Discusses issues that libraries face when selecting electronic publications and describes the development and creation of a genre statement, a new form of collection policy for digital publishing, at the University of Maryland that includes content, pricing, use and functionality, archiving, access, duplication, licensing terms, and an evaluation…

An information services organization based on individual constituent groups, instead of defined physical collections and technologies, encourages a broader, more effective, and innovative use of varying information and technology services for academic libraries. Such a model also provides more focused and clearly defined positions and procedures…

Describes a project at the University of Mississippi Libraries to catalog purchased electronic resources so that access to these resources is available only via the Web-based library catalog. Discusses collaboration between cataloging and systems personnel; and describes the MARC catalog record field that contains the information needed to locate…

Presents an analysis of information industry alliance formation using environmental scanning methods. Highlights include why libraries and academic institutions should be interested; a literature review; historical context; industry and market structures; commercial and academic models; trends; and implications for information providers,…

Describes a study that analyzed and evaluated interlibrary loan policies of 42 universities that were available on the World Wide Web to identify trends in service and help libraries develop their own policies. Appendices include results regarding eligible patrons, payment and fees, ordering procedures, missing materials, and notification…

Discusses the development and results of usability testing of Washington State University's Web-based OPAC (online public access catalog); examines how easily users could navigate the catalog and whether they understood what they were seeing; and identifies problems and what action if any was taken. (LRW)

Describes the MALMAD (Israel Center for Digital Information Services) consortium that was set up by the eight universities of Israel to serve as a common framework for the procurement and licensing of digital information. Discusses the organizational framework, budget, services, and future plans. (Author/LRW)

Describes a study that assessed how technology-based projects are evaluated in the promotion and/or tenure process for academic librarians in ARL (Association of Research Libraries). Results show that projects, particularly for Web-based materials, are being evaluated, but little development has occurred toward a core set of measures for promotion…

Spector's Job Satisfaction Survey was used to measure the job satisfaction of librarians in the three English-language universities in the Province of Quebec, Canada. Results showed that though librarians working in these institutions are generally satisfied, they are dissatisfied with communication and operating procedures. The relationship…

Articulates a rationale for seeking improved librarian-faculty relations based on a comprehensive literature review, and explores methods for evaluating the quality of librarian-faculty relations. Highlights include ways to involve faculty in library programs, involving librarians in classroom activities, increasing faculty awareness of library…

Describes a survey of academic business librarians that determined their level of business education, and a survey of business information course instructors in library schools that determined areas of business considered important in their courses. Suggests partnerships between schools of business and schools of library and information science to…

The American Library Association's (ALA) Annual Conference, June 24?30, in steamy Orlando, drew 19,575 people, including 5,739 exhibitors, the lowest total since Miami in 1994, not counting the SARS-shadowed conference in Toronto last year (see statistics, p. 15). Although this years conference was filled with exciting events, this abstract is…

On January 15, 2005, a standing-room-only crowd of librarians listened as a panel of experts, moderated by Columbia University's Jim Neal, voiced support for the National Institute of Health's (NIH) proposal to mandate free online access to the research it funds. This article briefly discusses some personal accounts where open access would have…

Examines the current international economic disruption and its effect on scholarly and academic communities, including a shift in donor philosophy. Considers how academic and cultural institutions are reevaluating traditional areas of support; discusses implications for research libraries, including special collections; and offers suggestions for…

Discusses the new emphasis in special collections, especially in academic libraries, on the promotion of materials. Highlights include the economic basis of promotion; exhibitions; classroom ventures; the Web; seminars and other discussion groups; creative writing courses; one-time events; friends, tourists, and the public; and reference services.…