Discusses the applicability of for-profit customer service concepts to nonprofit library public service. Highlights include 10 elements of successful library customer service for children and youth; creating appropriate physical environments; understanding the customer; body language; organizational restrictions on staff; customer feedback;…

Describes a project conducted at the University of Texas libraries that tested the feasibility of providing reference assistance by means of direct intervention by trained reference librarians to remote users of networked CD-ROM workstations. The use of federal depository CD-ROM databases is discussed. (Contains six references.) (LRW)

Discusses restructuring a college library staff to provide adequate library services by employing librarian generalists who specialize in several areas of librarianship. Highlights include the professional benefits; planning for change; staff development and hiring; and specific guidelines for restructuring jobs to meet the information needs of…

Discusses how reengineering can be applied to user services in libraries; identifies trends affecting library user services operations; and describes the reengineering effort at Rice University (Texas) where services have been transformed through collaboration between the library and computing services. (AEF)

The future role, scope, and nature of bibliographic instruction (BI) and reference services at academic libraries is unresolved. Both have felt internal pressures and challenges during the past decade. It is suggested that BI and reference share tasks and become a single service. (92 references) (Author/DGM)

Provides the following seven guidelines to help librarians better serve mentally disabled students: (1) consult with teachers; (2) select appropriate materials; (3) identify essential library skills; (4) create illustrated signs; (5) be creative about funding; (6) take regular field trips; and (7) don't limit the materials. A list of resources and…

Discusses the development of practical strategies for library mediation between Internet resources and potential users. Topics addressed include a hierarchy of information skills; awareness of information services and resources; the information structure of a discipline; analysis of information needs; and retrieval, evaluation, and management of…

Presents an interview with American Library Association award winner and children's librarian Jane Botham covering such issues as library relations with the community, relations with other agencies, dealing with reactions to controversial books, library staffing, developing children's appreciation for the library, and children's need for adult…

Explains the need for family literacy programs in Illinois and describes efforts to improve adult and child literacy. Topics discussed include poverty; reading, writing, and computing instruction; interaction between parents and children; families and books; partnerships between state agencies, private organizations, and public libraries; and…

Discusses the changing role of health sciences librarians in academic medical centers, based on experiences at the Johns Hopkins University (Maryland) medical library. Highlights include library services to meet the information needs of users; management perceptions of libraries; and competitive strategies for libraries, including integration into…

Social and economic issues affecting the vitality of public libraries in California are discussed. A 1993 study by the California State Library identified diminishing reference skills and reference collections, reduced funding which impacted staffing, increased demand, technology change, and language/culture issues as contributing factors to…

Discussion of the projected growth in ethnic and racial minority groups focuses on diversity in libraries and suggests strategies for assessing current library practices and planning for the future. Topics addressed include leadership, including goals, objectives, and policies; staff development; and program development, including outreach…

Reviews major trends affecting traditional interlibrary loan and document delivery, including rising prices, table of contents indexing services, fax technology, the Internet, interlibrary loan subsystems of bibliographic utilities, and integrated library systems with patron-initiated services. Two examples of the development of new document…

In response to student demands, academic libraries are making adaptations to improve services: (1) paying for access (as opposed to ownership) of materials; (2) using electronic information, i.e. creating web home pages; (3) moving to a client/server computing environment; (4) working collaboratively with other departments and/or organizations;…

Anthropologists at seven universities were surveyed to determine their methods of information retrieval, choice of information sources, perception of the adequacy of library service, and information needs. Results show that journals, field data, and maps are important sources; interlibrary loan is often used; and the majority of needs are met by…