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)

In North America and Britain, libraries' long-standing relationship with adult education is evident in activities celebrating International Adult Learners Week. In South Africa and Brazil, resource centers supporting social change are reformulating the classic library role. The Adult Learning Documentation and Information Network connects these…

Discussion of the need for printing services in libraries as a result of the growth of electronic resources focuses on a survey of academic libraries that explored how they are providing printing services both economically and equitably. Results show nearly half of the libraries are charging fees for printing. (Author/LRW)

Discusses the monetary aspects of librarianship, focusing on nontraditional library careers such as intrapreneurship (managing a library within an organization as a business) and entrepreneurship. Fee-based library services are considered, and suggestions for becoming a successful information entrepreneur are offered. (10 references) (MES)

Argues that the primary purpose of the school library is to provide information, and discusses selection policies, the librarian's teaching responsibilities, the need for clerical assistance, and centralized processing in this context. A vision of the school library as information center is presented with summaries of the roles of teachers, the…

Describes each of 13 steps in the reference process in terms of its objectives, facts about it, and rules for handling the facts. Rules are then discussed for today's mixed online and printed source environment as well as for an online sources-only environment. (five references) (MES)

Presents a profile of bookmobiles in rural areas, based on data from four national surveys conducted by the Center for the Study of Rural Librarianship between 1985 and 1987. Topics covered include equipment and related problems, collections, services, stop locations, and staff. The need for more research on the bookmobile's function is indicated.…