents suggestions for effective electronic interviewing, including the importance of good written communication skills. (Author/LRW)

A librarian at Hazelden Library, a non-profit foundation focusing on chemical dependency treatment, publishing, and education, gives a personal account of the steps used in determining the dollar value of providing library services in a specialized health-care library. After evaluating survey results and reviewing the library's 1998 statistics,…

Discusses the current state of academic reference services from a library administrator's point of view. Highlights include statistics that show a lack of quality reference service that meets users' needs; a decline in the demand for reference services; the role of technology; and changing attitudes about education, including increasing…

Contains data on state library agencies, including these agencies' governance, staffing, income and expenditures, electronic services, and services to libraries. Data are from the State Library Agencies Survey. (Author/SLD)

Discusses Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) that converts existing telephone lines into digital circuits which transmit data at 256Kbps to 7 Mbps. Describes ADSL, unique features of "Megabit Services" and initial deployment, costs, and impact on library services (extra bandwidth for Internet services, multimedia or other…

Discusses approaches to reference services in academic libraries in light of new technologies and emphasizes the need to maintain the personal element, based on experiences at Northeastern State University (Oklahoma). Topics include roving librarians; desktop video conferencing; Internet media and the World Wide Web; and remote users. (LRW)

A discussion and summary of landmark court cases involving the fair use clause of copyright law provide numerous guidelines that encourage legitimate fair use of copyrighted materials. Emphasizes implications for librarians and others within higher education. (Author/LRW)