This Association of Research Libraries (ARL) kit on preservation of library materials contains: (1) descriptions of preservation programs and objectives from Boston University, the University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, and University of California at Los Angeles; (2) a description of the Library of Congress' National Preservation…

A 1977 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) survey of member institutions concerning book losses and theft detection systems found that more than half of the 90 respondents had installed or were installing electronic security systems (ESS's). This kit on theft detection and prevention in academic libraries contains: (1) planning documents from…

This essay looks at ways in which humor can be used to teach library skills in academic libraries. It discusses both the motivational and pedagogical value of humor as it is discussed in educational literature. Many examples are used to illustrate ways in which these principles can be applied in the library setting, and suggestions for effective…

A survey on bibliographic instruction was sent to all 63 academic libraries in Connecticut in the winter of 1985-86. Librarians were asked if they offered library research as a separate course, a required unit in a broader course, or integrated with instruction at the invitation of the professor. Questions were included on faculty workshops,…

In 1983, the Association of Research Libraries adopted as its third principal objective for a 5-year plan: "to increase the number of member libraries engaged in programs to preserve their collections." ARL efforts to achieve this objective are aimed at helping libraries meet this responsibility locally and these guidelines propose an…

This two-part study was designed (1) to determine differences in the costs of searching BRS After Dark (BRS AD) and Knowledge Index (KI) generally and across ten selected databases, and (2) to determine whether there is a difference in the citations retrieved when the same search is conducted on the same database in both systems. Study methodology…

Based on a study of the book collection of Columbia-Greene Community College Library (New York) carried out in the summer of 1987, this report investigates the relationship of age and previous use to the future use of books. An examination of the acquisition year and circulation records of 10% of the library's book collection (approximately 4,000…

This survey provides information on 1987 salaries for professional librarians employed by members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), based on questionnaires completed by the member institutions. The information is provided in 33 tables, which are divided into four categories: (1) Salary Levels for Personnel in ARL Libraries; (2)…

This report on the process by which a university librarian is selected is based on interviews with key participants in searches for library directors at five medium to large universities, each of which had selected a new university librarian within the two years prior to the survey. It was found that the five universities--one private, one…

A study was conducted in 1988 by a community college librarian who was seeking an objective guide for weeding unused library books. It was hypothesized that a book not used in a certain number of years would never be used. At the beginning of the study, no books had ever been weeded although the library had begun acquiring books in 1969. To test…

Based on two surveys of Association of Research Libraries member libraries which were conducted in 1987 and 1988, this report begins with an overview of the responses from 48 libraries that had participated in development or fund raising campaigns within the past three years. Areas covered by the survey include library staffing and support,…

Reports are presented from two meetings on research libraries that brought together individuals concerned with the process of scholarly communication. Libraries were the central topic of both meetings, but they were considered as part of a system that also includes book and journal publishing, the obligations and concerns of university…

This document is one of ten kits distributed annually by the Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC), a clearinghouse operated by the Association of Research Libraries, Office of Management Studies (ARL/OMS) that provides a central source of timely information and materials on the management and operations of large academic and research…

The results of a managerial rotation program in a medium-sized academic library reference department are presented. After meeting certain minimal eligibility requirements, librarians in this department take turns on a 2-year cycle serving as head of the department. This case study is used as a model to assess both the advantages and disadvantages…

This guide for users of the Adelphi University Libraries provides instructions for accessing the bibliographic records of the libraries' holdings, which have been stored online since 1968. The steps necessary to search the Adelphi Libraries Catalog Online (ALICAT) by author, title, subject, or call number are explained using text and…