Background: The rapid globalization along with the growing trend of openness and sharing approach enabled widespread of digital technologies all over the world. However, we can still find differences between countries in technology use and perceptions of usefulness for learning. Understanding students' use of educational technology and their…

Introduction: This paper describes the findings of a study of 1517 public library Websites in Australia, Canada, and the United States over a period of four years. These Websites are referred to as 'electronic branches' of the libraries, thereby extending the definition of physical library branches into the digital realm. The purpose of the…

The aim of this study is to investigate if providing mathematics education pre-service teachers with animated library tutorials on library and database searches changes their searching practices. This study involved the completion of a survey by 138 students and seven individual interviews before and after library search demonstration videos were…

This study explored 1) whether there were any differences in the way medical students used library resources under problem-based learning (PBL) and scenario-based learning (SBL) curricula; and 2) what improvements the library could make to facilitate its use by medical students using the different curricula. Twenty medical students selected from…

Institutional repositories have been established by most university libraries but their level of success has varied. Determining what belongs in such repositories has been the subject of some discussion but research would suggest that a broader rather than narrower compass is a positive approach to adopt. By seeking out a variety of content types,…

This article explores Australia and New Zealand's libraries. Both countries offer vast resources related to their colonial and indigenous histories and heritage. Each nation's libraries have a wealth of material about their contemporary cultures. Immigration is rapidly making both countries more multicultural, and both are very active in the…

This article presents the results of a study into the provision of Internet training for adult public library clients. The study, which was completed in 2008, forms part of a larger investigation into the characteristics, preferences and needs of adult public library clients in New South Wales. The aim of this section of the investigation is to…

This paper reports on the implementation of "My Language Portal" in the City of Greater Dandenong Libraries (CGDL), Melbourne, Victoria, through the development of a "My Language Portal Project Plan" in 2006. It discusses how the aims of the designers of My Language Portal (MLP) are fulfilled in the exceptional, changing…

Assesses the changing nature of information and user needs in the modern electronic networked environment. Suggests that library services must adapt to these changes and develop appropriate new services, and describes examples of such services that were developed by the State Library of Tasmania. (Author/LRW)

As players in the delivery of services and online information, libraries are in the best position to use staff expertise and the technology they have developed to foster community awareness of social, professional and commercial interactions on the internet. Historically, libraries have been progressive institutions, undertaking constant…

This paper begins with a discussion of outsourcing. The first section summarizes an Australian Computer Society paper on information technology outsourcing, including reasons for outsourcing and critical issues. The second section discusses the outsourced library, including: the use of the Internet to deliver services; replacement of the library…

Discusses reasons for developing electronic reserves (i.e., digital collections of library reserve materials), as well as technical and content options, intellectual property issues, and the issue of equitable remuneration for use of intellectual property in electronic reserve, including recent Australian developments. Experiences at the Monash…

This paper discusses reference services in the digital library. The introduction provides definitions of a digital library, and the first section summarizes the purposes of a digital library system, as well as key roles for information professionals. The second section provides examples of mediated and unmediated digital reference. The third…

This paper considers innovation in academic libraries. The first part explores the definition and nature of innovation and the literature relevant to academic libraries in particular. In the second part, the outcomes of a search of library World Wide Web sites and a survey of International Association of Technological University Libraries (IATUL)…

Examines what Australian university libraries can and cannot do for independent scholars, scholars with no formal university affiliation. Argues that university libraries are not able to accept acquisition proposals from independent scholars because of shrinking acquisitions budgets and cites acquisition cooperation, especially of electronic…