The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) Libraries initiated its spin on digital libraries as a partner in a W. M. Keck Foundation grant awarded to the university in 1997. The overall grant ($2,250,000) supported a variety of earth science-related projects at UNR. The UNR Libraries's portion ($450,000) funded establishment of the W. M. Keck Earth…

Scrapbooking is one of the fastest-growing crafts in the world. Unlike sports or other recreational activities, scrapbooking has no rules; it is a form of creative expression that allows a person to share and preserve his or her experiences and memories in albums that usually consist of photographs, newspaper clippings, and other mementos, in…

"As good as we are, we can always get better." At first thought, one might dismiss it as the chant of an overly optimistic cheerleader. As one really begins to think about it, though, this seemingly simplistic message is one everyone should strive for daily. But how does one get better? It does not simply happen by sitting isolated in the school…

The 65% Solution seems to be in the news on education these days. Some governors have endorsed it, a growing number of legislators are trying to legislate it, and, in more and more states, petitioners are trying to get it on the ballot. Backers want this initiative to be spread across the nation. In short, this movement hinges on a simple, but…

The Houston Community College (HCC) 2010-2011 Fact Book provides statistical information about the college district. It is important for the reader to be aware that data presented in this publication may differ slightly from statistics found in other district reports. Such variances may result from differences methodology including the source of…

the findings are presented of 1994 surveys on services and resources for children and young adults (ages 12-18) in public libraries. Each survey was conducted with a different nationally representative sample of public libraries. Data was collected for individual buildings rather than for library systems. Findings indicate the following: (1)…

This study describes regional depository institutions, the organization of their document collections, the staffing of their documents departments, and factors relevant to their providing access to electronic government information. Surveys were sent to 53 regional depository libraries in March 1995. Forty-one of the 53 libraries responded (77%…

This handbook is designed to serve the needs of colleges and universities considering the development of distance degree programs. Its objectives are to report on current practices among colleges offering degree programs primarily through telecommunications; to describe current distance degree programs that can be used as models; and to identify…

One problem with the outcome-based measures used in higher education is that they measure quantity but not quality. Benchmarking, or the use of some external standard of quality to measure tasks, processes, and outputs, is partially solving that difficulty. Benchmarking allows for the establishment of a systematic process to indicate if outputs…

This strategic plan details the commitment of the California State Library to the future and the recognition of its record of achievement of the past. The document is divided into four sections. The first section discusses the Library's mission and philosophy and describes various programs (State Library Service Bureau, Braille and Talking Books…

The public library is uniquely situated to meet the information needs of older adults and can also assist them in both finding ways to make their lives meaningful and staying in the mainstream. This study involved a mail survey of the public libraries of Ohio regarding their services for adults aged 65 and over. One hundred and eighty-four…

This report describes activities of the talking-book program of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) of the Library of Congress, with emphasis on activities conducted in cooperation with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) library program. First, the overall NLS program in the U.S. which…

This document presents a "bibliographic timeline" spanning 25 years of the American Library Association (ALA), Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS). For each year (1968-1996), one or more major activities, resolutions/ALA proceedings, and/or publications involving library service to the disadvantaged are identified.…

As the entity traditionally responsible for serving the information needs of the university, research libraries have little choice but to change dramatically in the next 25 years. This SPEC Survey on library reorganization seeks to understand how librarians have sought to meet this challenge through the redesigning of their organization.…

Total Quality Management (TQM) is "a system of continuous improvement employing participative management and centered on the needs of customers." Key components of TQM are employee involvement and training, problem-solving teams, statistical methods, long-term goals and thinking, and recognition that the system, not people, produces…