Government agencies are adopting electronic-information-dissemination strategies which both challenge established dissemination structures and offer new access opportunities for all libraries. This article explores the implications of this change and describes the initiative of one medium-sized, non-depository library to become a government…

Describes how the University of Toronto library addressed the problem of supporting the extensive learning of electronic-information resources required by reference and library instruction staff by organizing teams of learners who shared responsibility for leadership. Discusses responses from evaluation questionnaires. (Author/LRW)

Asserts that nontraditional students are often hurried, because they juggle the many demands of life in addition to those of a student. Suggests that library staff can help students by developing individualized orientation programs and guides for using equipment and material. Cites New Hampshire Community Technical College as an example of a…

An understanding of the following interrelated key issues that affect intellectual participation in today's information environment is essential for academic librarians: social pluralism, information-seeking behavior, content, context, stakeholders, and societal expectations. Strategies of the National Information Infrastructure and the Global…

Discusses changes in collection development in academic libraries and in the jobs of subject specialists, or bibliographers, responsible for selecting materials. Examines new definitions and job descriptions, suggests ideas for training and mentoring, and proposes models for developing expectations and mechanisms for evaluating the work of…

Discusses the use of email in library communications based on experiences with the technical services staff at Duke University. Topics include self-organizing systems; increases in productivity; appropriate open communication; manager responsibilities; training staff in effective and productive uses of email; and the continuing need for human…

Explains DVD (Digital Video Disk) technology and why it is useful in library collections. Topics include similarities to CDs and regular videocassettes; advantages of DVD for public, school, and academic libraries, including quality and durability; and DVD myths. (LRW)

Examines the expanding horizons for geographic information system (GIS) services in academic libraries, with examples drawn from experiences at North Carolina State University Libraries, a participant in the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) GIS Library Project. Discusses building on partnerships; providing opportunities for instruction and…

Asserts that information literacy has become the collaborative imperative in higher education. Addresses the ways in which Wayne State University's (Michigan) new undergraduate library and its redesigned freshman orientation course provides opportunities to develop information literacy. Discusses the importance of establishing a collaborative…

Considers the need for reliable, scholarly access to the Web and suggests that the Association for Research Libraries, in partnership with OCLC and the Library of Congress, develop a so-called scholar's portal. Topics include quality content; enhanced library services; and gateway functions, including access to commercial databases and focused…

Discusses copyright issues in distributing educational reading materials in higher education; describes two federal court cases involving for-profit, commercial entities; considers a hypothetical copyright infringement action against a noncommercial copier; and suggests measures an educational institution might adopt to protect its interest in…

Describes the creation of a digital music library at Pennsylvania State University. Highlights include infrastructure, including hardware, software, and streaming technology; the digitization of library collections, including copyright considerations, long-term preservation of audio, and access through the library's online catalog; staffing; and…

Offers a descriptive account and critical analysis of three cooperative collection development projects undertaken by the Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA), a consortium of Virginia academic libraries. Reviews cooperative collection development processes and explains objectives that included cost effectiveness, improved access to information…

Oregon State University faculty, student, and library staff attitudes toward credit courses, and various other instructional methods, for teaching library and research skills were assessed. A number of faculty and students did not know about courses offered. Although other methods, such as Web tutorials and written guides, are preferred,…

Considers the role of interlibrary loan and document delivery services in support of research collections and digital information. Highlights include current practices; licensing as it relates to interlibrary loan in the digital environment; distance education; the role of consortia; technical infrastructure; and archival retention versus…