Designing curricula around the standards, with clearly delineated strategies, expectations, and evaluative procedures, is thought to assure that growth in student achievement may be tracked. While this process can sometimes be nebulous, one thing is certain: clearly understanding what is involved in reaching a degree of excellence and determining…

This Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) kit on Bibliographic Instruction (BI) in Association of Research Libraries (ARL) examines current developments as well as anticipated trends based on a SPEC telephone survey of 25 ARL libraries with active BI programs. Two themes which ran through the mid-1985 interviews were the use of new…

Twelve articles describe the impact of library technologies on reference services. Staff training, the academic librarian as teacher and information provider, decision-making models for planning reference services, patron database access options, management of reference services, systemwide electronic access, and the electronic library are among…

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…

Examination of the confrontation between patrons and technology in the library focuses on two questions evident when addressing the instruction librarian's role in humanizing technology: whether the library profession can afford to humanize interaction between client and technology, and how instruction librarians can humanize the confrontation.…

Refutes several popular but ill-founded arguments against user education for public library patrons to suggest that the only real issue is the extent of library involvement. This adaptation from a soon-to-be-published book on library user education includes seven references. (RAA)

Discussion of techniques of response to the reference query from public librarian's point-of-view covers patron's need-motivation; structuring library instruction program (teaching skills related to encyclopedia use, library instruction on special subjects-health); and assisting patron in gathering materials on-site and through use of…

Reviews development of bibliographic instruction in colleges and examines various components of such instruction (orientation, basic skills, course specialized skills, course-integrated study). Discussion of efforts to study user needs and to present library services as direct answer to these needs notes use of certain marketing techniques.…

This paper contrasts myths (false beliefs) and realities of two points of view concerning the role of the college library in learning--primary role, or secondary support role to classroom learning. Skills learned in using a college library are highlighted as necessary to acquiring an education and for lifelong learning. (EJS)

Suggests that it is more important for college bound high school students to have a positive attitude about libraries and librarians than mastery of specific skills. Suggestions beyond the context of traditional library instruction are offered to promote the view of the library as an exciting, dynamic, service-oriented institution. (11 references)…

This essay addresses the serious problem for bibliographic instruction programs posed by teaching faculty who possess few skills in library research. Discussion covers faculty and student experience with bibliographic research, the bookish professor and other myths, difficulties of library instruction, and implications for future planning.…

Discusses the role of college libraries in the teaching of library skills to undergraduates, and describes a program in which an English department cooperated with library staff in sharing the responsibility for instruction. (FM)

Discussion of role of the school library in the academic life of the gifted/talented student highlights characteristics of gifted students which relate to library services, teaching library skills and research techniques, and other library activities (author interviews, library aides, reading encouragement). A 95-item bibliography of library…

Discusses first three steps of a general model for use in planning and implementing innovative programs in organizations: identifying problem, forming task force, finding out more about problems. Application and evaluation of model at large academic library to investigate receptivity of faculty to increased teaching activities by librarians is…

At the 1989 annual meeting of the American Library Association (ALA), the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) used a think tank as a dynamic mechanism for exploring future directions both in the discipline of library user education and for the Bibliographic Instruction (BI) Section of ACRL. Discussion centered on the following…