Narration of author's visit to the libraries of Florence, Italy, focuses on city, provincial, and national libraries, including the Laurentian Library, Biblioteca Communale Centrale (city), Biblioteca Marucelliana (regional), and Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale (national). Conversations with the directors of each library are highlighted. (EJS)

This review of government publishing presents a summary of research studies; an overview of the government as publisher 1930-1980; a departmental, functional, and subject analysis; a proposed research program; the history of United States government publishing; and a description of sales and depository distribution. Fifty-four references are…

Noting that there are no de facto standards by which to measure and evaluate U.S. depository library collections, this article reviews developments in the evaluation of public libraries and recommends output measures based on public library practice for depository collections. Specific measures for the depository community are also suggested. (31…

This essay explores the somewhat uneven course of the public library as a knowledge institution in America and its relevance during the current information age, particularly in the United States, where there is a basic connection between access to knowledge and the political system. The public library situation is considered in terms of the…

Reports on the method and findings of a study which used unobtrusive testing to measure the accuracy and efficiency of search strategies by library personnel when dealing with the technical report literature. A copy of the test questions used in this study is appended. (CLB)

Includes nine articles that discuss cooperative library networking in Illinois. Highlights include library systems as cooperative agencies; PALI (Private Academic Libraries of Illinois); rural school and public library development; systemwide users; regional medical libraries; virtual libraries and the Coalition for Networked Information; a…