This study examines the role of external funding in the development of public library network resources and services, their identification, and their benefit and impact, particularly as they affect the digital divide. The study was conducted between February 2001 and January 2002, employing a range of data collection techniques, including site…

Digital reference services at university libraries in Australia and New Zealand are a recent phenomena dating back to the late 1990s--following the developments in Web-based online library services. This paper examines the move towards the provision of e-mail reference services based on the study of 16 randomly chosen university libraries in…

This document contains 6 issues (one year) of a newsletter devoted to information and reports on issues and actions of interest to research libraries. Each issue contains articles on current issues, federal relations, ARL activities, and a calendar of events, as well as columns by the Coalition for Networked Information and the Office of…

The Library Policy Committee appointed by the Finland Ministry of Education in 1999 worked for 2 years to identify the challenges arising in the civil information society and the concrete solutions to them. This document is a summary of the salient points of the Committee's report. First, the vision for the Finnish public library is outlined,…

The challenge to academia is to invest in services that will turn the abundance of electronic data into sound, useful, compelling information products. The process of filtering, labeling, refining, and packaging, that is, the process of editing and publishing, takes resources and will be shaped by the electronic world in significant ways. This…

In recent years there has been a push for libraries to develop and use systematic measures to determine the effectiveness of library service. Materials availability, or fill rate, is one of many output measures used in libraries. This technique measures the degree to which library customers are able to acquire the materials they want during their…

Recreational reading has proved its importance in the public library systems nationwide, as confirmed by circulation records and significant consideration in library budgets, indicating the need to develop systems that bring the book and the reader together in a systematic way. This paper seeks to define the operation of readers' advisory programs…

This final performance report for the Brooklyn Public Library Literacy Program begins with a section that provides quantitative data. The next section compares actual accomplishments to project objectives for fiscal year 1992 in the following areas: (1) redevelopment of the tutor training, including redesign or addition of the writing process,…

This informative how-to guide explains public relations strategies and the audiences they target, with tips for customizing these tactics for particular libraries. Helpful techniques are recommended for promoting the use of library media services by students, faculty, building administrators, and school support staff. Readers will also learn how…

A study of 522 university students was undertaken to determine how often they used their library and why, as well as to develop a general profile of college student library users. Descriptive statistics revealed that the majority of students used the library at least once a week. Obtaining a book or an article for a course paper was the most…

This paper begins with a discussion of outsourcing. The first section summarizes an Australian Computer Society paper on information technology outsourcing, including reasons for outsourcing and critical issues. The second section discusses the outsourced library, including: the use of the Internet to deliver services; replacement of the library…

This report describes the status of academic libraries in 1996, based on results of the 1996 Academic Library Survey, a part of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) of the National Center for Education Statistics. The report presents detailed tabulations for 1996 and historical comparisons with previous years. Topics covered…

This report summarizes the activities of the South Carolina State Library for 1999-2000. The current strategic plan contains five strategic goals: provide information resources and services to meet the needs of the people of South Carolina; provide statewide programs to support local library services; serve as the advocate for libraries in South…

This paper discusses client service issues to be considered when transitioning to a virtual library situation. Themes related to the transitional nature of society in the knowledge era are presented, including: paradox and a contradictory nature; blurring of boundaries; networks, systems, and holistic thinking; process/not product, becoming/not…

This book is designed for courses that prepare college and university students for undergraduate or graduate degrees in school library media. Its objectives are to teach basic reference processes, sources, services, and skills and to provide authentic school library media reference scenarios for reflection and guided application. The book…