A review of the literature was undertaken to determine whether purchasing DIALOG in the CD-ROM format or subscribing to the DIALOG online format would be the better solution for middle school students interested in information retrieval. This report begins by stating the problem and defining common computer terms. A review of the related…

Compiled by the Maricopa County Library Council, Inc., a countywide library planning body made up of representatives of the various sizes and types of libraries in Maricopa County, Arizona, this planning document describes the current level of development in the county's public libraries and presents recommended development goals for college,…

This paper reports a self-study undertaken at Cornell University's Albert R. Mann Library to explore appropriate public services for an agricultural research faculty. The study took place over a 22-month period and involved a literature review, development of a questionnaire, administration of the questionnaire, an experimental period of…

This self-study--part of a series of studies conducted at Michigan State University Libraries--was designed to elicit information regarding non-use of the library by members of the academic community. A telephone survey questionnaire was administered to a stratified systematic sample of students and faculty members, and 1,269 students and 211…

Arguing that the development of interactive communication systems with microcomputers and computer terminals has created new challenges for public services in academic libraries, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign conducted a needs assessment survey to determine if users of computer-based systems have different needs and expectations…

Describes the design and operation of a prototype online catalog; reviews research which evaluated the system in terms of types of searches and success rates; and offers suggestions for enhancing subject access, including automatic stemming, synonym tables and cross-reference lists, and relevance feedback mechanisms. (CLB)

Describes the Research Libraries Group (RLG) conspectus for collection evaluation and how it is being used to foster cooperation among North American libraries. Discussion of the internal benefits includes library planning, collection policy formation, staffing allocation and training, funding allocation and requests, accreditation, faculty…

Analyzes Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Annual Salary Survey data for 8-year period in terms of employment level and salaries of women and men. Historical trends in comparable worth, the current situation in academic libraries, and possible future trends are discussed. (CLB)

The Peer Reference Counseling Program at Valdosta State University (Georgia) is a program designed to provide students with a unique opportunity to work at the Reference Desk at Odum Library. This program employs minority students and trains them to work at the Reference Desk answering basic reference questions and utilizing as well as…

This paper presents an annotated bibliography of 69 articles published in the 1990s that examine the impact of technology on reference service in public, school, and academic libraries. The paper is organized in the following seven parts, each dealing with a different type of application of technology: (1) "General Change Caused by…

This paper discusses the status of library services and reading in Mali. Following an introductory section that provides miscellaneous data about Mali, the first section of the paper describes the development of libraries in Mali before the colonial period, during the colonial period, and during the independence period up to 1977. The libraries of…

This paper outlines experiences at the University of Queensland Library (UQL) in meeting the challenge of creating an appropriate library and information service to support effective learning. The changing customer base and the changing environments of higher education and libraries are described. Four strategies for extending the role of the…

This report summarizes the current state of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). The introduction covers: an orientation to ETDs; the current situation; benefits of ETDs; key issues, including readiness, publication potential, intellectual property, orientation and training, standards, costs, access, archiving/preservation, and…

The increasing importance of the library in modern society has increased the demand for well-qualified persons to serve in various types of libraries with their numerous specialized departments. Librarianship, in common with other professions, has its distinctly specialized fields.'The purpose of this bulletin is to give the prospective library…

Expanded resource sharing will be a feature of twenty-first century libraries. Discusses and illustrates, with reference to OhioLINK, steps to expanding resource sharing: joining a consortium, integrating intellectual access (catalogs and circulation), providing for physical and electronic delivery of materials, and integrating the collection…