Presents American Library Association guidelines for medical, legal, and business responses at general reference desks covering the role of the librarian, including interpretation, advice, confidentiality, and tact; sources, including currency and referrals; telephone or mail reference; and ethics. (MES)

This 1990 survey examined cultural diversity in 30 Association of Research Libraries member libraries in relation to recruitment of librarians, minority internship programs, multicultural services librarians and programs, and collections. Results indicated that research libraries are making increased efforts to create a culturally diverse…

Discusses programs and services of the Society of School Librarians International relating to professional growth, communications, publications, and legislative involvement. Book awards for 1993 in seven categories of language arts, science, and social studies are listed, and the 1993-94 board of directors member list is provided. (KRN)

Reports on the 1991 annual meeting of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL). Topics discussed include the level of legal research skills needed by law students; computer-assisted legal research; education for law librarianship; the need for international and foreign law specialists; and recruitment, especially of qualified minorities.…

Reports on second White House Conference on Library and Information Services (WHCLIS2), which was held in July 1991. Highlights include discussions of the conference themes of literacy, productivity, and democracy; speaker's remarks, including those of President George Bush; a Joint Congressional Hearing on Library and Information Services; and a…

Describes the Machine Readable Cataloging Format (MARC) and discusses the issue of accountability for maintaining cataloging standards. Groups that influence the use of MARC records are then examined, including the Library of Congress; publishers; vendors of cataloging services, including bibliographic utilities; professional agencies; district…

The first of two articles about the accreditation of library and information science schools discusses current expectations and the emphasis on outcomes assessment. The second article provides advice on preparing for and managing a site visit by the American Library Association (ALA) Committee on Accreditation (COA) team. (seven references) (NRP)

Reports on a panel discussion held at the 1992 Catholic Library Association's convention on the relationship between large and small academic libraries. Issues raised include the shared mission of academic libraries, the problem of allowing access by patrons from other institutions, and interlibrary loan. (EAM)

Recent winners of the John Cotton Dana Award were Brooklyn Public Library's "Fair Share for Brooklyn" program to reallocate funding and involve residents in the future of library services and the Indiana Library Federation's "Explore the Possibilities: Support Indiana Libraries" program, a statewide multimedia campaign to…

Examines the promotional, training, legislative, research and publication, and cooperation activities of the Swaziland Library Association (SWALA). Makes recommendations including: membership-needs surveys; a strategic plan prioritizing legislation and training; administrative, leadership and communication improvements; and an increase in…

Discussion of public library roles examines roles from the Public Library Association's planning and measurement tools for their usefulness in evaluating public library effectiveness, based on data from the Public Library Effectiveness Study. Indicators of library effectiveness are discussed, and a cluster analysis of libraries with similar role…

This paper discusses the effects of operational convergence, and the subsequent growth of the hybrid library model, upon the professional self-identity of academic library staff. The role of professionalism as a concept and motivational driver within contemporary academic librarianship is examined. Main themes of investigation include the extent…

Australia has played a very active role in promoting and developing school librarianship on an international basis. Most aid projects in school library development have been in the Asia/Pacific region, but programs have been implemented in other areas as well. The largest school library development project that has been carried out by Australians…

This document consists of 6 issues (1 year) of a newsletter devoted to information and reports on issues and actions of interest to research libraries. Each issue contains articles on current issues, federal relations, and ARL activities as well as columns by the Coalition for Networked Information, the Office of Scientific and Academic…

This document contains the results of a 1994 survey on the use of user surveys by ARL (Association of Research Libraries) members. Of the responding libraries, 68% had conducted user surveys in the last 5 years. A number of these libraries (20%) reported conducting surveys at regular intervals ranging from every year to every five years. The…