This is the first in a series of articles describing the many aspects of the community of libraries which has been coalescing under the aegis of the Federal Library Committee. (Author)

Many libraries are now at the edge of disaster, and their needs for continued seed and incentive money at a reasonable level is an urgent one. (Author)

A decade after the establishment of a library system, Spring Valley's Finkelstein Library has seceded from the system. (Author)

The key to instant media center development is improvisation and the ability to view needs in terms of their essential components. (Author)

As medical centers assume responsibilities in addition to their primary mission of educating students seeking the MD degree, provision for expanding their component academic departments must be made. (Editor/IR)

Recommends that budget planning for college libraries be based on performance and unit costs rather than on budget formulas. Consideration should be given to the program of library services, the kind of services performed and the adequacy of this performance. Presents eight basic requirements as a standard for planning individual library budgets.…

The way military research and development (R&D) are organized in the United States, in the Soviet Union, and in some other advanced industrial countries is examined to determine how far the organization of R&D can explain the trends and direction of military technology. (RM)

Discussion of the need for research on the costs of library materials notes cost studies and price indexes now available, methodology used in preparing cost studies, and opportunities for research on trends of material costs. Twenty-two references are included. (EJS)

Two perspectives in the debate on funding for higher education are discussed: (1) that higher education has an extrinsic (economic) value to justify expenditures, and (2) the more radical idea that higher education serves purposes of social and cultural reproduction, and expenditure can be legitimated on socio-political grounds. (MSE)

Using microcomputers in libraries, media centers, and learning resource centers is viewed to be not as difficult as previously thought, due to all the possible levels of involvement. Urges libraries to purchase microcomputers now to get an early start. (MP)

Insights into deductibility of certain expenses incurred by university professors are provided. The new tax act provides opportunities as well as pitfalls. Research expenses incurred with and without profit motive are discussed. (MLW)

Describes a study of changes in financial and enrollment conditions of public two-year colleges and of two-year college humanities programs between 1971-72 and 1976-77. Presents evidence that institutional conditions had worsened and that humanities conditions had changed for the better on some measures and for the worse on others. (AYC)