This paper explores how Scottish public library services have responded to providing a service to a virtually invisible minority group, i.e. lesbians who enjoy reading lesbian fiction. The evidence that provides the foundation for the results discussed in this paper was drawn from the following sources: a study of the 32 public library services in…

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) offers student workshops that range from Cool New Web Stuff (what is on the web that can help make research or just plain life easier) and How To Use Google Scholar. These workshops are brilliant fodder for podcasting. In fact, the initial idea for its podcast project came from a student plagiarism…

The baby boom generation--those born during the post-World War II years 1946 through 1964--has a track record of rebellion that has caused startling cultural and social transformations, including rock 'n' roll, the peace movement, civil rights, and agendas we can be less proud of. Reports indicate that this generation is again poised to create a…

This report explores the true position of public libraries today, in the minds not only of library users, but of the people who run libraries and those who provide oversight and funding. This study is the first step in the development of a national agenda for libraries and library funding in the 21st century. Findings from this study indicate…

Accreditation standards for professional schools offering social work degrees mandate curriculum content that provides students with skills to analyze, formulate, and influence social policies. An important source of analytical thinking about social policy is the "grey" literature issued by public policy organizations, think tanks,…

Designing curricula around the standards, with clearly delineated strategies, expectations, and evaluative procedures, is thought to assure that growth in student achievement may be tracked. While this process can sometimes be nebulous, one thing is certain: clearly understanding what is involved in reaching a degree of excellence and determining…

On the surface, SFX, utilizing the concept of context-sensitive linking among library resources, promises the ability to obtain full text effortlessly. This paper reports on the results of a three-fold study--online survey, focus group interviews, and sample testing analysis--to examine library end-user and librarian expectations and experiences…

Securing public access workstations should be a significant part of any library's network and information-security strategy because of the sensitive information patrons enter on these workstations. As the IT manager for the Johnson County Library in Kansas City, Kan., this author is challenged to make sure that thousands of patrons get the access…

Librarians need to work with classroom teachers and college faculty to find ways to help students become more intrinsically motivated to learn. They can do this by providing challenging learning experiences that promote feelings of competence and mastery. It is the intrinsically motivated student that becomes a lifelong learner. In this article,…

This paper highlights the value of newspaper information and the methods adopted in organizing, preserving and disseminating it. The paper dwells on the traditional ways of managing newspaper resources and the need to device a new medium of accessing the information contents of the resource. It enumerates the steps taken in conserving newspaper…

From blogs to wikis to podcasts to personalized e-mail alerts, there are now more ways to reach people than ever before. However, even with these new outreach pathways, success still depends on knowing your audience and having the ability to see beyond the "buzz" of technology. Best practices for outreach should emphasize a personal touch in the…

It has just been announced that the 11th European Prison Education Association (EPEA) International Conference will take place in Dublin, Ireland from the 13th to 17th June 2007. Further details and an application form will be available in September 2006. Regular updates will be available at www.epea.org.

In this article, the author states that the answer to the question--"How do we respond to the dreams of teachers?''--can be found in school libraries, where professional librarians are prepared to build supportive alliances with teachers. Although school library programs around the nation vary, they all share core values of service to their users,…

The LibQUAL+[TM] survey was conducted to determine user satisfaction and expectations concerning library service quality. The results of the "22 items and a box" constituted a rich source of information for the University of Idaho (UI) Library's strategic planning process. Focusing on graduate students, this study used three…

This article examines LibQUAL+[TM]'s instrument, fundamental assumption, and research approach and proposes a functional/technical model of academic library effectiveness. This expanded view of library effectiveness complements LibQUAL+[TM], emphasizing it to be dependent upon users' experience of service delivery, as LibQUAL+[TM] recognizes.…