Information on freebasing cocaine was requested from reference librarians at six public and seven academic libraries. None of the librarians refused to offer assistance, although assistance varied in its extensiveness. None of the encounters involved a reference interview or bibliographic instruction. Arguments in support of information…

Discussion of automation in the Oxford College Libraries (England) begins with background on the university library system, which consists of numerous independent libraries. Centralized and decentralized automation activities are described, and hardware and software for the microcomputer-based system at the University College Library are…

Reports results of a study which analyzed course syllabi at a liberal arts college and a university with graduate and professional programs to determine the type and quantity of library use required. Data are presented on percentage of courses requiring library use by department, overall use patterns, and use patterns by course level. (12…

Argues that the most important component in effective bibliographic instruction is the learning styles of students. The discussion examines learning styles, in general, and Kolb's theory of experiential learning, in particular. The use of Kolb's theory in a freshman library instruction program is described and evaluated. (10 references) (CLB)

Discusses topics relating to the Virginia Tech Library System: the company (VTLS, Inc.); the software; data structure; cataloging, status, and authority control; circulation; serials control and acquisitions; the online catalog; management reporting; networking; and the operating environment. Sidebars discuss the Vanilla Network; LINNEA--a network…

Contributors from five libraries--Bentley College, Boston University, the College of Charleston, the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, and the Resource Sharing Alliance of West Central Illinois--describe their automation projects, including staff impact; costs and funding; time and schedules; users; computer support; vendors; and consultants.…

Discusses the value of critical thinking in higher education and the role of the librarian in teaching these skills. Nine questions that students can use to evaluate their readings are listed, and class discussion of library research methods and review of the evaluation questions are recommended. (11 references) (MES)

Provides overviews of expert systems and library material selection, and describes six steps in the process of the development of the Monograph Selection Advisor, a demonstration prototype expert system that provides advice on monograph selection decisions. (17 references) (MES)

Describes a simulation of OCLC's TAPECON retrospective conversion service and its impact on an online catalog in a large university research library. The analysis includes results of Library of Congress Card Numbers, author/title, and title searches, and hit rates based on an analysis of OCLC and locally generated reports. (three references)…

Discusses the special needs of the depository library poster collection in academic libraries, especially with regard to improving public awareness and access. Suggestions for creating a bibliographic database are offered and a database at the University of Miami is briefly described. Appendices list poster items by issuing agency and subject…

Describes a project to convert and make available current MARC records in a local online file. The procedure described involves obtaining records from the National Library's Canadian MARC Record Distribution Service, Mounting the Records on DOBIS, and transferring them for ordering and cataloging purposes. (CLB)

Analyzes trends in the library automation marketplace. Market shares for online vendors are examined in terms of total installations, academic libraries, public libraries, revenues, differently sized systems, and foreign installations. Hardware availability, operating systems, and interfaces with MARC are also discussed for each vendor. A source…

Causal regression and time series models were developed using six years of data for home borrowing, average readership, and books consulted at a university library. The models were tested for efficacy in producing short-term planning and control data. Combined models were tested in establishing evaluation measures. (10 references) (Author/MES)

This study of the way librarians use the library literature examined interlibrary loan requests at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Data were analyzed on: subjects, journals, and years requested; library types; patron types; and citation sources. The practical and technical aspects of librarianship were found to be the most…

Discusses the processes shaping the professionalization of college and research librarianship within the framework of four sociological theories. It is suggested that structural changes within higher education and the information industry affect the legitimacy, status, and territory of librarians' work, and that professional growth cannot be…