This empirical research examined scale economies of academic research libraries and developed a total cost function for estimating economies of scale. Suggests that libraries in general, and academic research libraries in particular, are information provision organizations that provide multiproducts and multiservices. Findings indicate that slight…

This study applied an analytical technique called Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to calculate the relative technical efficiency of 95 academic research libraries, all members of the Association of Research Libraries. DEA, with the proper model of library inputs and outputs, can reveal best practices in the peer groups, as well as the technical…

The rationale for using Activity-Based Costing (ABC) in a library is to allocate indirect costs to products and services based on the factors that most influence them. This paper discusses the benefits of ABC to library managers and explains the steps involved in implementing ABC in the user services area of an Australian academic library.…

Presents ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) guidelines for library instruction and services for distance education. Highlights include the lack of service issues addressed in digital library discussions; distance students' characteristics; the library's role; and remote service to distance users. (Author/LRW)

Focuses on information and written communications throughout American history. Discusses writing in several media, beginning in the mid 1400s; development of the scholarly journal in the 1600s; growth of academic libraries and the transformation of American scholarship; early views of higher education and libraries; the mission and developing…

This article employs a citation-tracking method for gathering and reviewing literature of academic librarianship. Each work discussed either cites the work of F.W. Lancaster, an early predictor and enthusiast of "paperless information systems," or another that cites it. The aim is to provide an analytical overview on how academic librarians saw…

One of the two major ways of interpreting LibQUAL+[TM] data involves placing perceived service quality ratings within "zones of tolerance" defined as the distances between minimally-acceptable and desired service quality levels. This study compared zones of tolerance on the 25 LibQUAL+[TM] items across undergraduate, graduate student and…

Discusses library preservation of digital documents and describes efforts underway at Cornell University and other libraries to establish standards for repositories and to implement digital archiving for electronic journals. Explains the disciplinary-based approach at the Cornell libraries and considers funding and other economic issues.…

Discusses the problem of avoiding Web-related copyright liabilities in library activities, including legal ramifications of linking and librarians' responsibility for the content of the linked sites. Presents legal cases based on linking and makes recommendations for developing intellectual property guidelines. (Author/LRW)

Uses a matrix to identify conceptual gaps in a bibliographic instruction program at an academic library and discusses a curriculum design model that includes objectives in the affective and sensorimotor domains as well as cognitive instruction. Application of the model to a computer-assisted bibliographic instruction project is described. (10…

This survey of the educational background, professional activities, and work experience of academic business librarians shows that most developed subject expertise from work experience and nondegree courses, that they became business librarians accidentally after general reference or social science work, and that their employers receive very good…

Describes a study conducted at Cornell University that compared high-quality member cataloging copy from a random sample of records on the Research Libraries Information Network (RLIN) with Library of Congress cataloging copy. Implications for training support staff to handle member copy are suggested, and the expansion of cooperative cataloging…

Discusses the traditional role and functions of research library technical services departments and examines the impact of electronic information and information technology on technical services. It is argued that technical services units will stagnate if they do not accept the responsibility of becoming technologically adept. (19 references) (CLB)

Describes the implementation of the Western Library Network's LaserCat CD-ROM catalog in the medium-sized academic library at the University of Idaho. Selection of LaserCat, creation of a LaserCat/Information desk in the library lobby, staff training, staff reactions, and user reactions are discussed. (Nine references) (Author/MES)

Describes a study that examined the learning styles of 140 academic librarians in public and technical services using Kolb's Learning Style Inventory. The findings do not indicate significant differences in learning styles of technical and public services librarians. Relationships between learning styles and variables such as sex, age, education,…