Since 1945 many library developments have taken place in the Pacific Islands. The greatest strides have been made in Fiji and Papua New Guinea, which have benefited from the investment placed in educating and training librarians. The lack of trained personnel, however, still remains as an obstacle to library development. (Author/LLS)

Briefly reviews the current developments in public access catalogs and poses questions for the public service librarian. (FM)

Discusses the effects of technology and networking on rural public library service in the future, and describes how these effects will improve the quality and accessibility of service to rural citizens. (FM)

Proposes the utilization of catalogers and other professional staff, rather than nonprofessionals, to augment reference librarian staffing. Shrinking reference staffs and lengthening service hours have created personnel shortages at the reference desk. Arguments for and against the proposal are examined. (RAA)

Presents the text of the report's transmittal message by the President to the Congress. It stresses the importance of libraries, identifies specific responsibilities of the federal government, characterizes the needs of the disadvantaged, and encourages the use of new information techniques. (RAA)

Discusses some common issues which face all states in determining the extent and style of library services for blind and physically handicapped individuals. (Author/LLS)

Reviews the history of the bookmobile operations of Seattle's King County Library System, noting the events that forced the development of the bookmobile into a "Traveling Library Center," and describes the success of this new service. (JD)

Argues that some reference librarians, often without knowing it, have become fact-totems--people who have made objects of worship out of facts. In suggesting an antidote to this "Gradgrind pedagogy," the author critically reviews some "reference" books. (JD)

Initiates a new state emphasis for the column by highlighting recent public library programs and services for adults in Florida. Music, photography, and women's programs offered by the Leon County Public Library are described in more detail. (JD)

Suggests that adaptation to new types of library services may require administrations to alter organizational structures and personnel management practices. A list of references is provided. (FM)

Sketches the history of video and cable communications use in libraries, current library activities in video collection and production, problems with some library video projects, trends in video services, and plans for future video uses within libraries. (FM)

Encourages academic library program planning by listing the benefits of such activity and citing sample programs/activities drawn from a survey of college and university libraries in the Southeastern Library Association and from Old Dominion University in particular. (JD)

Considers what the academic library of the future will be like and suggests it should not be assumed that it will represent a natural progression from the library of today. Discusses unanticipated wild cards that will be introduced into academic libraries, hopefully enabling libraries to provide richer information resources and better services.…

Describes the use of search engines to search the World Wide Web for homework or reference questions in libraries. Subject directories, basic engines, and metaengines are discussed; examples of useful homework-oriented Web site directories are given; and suggestions for reference work are listed. (LRW)