The purpose of the present study is to assist with the planning for improved reference service in the libraries of San Diego and Imperial counties, California, and to make recommendations regarding the location of area libraries and the relationships of the libraries within the system. The following recommendations are made for the system: (1)…

The National Union Catalog (NUC) is a record of publications and their location in more than 1,100 libraries in the United States and Canada. As such, it is the central register of library resources in North America. Major portions of the NUC are published on a continuing basis, but most of the records for imprints before 1956 consist of card…

The basic rationale for this study was that attempts to measure the service capabilities of public libraries, either in relation to the needs of their communities or to the standards adopted by the profession, are hampered by the lack of criteria of quality or effectiveness. It was recognized that new measures were needed to gauge effectiveness…

The information contained in this publication will be helpful in carrying out projects to aid blind and visually handicapped children and adults of all ages. Special materials available from the Library of Congress such as: talking books, books in braille, large print books, and books in moon type are described. Other sources of reading materials…

This study addresses itself to several questions important to most public libraries. How should the library allocate its book budget? What kinds of books should it tend to buy? What types of households use the library? Why do some households not use the library? What is the cost of the various services provided by the library? What specific steps…

In an effort to obtain grass roots information, a panel composed of employers and library technical assistants (LTAs) presented views and ideas which were important to them and of concern when looking toward program evaluation. The group then considered the four courses which seem to be basic to most programs. Objectives, content, and teaching…

A survey of twelve public libraries was conducted to determine the effects of the Teletype Writer Exchange (TWX) on library service in the State of Indiana. The centers seem to try very hard to provide excellent service for their satellites, and the satellites overwhelmingly support the centers. The TWX System is not being overtaxed consistently…

The Independent Study Project of the Dallas Public Library has as its primary goal the testing of the feasibility of utilizing an existent public institution, the library, for enabling qualified persons to earn credits toward a degree through independent study and examination. More proximate goals are: (a) the assessment of demand locally for…

This paper, based on lectures given during a tour of Czechoslovakia, outlines how the county of Hertfordshire, England has endeavoured to meet its obligations to education, industry, commerce and professional personnel in the dissemination of scientific and technical information. During the first ten years of development, the program has ensured…

A network of 13 Central Ohio libraries undertook a survey to determine: (1) which library services and resources are best provided on a regional basis; (2) which library services and resources are best delivered on a local basis; and (3) what plan for regional cooperation in service delivery is most effective. This summary report contains a…

After five years of existence, a three-county regional cooperative including public libraries, a community college library, and local government agencies was evaluated to assess: (1) general library services; (2) the interlibrary loan program; (3) library user satisfaction; and (4) the need for additional statistical reporting. Existing records…

This text focuses on decisions which affect library stock control or the acquisition and management of library materials. The book covers five areas: (1) a definition of the problem; (2) optimal size of library stock; (3) diagnosis of faulty control of book availability; (4) improvement of book availability; and (5) synthesis of theories and…

Six Arizona county libraries were chosen to participate in a study to investigate the effect of grants on local library funding support. The criteria set for choice of these libraries were: (1) the county library must be the strongest library in the county, (2) the library must have been chartered as a county library for at least three years prior…

A needs assessment of the library services of the Lake Agassiz region of North Dakota was begun in 1974. A mail survey of the area population and an in-library user survey were conducted. Almost all libraries in the region fell below state standards on holdings primarily because the population base was inadequate to support 11 municipal libraries.…

Eight public libraries participated in a two-year experiment to investigate the potential of the public library as a "linking agent" between the public and the many machine-readable data bases currently accessible using on line computer terminals. The investigation covered users of the service, impact on the library, conditions for…