Changes in today's technology make it necessary for library administrators to look anew at the role, the mission, and the future of the public library. Economic development and education strategists recognize three types of rural communities--rural poor, traditional middle America, and communities in transition--each with different values,…

This issue of "Progressions" shares the lessons learned by the Lilly Endowment's Education Division from partnerships with educators, librarians, parents, and community activists. The articles look at individual components of the endowment's overall plan to promote reading among youngsters in grades five through nine, and to introduce…

Developed as a preliminary, literature-based study for a larger work in progress, this report summarizes the financial condition of academic libraries during the critical period from 1970 through the mid-1980's. The paper examines and addresses the issues which arose as libraries emerged from the 1960's, a time of unprecedented growth in library…

This report presents recommendations for the upgrading of higher education information resources in Papua New Guinea (PNG) according to acceptable norms, effective sharing of resources through phased introduction of automation and networking, and the creation of a database of information resources. The report was based on a survey of 41 PNG…

The materials in this manual are intended to provide the introductory information needed by new system advisory council members and staff of the Texas State Library on the history, role, governance, funding, services, and administration of library systems. Included in this handbook are discussions of: (1) The Role of Systems in Public Library…

The Blue Ribbon Committee at Utah State University (USU) was charged with the study of information systems, telecommunications, and library services at the university, and challenged to look for ways to better manage, coordinate, and capitalize on both opportunity and investment in telecommunication and information technology and resources. The…

The data presented in this report from the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) were gathered through a questionnaire for fiscal year 1990-91 that was returned by 106 U.S. and Canadian academic libraries out of the 120 U.S. and 5 Canadian academic libraries that were surveyed. These data are designed to complement the data…

This report describes a research project designed to improve the University of Wisconsin-Stout (UW-S) Library Learning Center services to students with learning disabilities. Three groups were surveyed to gather the information needed to improve services. Learning disabled students at the UW-S campus were asked to identify problems encountered in…

This document presents the medium-term plan (1992-97) of the International Federations of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). IFLA's long-term policy statement is included, and the concept, objectives, orientation, and goals for its five core programs are described. The programs are: Universal Bibliographic Control and International…

At a conference in 1988 the Maricopa Community Colleges (Arizona) began the process that resulted in development of the Ocotillo Action/Research Groups to study the development of educational technologies in the community college setting. This year-end report presents the following reports of the various working groups, which summarize activities…

This document examines the types of projects funded by the Library Literacy Program in fiscal year 1992. The variety of literacy activities supported under the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) Title VI reflect the diversity of literacy needs in states and communities across the nation. Many factors influence a library's choice of…

This report documents a national examination of the role of the public library in rural America. The investigation consisted of a study of public library use patterns in over 300 libraries among 2,485 adults (44% of the total contacted) in nonmetropolitan America. Seven of 10 public library users in rural areas are women, with a median age of 42…

The focus of this study was a survey of faculty and student use/needs of library services and user education at Daniel Library, the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina. More specifically, the study sought to determine user information needs and how the library staff should adapt for meeting the educational and research needs of its…

The Ward Edwards Library of Central Missouri State University attempts to collect the materials necessary to support classroom needs and faculty research. This assessment gauges how well the library print collection supports the Department of Communication, in which undergraduate majors and postgraduate degrees are offered in a total of 85…

State Library Agencies (SLAs) and library members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) were surveyed to collect data from potential audiences for American Memory products to assist the planners for this Library of Congress (LC) project. This summary report briefly explains the purpose of the surveys; describes the survey methodology and…