These five articles consider some of the ways in which librarians work to ameliorate the circumstances that affect poor people. Topics include promoting access to the humanities to encourage people to become involved politically; serving the rural poor; homeless people; and library service to prisoners. (LRW)

Describes a public library service that offers booktalks to middle school students in their classrooms and includes two sample booktalks. Discusses building good relationships with teachers and library media specialists; circulation statistics; ordering enough copies of books for the school and the public library; scheduling booktalks; teen…

Suggests that digital resources and telecommunications give librarians the best chance in decades to reexamine and achieve many of their fundamental goals. Discusses the goals of providing the right information in appropriate formats, keeping the intellectual record, providing personalized information services, and serving as educators, and cites…

The roles of both libraries and schools are changing in light of new technologies and public policies on lifelong learning. Cooperation in the provision of coordinated educational and public library services can help turn national policy into local practice, especially toward the goal of strengthening social cohesion. (SK)

Discussion of prison libraries provides an inside look at the correctional institution environment, prison security concerns, inmate patrons and library use, library collections and services, librarians and staff, the day-to-day operation of a prison library, and future possibilities and needs. (Author/LRW)

Suggests that in digital library services assessment, anthropology can provide the initial understanding, the intellectual basis, on which informed choices about sample population, survey design, or focus group selection can reasonably be made. Analyzes the National Gallery of the Spoken Word (NGSW). Includes brief descriptions of nine NGSW…

Discusses how libraries can prepare for today's users in light of increasing technology demands on collections and on users' expectations. Topics include reading habits and literacy; collection diversity; financial support; technology versus more traditional services; marketing strategies, including outreach programs; and considering users as…

This annotated bibliography focuses on resources for the study of international elections and electoral systems and outcomes that will be useful for collection development and for answering reference questions about foreign elections. Discusses comparative politics, comparative elections, and possible electoral reform. (LRW)

Reviews the use of chat reference services in libraries and analyzes current trends. Highlights include a survey of libraries providing chat reference; software used; the move toward digital reference; institutional issues; user needs; staff needs; technology problems; and questions for further research. (LRW)

Explains how school library media specialists can write grants to help fund library projects. Highlights include having specific needs and specific programs in mind; catchy names; brief summaries; statement of need and specific objectives; methodology; planned evaluation; budget information; timeliness; and a list of Web sites for grant sources.…

Presents selected suggestions and resources for beginning storytellers in the school library media center. Discusses selecting the stories to tell; tips for learning a story; and planning a storytelling program. Additional resources include books, World Wide Web sites, and commercial sources. (AEF)

Suggests that when a new course is proposed, library staff should initiate a review of the collection and recent titles in the subject area. Adds that staff should then meet with the originating faculty member and discuss the resources needed for the course. Asserts that this process would make the library staff more proactive in course…

Explores library-user infatuation with electronic resources, the rapid growth of electronic resources and their impact on traditional reference services, and reference services in an electronic society. Discusses a survey of 200 academic libraries investigating electronic resources and their impact on library personnel, especially on…

Presents guidelines for establishing and maintaining Young Adult services in the library. Discusses identifying the needs of young adults; developing the collection; marketing; programming; school outreach; networking; community visits and raising community awareness; popular culture; staff support and training; and professional associations and…

Describes the Special Training and Employment (STEP) program at South Brunswick (New Jersey) High School Library, a job-training program for students with developmental disabilities. Presents scenarios that illustrate student workers' experiences. Discusses the importance of cooperation, program costs and budgeting, and benefits of the program.…