In his article "The McDonaldization of Academic Libraries?" Brian Quinn explores to what extent and to what effect academic libraries have become "McDonaldized," according to the concept developed by sociologist George Ritzer. Quinn identifies a number of ways in which the four dimensions of…

Librarians frequently utilize product trials to assess the content and usability of a database prior to committing funds to a new subscription or purchase. At the 2012 Electronic Resources and Libraries Conference in Austin, Texas, three librarians presented a panel discussion on their institutions' policies and practices regarding database…

Digital media increase the visibility and presence of the past while also reshaping our sense of history. We have extraordinary access to digital versions of books, journals, film, television, music, art and popular culture from earlier eras. New theoretical formulations of database and archive provide ways to think creatively about these changes…

In this article, the author argues the need for transparency with regard to the automation systems used in libraries. As librarians make decisions regarding automation software and services, they should have convenient access to information about the organizations it will potentially acquire technology from and about the collective experiences of…

Discusses changes in libraries and the influence they have on library budgets. Highlights include reorganization in response to changes; automation, including document delivery in place of acquisitions; the library role; relationships with dealers and vendors; library materials, including the expansion of nonprint materials such as databases; and…

The role of public services librarians in collection development is examined in light of changes being brought to libraries by finances, cooperation, and information access. Highlights include situation in academic and special libraries, attributes of successful reference librarians and choices affecting collection developing, collection…

Description of considerations special libraries must address before building databases is based on practical experiences of Comstow Information Services. Developing standards for all types of materials (journal articles, internal reports, competitors' literature, government documents, conference proceedings, analytics, books), retrospective…

In the last issue, this journal asked a question on many librarians' minds, and it was pleased with the depth and variety of responses. As suggested by this journal editorial board member Oliver Pesch, readers were asked, "Many libraries have gone to federated searching to win users back from Google. Is it working?" Respondents approached the…

This set of papers presented to the General Research Libraries Division of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) during its 47th annual conference (1981) includes: "The Effect of the Introduction of Computers on Library and Research Staff," by Gilbert Gude; "Libraries as Information Service Agencies…

Discusses the effect of online library catalogs on when, how, and by whom authority control work is done, focusing on experiences at Ohio State University Libraries. Shifts include removal of authority work from automated cataloging procedures, separation of mechanical and intellectual tasks, unique headings and references, and original…

This report summarizes the first year activities of the Library and Information Resources for the Northwest (LIRN) Program of the Fred Meyer Charitable Trust. LIRN is one of three regional programs of the Trust and is active in the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The LIRN Program is aimed at making needed information more…

This report presents recommendations for the upgrading of higher education information resources in Papua New Guinea (PNG) according to acceptable norms, effective sharing of resources through phased introduction of automation and networking, and the creation of a database of information resources. The report was based on a survey of 41 PNG…

Describes the effects of economic factors on information services in Mexico. Topics discussed include librarians' salaries; inadequate library budgets; acquisitions in academic libraries; the development of public libraries; library networks; national databases; microcomputers and library automation; library research; effects of devaluation; and…

Discusses the impact of internetworking on academic research libraries with special emphasis given to collection development and resource sharing in an electronically networked environment. Topics addressed include a brief history of the Internet, NSF-Net, and NREN (National Research and Education Network); and future trends in the development of…

Discusses transition of the small library into twenty-first century, highlighting evaluation of collection development plans and procedures, examination of catalog in terms of collection control, building of machine databases for future online catalogs to improve access to collections, and involvement in research to improve bibliographic control…