Uses accreditation and Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) sectional standards/criteria, higher education outcomes-assessment research findings, and recent performance-effectiveness studies to identify institutional outcomes to which academic libraries contribute, describe specific performance indicators whose measures of impacts…

Discusses usability testing as a tool for evaluating the effectiveness and ease of use of academic library Web sites; considers human-computer interaction; reviews major usability principles; and explores the application of formal usability testing to an existing site at the University at Buffalo (NY) libraries. (Author/LRW)

Describes a study of 150 university library Web sites in four English speaking countries. Results showed that the visual display of information was similar in all countries, but there were differences in content, including the availability of encyclopedias, request forms, pathfinders, and remote access. (Author/LRW)

Provides an overview of a project at RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) that experimented with wireless technology, including laptop computers that circulate within the library building. Discusses project requirements, including ease of use, low maintenance, and low cost; motivation, including mobility; implementation; and benefits to the…

Discusses results of the BYTES (Books You Teach Every Semester) project, a consortial study that investigated whether the same books were used for reserve readings at academic libraries and whether they should be made available in an electronic format. Recommends collaboration between libraries and publishers to supply material in electronic…

Discusses the lack of success with lecturing for academic library instruction and suggests active learning as a better alternative. Highlights include a historical overview of active learning; considerations for active learning in the library classroom; and active learning and library instruction for special groups. (LRW)

The dual nature of staffing in the education library, just as in most academic libraries, often constitutes a major source of management problems. The blurring and shifting of tasks for professionals and paraprofessionals, and budgetary constraints do not help the situation. Professionals and paraprofessionals must work in concert and in harmony,…

The relationship of the academic library with the campus computing center has been an issue since at least the late 1970s. The issue was discussed at length in the 1980s with little effect on existing organizations. Interest in the issue was rekindled in the 1990s, when a number of institutions merged or aligned the library and the computer…

In this column, the author relates his experiences in the use of library technology over his 20-year career at Vanderbilt University. He describes how computers in libraries have transformed almost every aspect of how the library provides its services and performs its work behind the scenes. In addition, the author shares a few successful…

This study explores the perceptions of male librarians working in an academic library. Underpinning the methodology of this paper is a series of in depth interviews conducted over several years with a group of selected male librarians. This paper suggests that the meanings constructed by male librarians in the non-traditional work environment have…

Purpose: To examine and discuss the features of library portals and suggest further development of these research tools. Design/methodology/approach: The two categories of library portals (horizontal or public, and vertical) were examined to establish the characteristics of some of the portal software available in the marketplace. The study…

This article seeks a comprehensive approach to information literacy instruction. The author suggests a programmatic solution that ensures that every undergraduate is provided information literacy instruction before graduation. The recommended process anticipates an eventual evolution of the academic library into a bonafide teaching department.

The low prioritizing of user service is a longstanding problem in Chinese academic libraries. While acknowledging various external and internal obstacles for this problem, this article argues that traditional library culture, as demonstrated throughout the article, constitutes the root cause for the underdevelopment of user services on information…

In response to local demand, the University of Calgary Library established a fee-based information service for non-university clientele. The benefits from this service have been both intangible and financial. This article reviews the planning and implementation of the service and its future directions.

The Information Center (IC) evolved to take control of technology, to integrate the library's growing collection of networked resources with its service mission, to build a team of personnel committed to the success of the IC, and to integrate assessment into the cycle of change at the Mansfield Library.