UCLA, which has one of the top 10 research libraries in the country, has been using Taos software since 1996. However in 2001, Sirsi Corp. announced that it was freezing development on Taos software. As the associate university librarian for information technology at UCLA, the author relates that it was his responsibility to lead the way through…

The Saint Paul Public Library and its Friends collaborated to create an identity program as part of its public relations efforts. The work started with a team made up of the library's key administrators and its Public Relations and Communications office, plus Friends' staff and the Friends Board's Public Awareness Committee. In this article, the…

In preparation for its Five-Year Plan for the years 2008 through 2012, the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services has reviewed a variety of information resources, including studies, publications, surveys and stakeholder meetings, to assist in understanding the state, its people, its future and the potential role of libraries. This…

This article highlights various literature covering a broad range of topics that are of interest to public services librarians, from collections and user services to one's own research and professional development. Although addressing many topics, these authors have all used or advocate for solid research methods and data analysis in their works,…

The book has made the transition to the digital age; that much is certain. However, the jury is still out on what form or forms the book of the future will take and how libraries will adapt. This article is a look at the impact of digital books on public library acquisitions, including available formats, purchasing considerations, functional…

In this report, the authors describe results of a nationwide census of institutional repositories in U.S. academic institutions. The census is one of several activities of the MIRACLE Project, an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)-funded research program based at the University of Michigan. The acronym MIRACLE means "Making…

ARL is the bimonthly report on research library issues and actions from ARL (Association of Research Libraries), CNI (Coalition of Networked Information), and SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition). ARL reports on current issues of interest to academic and research library administrators, staff, and users; higher education…

Library transformation requires a cohesive vision and execution. Beyond excellent management, organization, technical deployment and collection development, success of the public library as a sense of place requires additional dimensions. This includes attention to the details of environment, presentation, ambiance, graphics, customer service and…

This column is typically devoted to discussion of the different ways in which public service librarians use technology. But for this, the special graduate student issue and her inaugural issue as the technology columnist, Breakstone is flipping things around. Public service librarians can best help their graduate student patrons by understanding…

The future of subject librarianship is being challenged by technological advances and funding pressures. Questionnaires were used to collect data about the roles, relationships and competencies of 32 subject/liaison librarians supporting three disciplines in UK universities. The survey showed that postholders were undertaking a wide range of…

This article outlines a pilot project to offer a personalized online library service to Open University MBA alumni. A review of the literature and results of a desktop analysis of other UK Higher Education alumni library services are included. Content procurement and systems issues are considered along with the underlying organizational, resource…

In this article, the author shares her experience during her practicum for her master's in library science wherein she had the opportunity to work in a school library that was moving toward combining with a local branch of a public library. Combining the public and school libraries meant integrating these two related yet distinct missions, or at…

Creating opportunities to share student learning and assessment resources with faculty face- to-face can be a daunting challenge. At Northern Arizona University (NAU) in Flagstaff, Arizona, leaders representing six different service units and committees have developed a collaborative approach of "unite and conquer," in which the human,…

The United States is home to about 1.3 million organizations that fall under the IRS's 501(c)(3) classification of "[tax]-exempt organizations," known informally as nonprofits. A nonprofit is defined as a formally incorporated nongovernmental organization that operates in the public interest, rather than in order to make a profit. Its income, in…

The method called CREW (Continuous Review, Evaluation, and Weeding) integrates material selection and acquisition, cataloging and processing, and circulation and reference into one ongoing routine that assures that all the necessary indirect services are accomplished in an effective way. This revision of the original guide, published in 1976,…