Reports reflections of library school reference teacher who practiced for year as day-to-day reference librarian. Highlights include ideal reference librarianship; concepts helpful in explaining low morale; changes in basic reference service elements (information resources, clients, librarians); current coping strategies; and ways in which to cope…

Examines the public library's role in adult literacy education in Australia in the past decade. Identifies areas of library services and staff training that need to change in response to the need of literacy programs. (SK)

Addresses the two-fold question concerning imposition of instruction on a library user when he/she only wants answer to information need--whether attempted instruction is infringement on the rights of the user, and whether attempted instruction detracts from the librarian's effectiveness in fulfilling information need. Twenty references are…

A brief history of the Dallas Public Library, which first opened in 1901, highlights new central library facilities erected in 1955 and 1982; the development of branch libraries; leadership of directors Rosa Leeper, Cleora Clanton, Jim Meeks, and Lillian Bradshaw; and library programs, publications, and community outreach efforts. (EJS)

Director of Iowa State University's Media Resources Center argues that fiscal progress is the most reliable measure of functional progress or growth. How money is controlled to allow for allocation of funds and manipulation of service priorities is described as well as how service functions are managed. (MBR)

Discusses a paradigm for academic librarianship that requires greater sensitivity to and identification with needs of library users. Centrality of library academic community is questioned, noting insistence of librarians on independent status of library and failure of bibliographic instruction programs to make issue of critical thinking top…

Discussion of cooperation between church and synagogue libraries and public libraries notes church and synagogue library collections (materials organized to serve local congregation in study and teaching of its heritage, materials on role of clergy and laity, biographical information); building cooperative relationships; Church and Synagogue…

Introduces information request form developed by Cooperative Reference Services Committee of American Library Association's Reference and Adult Services Division to be used whenever a library cannot supply information requested by a patron and would like to ask another library for assistance. Front of proposed form with sample question is shown.…

Discussion of implications of highly decentralized nature of local government for collection of local documents highlights meaning of access, effect of local government environment on access to local government information, library responses, and tools that can assist libraries in increasing citizen and government access to local government…

Growth and changes in "RQ" (1960-1985) are examined and detailed in both text and tables (cover/size, pagination, editor, articles, advertisements, physical features, association interests, reviews, columns, government publications). Development of columns, government publication news, thematic articles, authors of "RQ"…

Describes development of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, which opened in 1913, including the history of its research library. Library collections in support of biology and history and services to curatorial staff and other users are discussed. Director, collection and staff size, and main subjects collected are noted. (EJS)

Profile of fee-based information services offered by the Information Exchange Center of Georgia Institute of Technology notes history and background, document delivery to commercial clients and on-campus faculty, online and manual literature searching, staff, cost analysis, fee schedule, operating methods, client relations, marketing, and current…

This profile of INFORM, the fee-based service offered by Minneapolis Public Library and Information Center, highlights its background, online search services and frequently used databases, major planning considerations (equipment, user aids, choice of vendor, training), internal operations (billing, purchasing items for clients), marketing, and…

This article explores the unique features of zoo/aquarium libraries--their history, users, staff, collections and services, access, location, budget, networking and cooperation--and discusses problems they have in common with other special libraries. Increased cooperation and communication as major goals for the future are noted. (8 references)…

The Selective Dissemination Project at a regional medical education center followed a two-and-a-half day continuing education program with related bibliographies at one- and three-month intervals, as well as information on finding the articles in the local library. Evaluations of the service by participating physicians and librarians showed that…