We should be grateful that Terry Reese had to work his way through college. As a work-study student, taught to do cartographic cataloging in the University, of Oregon's map library, he discovered the mental challenges libraries offered. Later he became Oregon State University (OSU)'s cataloger for networked resources and digital unit production…

No other consumer electronic device has created such an impact on popular culture in recent years as the Apple iPod. Since iPod's release in November 2001, music fans have been able to carry upwards of 15,000 song files on those sleek devices with their trendy white headphones. Over ten million iPods have been sold--nearly half of them in the last…

This study examines the academic library experiences of African American undergraduates attending a research university in the Midwest. Data collection techniques included questionnaires and ethnographic observations. The results indicated that African American undergraduates are using the academic library primarily to read and to study with their…

This article addresses graphic novels and their growing popularity in academic libraries. Graphic novels are increasingly used as instructional resources, and they play an important role in supporting the recreational reading mission of academic libraries. The article will also tackle issues related to the cataloging and classification of graphic…

Use of government information by social sciences researchers has not increased since the 1980's. This article argues that academic libraries must begin to focus less on government organization and function and begin to collect government information and offer reference and instruction services within the context of disciplines. Subject librarians…

As a college student, Phil Davis intended to become a scientist. But as he studied population genetics of a family of mosses, monitoring his experiments daily, he wondered, "Is this really how I want to spend my life?" After taking time off to read philosophy and bike his way around France, his answer was, "No." Instead, he decided to advance the…

Examines the intersection of conservation and digital imaging based on guidelines at the Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) library. Discusses the digitization of artifacts; assessing the condition prior to scanning; scanning considerations, including temperature and humidity, lighting, and security; stable storage of artifacts after scanning; and…

Academic libraries, university presses, and commercial ventures are embracing print-on-demand publishing to improve services as well as reduce costs. The concept dates to the early 1990s, but problems with the technology coupled with a lack of interest by libraries and book vendors hindered its popularity. Today, print-on-demand remains ideal for…

Many patrons of libraries have one or more print disabilities that partially or totally impair their ability to use standard print. However, many devices and services are available to aid patrons who can not use print in the conventional manner. This paper provides an overview of typical assistive technology devices and services available to…

Purpose: To describe how an institutional repository (IR) was set up, using open source software, at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Kharagpur. Members of the IIT can publish their research documents in the IR for online access as well as digital preservation. Material in this IR includes instructional materials, records, data sets,…

This article discusses the integration of library resources for users of personal digital assistants (PDAs), with a focus on collections issues within an academic environment. The University of Alberta Libraries' PDA services initiative is used as an example of integrating services and resources into a library collection. Licensing issues, loaning…

In the contemporary library environment, the presence of the Internet and the infrastructure of the integrated library system suggest an integrated internal organization. The article describes the example of Douglass Rationalization, a team-based collaborative project to refocus the collection of Rutgers' Douglass Library, taking advantage of the…

Librarians often face challenges in library configuration and lack of space, collection management, and ease of use. This article briefly describes the challenges and solutions to managing a divided education collection at a comprehensive state university, part of which is housed in the center core of a round building. (Contains 2 figures and 5…

Fourteen years after its establishment, the Distance Learning Section is one of the fastest growing sections in the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of the American Library Association. Based on Section archives and secondary literature, this article traces the organization's development from its beginnings as a…

This article describes a case study relating to an internal communication audit conducted in a large academic library that assessed existing information channels during a period of organizational change in order to recommend improvements. A communications task force developed and administered a survey instrument and then analyzed data and reported…