Recounts experiences of a British Columbia Institute of Technology librarian on a six-month job exchange with a New South Wales Institute of Technology (Australia) counterpart, and offers planning hints for librarians interested in preparing for a mid-career move. (EJS)

Outlines some of the principles and conditions of effective library decision making in a group context, drawing on the research and theory literature of management and the psychology of group decision processes. Various decision-making strategies are discussed and 44 references are included. (Author/JL)

Types of performance evaluation for academic librarians are discussed, noting strengths and weaknesses--formats, relative ranking system, dimensionalized ranking system, management by objectives, and degree of participation. Use of appraisal program to aid library administration in monitoring ongoing activity, planning ahead, and motivating…

Examines the impact of Title II-C of the Higher Education Act (Strengthening Research Library Resources Program) and the Education Amendments of 1980 on library collections of research institutions. A legislative history and data noting recipients of awards from fiscal year 1978-79 through 1981-82 are presented. Sixteen references are cited. (EJS)

Describes the evolution of the library staff at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, from a hierarchically organized staff with faculty status to a professional staff with the status of librarian, distinct from that of faculty or administrator. Such topics as hiring requirements, professional development, and evaluation criteria are…

Discusses the importance of public service for the users of serials collections in large libraries in light of the complexities of serial collection organization. A diagram of the decision points encountered by users dealing with serials collections and tables listing the types of serials records and error problems are included. (JL)

Delineates the types of decisions involved in the preservation of library collections and suggests decision-making structures and criteria for each type of decision. The information gaps which limit the ability to make intelligent preservation decisions are also discussed. (Author/JL)

A majority of the 267 academic librarians who responded to this survey indicated their preference for a system of academic status recognizing the unique nature of the responsibilities of librarians rather than the traditional research and publishing, while providing similar benefits of job security and advancement. Fourteen references are listed.…

Argues that Cutter-Sanborn in the classroom is insufficient preparation for technical services librarians who will be dealing with automated systems. "Teaching libraries" are recommended as the principal instrument for bridging the gap between abstraction and practicality. (LLS)

Discusses and compares some online catalog systems actually in operation in terms of self-service usability; number, choice, and formulation of access points; record content and display; database content; connections to technical processing and circulation; number and location of terminals; equipment and software features; and cost. (Six…

Findings of a project to convert a single LC class from cards to machine readable tapes at a two-year college suggest that an in-house retrospective conversion is feasible for academic libraries. A high conversion hit rate, implying minimal original cataloging, will keep project costs and duration low. There are five references. (RAA)

The findings of a survey of depository librarians' involvement in and training in the use of online database searching, access to online terminals, and acquisition of microformatted government publications online are presented and discussed. Recommendations are made for increasing such involvement, and a 26-item bibliography is included. (CHC)

Describes a study at Kent State University that indicated that proper and full use of audiovisual equipment can give students a basic orientation to library facilities and services without the need for physically touring in large groups. (DC)

Argues that academic librarians should broaden the concept of education as it applies to their own activity within the academic structure, and suggests that one way of accomplishing this would be to focus on interdisciplinarity and its potential for social change. Thirteen references are listed. (CHC)

Describes the method and circumstances which allow for free online searches at the California State College-Stanislaus Library. Discussion includes reviewing search requests, feeless flexibility, and cost effectiveness. (JVP)