COPAC is a union catalog giving access to the online catalog records of some of the largest academic research libraries in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Discussion includes ways in which duplicate detection and record consolidation procedures are carried out, along with problem areas encountered. (Author/AEF)

Describes the development of a prototype Web-based outreach information system for a collection of educational resources in agriculture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Discusses distance education, student expectations, Web searching, testbed collections, metadata issues, indexing and searching full-text, and Dublin Core…

How do academic libraries set about creating a body of knowledge and begin to convert traditional print collections to a digital format in order to satisfy what today's researchers want? This article examines previous methods of selection and collection building, and applies those supporting principles to today's collection-building efforts for…

Discussion of building new library facilities focuses on reflections of what could be done differently after a building is completed, based on experiences at Winona State University. Topics include windows; emergency exits; wired study furniture for portable computing; rest rooms; compact shelving; OPAC terminals; elevators; and functionality.…

Discussion of academic library instruction focuses on the use of humor to make it more effective. Highlights include a literature review on humor in education, as a communication device, and use in the business sector; a stand-up comedy workshop; lecture humor; and humorous active learning activities. (LRW)

Analyzes the impact of the rising cost of materials on academic libraries as reflected in members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). Highlights include total library expenditures; materials expenditures; comparisons with price indexes; and the impact of journal…

Discusses emerging organizational structures of academic libraries and identifies core competencies for academic reference librarians, including a flexible attitude and approach toward technology, a high tolerance for rapid technological change, creativity, curiosity, communication skills, public relations savvy, and the ability to relate…

The proceedings of the Association of College and Research Libraries for 1978-92 were used to investigate the scholarly activity of academic librarians. Institutions were ranked by scholarly production and the results were compared to earlier published studies. Bibliometric data revealed a core of dominant institutions and widespread conformity to…

Describes Virginia's statewide and community electronic resource access projects, including the Blacksburg Electronic Village, connected with Virginia Tech and the Internet; a public education network; a consortium of college and university libraries; the state library's digital initiative; and a cooperative library network. (LRW)

Describes a new analytical tool, data envelope analysis (DEA) model, which can provide better understanding of the efficiency of academic research libraries. Reports the results of a study using 1994-1995 Association of Research Libraries statistics together with expert judgments, in terms of constraints, to make the model more applicable to the…

This article aims to suggest answers to two questions: What should be the primary purpose of information services in general and libraries in particular as we enter the new millennium? Assuming such a purpose, what array of services should the library be prepared to provide? These questions are approached mainly from the academic library…

Suggests how to implement information literacy standards at all education levels. Discusses two sets of information literacy standards for K-12 and postsecondary education, K-12/academic library cooperation, comparing Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards with American Association of School…

Describes a project at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas that evaluated the effects of an unmediated document delivery service. Discusses interlibrary loans, staffing, user satisfaction, choice of document supplier, and user training; and suggests questions to consider when deciding whether to offer this service. (LRW)

Relates the results of pilot studies of Internet use in academic libraries to the education of users in a digital library environment. Interviews users and information professionals and reveals a need to develop user education programs that emphasize types of digital collections, interfaces, hardware and software requirements, and…

Explores electronic journal usage statistics and develops three metrics and three benchmarks based on those metrics. Topics include earlier work that assessed the value of print journals and was modified for the electronic format; the evaluation of potential purchases; and implications for standards development, including the need for content…