Examines what is being taught in reference courses at the University of Ibadan (Nigeria) library school, how courses are taught, and what needs to be improved. The balance between practical and theoretical approaches in the curriculum is discussed, and is it recommended that a practical approach be emphasized in Nigeria. (Author/LRW)

Examines how libraries can encourage and increase youth access to information. Discusses the role of the school library media center; law, illegal information, and censorship; parental rights; information policy; and promoting youth access before a challenge occurs in the library. (AEF)

Discusses the need for staff development programs dealing with library service to students with disabilities based on a study of Australian school libraries. Concludes that there is a need for library-specific staff development programs that cover policy formulation, collection development, and adaptive technology, and suggests a model for staff…

Examines public library services to young children and their families and the possible effects of those services on preschool learning. Topics include library-community partnerships to promote literacy; readiness to learn; and children at risk for difficulties in acquiring literacy, including socioeconomic factors and ethnic and language…

Discusses issues related to managing electronic resources in academic libraries from a vendor's perspective. Topics include collection development policies; format and content; decisions to buy, borrow, or link to online resources; ethics and SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition); service, cost, and value; vendors'…

This revised edition of competencies for librarians serving children in public libraries was developed by the American Library Association. Highlights include knowledge of client group; administrative and management skills; communication skills; materials and collection development; skills in developing library programs, advocacy, public…

Discusses developments under three relatively new directors in the New York, Brooklyn, and Queens Borough Public Libraries. Highlights include budgets and fundraising, technology, mission statements, personnel, ethnicity, services, and renovations. (AEF)

Considers strategies for the implementation of quality improvement in libraries. Highlights include structured quality improvement, especially Total Quality Management; organizational change; customer focus; continuous improvement; data-based decision making; systems thinking; employee involvement in decision making; diffusion of innovation;…

A survey of 4,084 Canadian continuing education students investigated patterns of library service use and factors influencing them, including student characteristics, perceptions of problems limiting library use (for example, collection adequacy, hours, access to materials), and characteristics of the student's program of study (for example,…

Describes the implementation of a user-centered document delivery system at Colorado State University. Evaluates the system via a statistical compilation of system usage and a telephone survey of the service's users. Results indicate that the system usually provided fast delivery at acceptable costs, but fell short as a substitution for mediated…

American Library Association Goal 2000 fails to resolve conflicting theoretical perspectives about the purpose and scope of public library services. While allowing for temporary unity of political action, ALA Goal 2000 may create contradictory service priorities that confuse both the public and librarians. Strengths and weaknesses of the social…

Describes information technology programs in Maryland, including the Sailor Project, that created a statewide telecommunications network providing Internet access without charge from libraries, homes, offices, schools, and shopping malls; University of Maryland initiatives; distance learning in higher education; and a project that allows worldwide…

Offers advice for public librarians serving a Puerto Rican population regarding selection of appropriate material, outreach to the community, and detailed programming for a Latino Heritage Week. An extensive resource list for librarians seeking appropriate children's books and professional materials is included. (GR)

Addresses the future of library automation programs for schools. Discusses requirements of emerging OPACs and circulation systems; the Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF), an industry initiatives to develop an open specification for ensuring that K-12 instructional and administrative software applications work together more effectively; home…

Discusses problems that the lack of standardization in electronic journal publishing creates for reference or bibliographic instruction librarians and describes a study that examined science, technology, and medicine journals publishers' Web sites, focusing on those features most relevant to end users. (Author/LRW)