James Neal begins this essay with the introduction of the 1996 paper, "Choosing Our Futures," by calling it a provocation, and a call to arms for the academic library community to challenge complacency and move forward toward fundamental change. Neal writes here that in the context of extraordinary economic pressures, the early…

At the time of writing the original paper my viewpoint was a personal one, one that focussed on the status within the profession of equally qualified librarians based purely on the perceived status conferred by the type of libraries in which they worked. However, it must now be observed that the world in which public librarians operated then was…

Bill Schickling has spent a good chunk of his professional life at what is now Polaris Library Systems, shaping both the older Galaxy system and the newer Polaris integrated library system (ILS). When he joined the company as a programmer in 1987, it was still part of Gaylord, known mostly for its furniture and supplies division. Schickling was…

It's an obvious observation that librarians today find themselves dealing with collections of ever larger proportions of electronic content. The degree to which that shift has already taken place varies from one type of library to another. Some organizations, especially those involved with specializations in biomedical, scientific, or business,…

The current rate of change suggests scholarly communications issues such as new publication models and technology to connect library and research tools is expected to continue into the foreseeable future. As models evolve, standards develop, and scientists evolve in their communication patterns, librarians will need to embrace transitional…

Presents a fictional scenario of library reference service for the first part of the 21st century. Examines 10 major social trends for the 1990s; critiques services in terms of these trends and notes the library's role and the need to incorporate them into reference services. (Author/AEF)

Advances in information technology are forcing librarians and administrators to reinvent scholarly information exchange. The old question of what constitutes a research collection remains, but is transferred to a new medium. This is an opportunity to take advantage of the new possibilities and to correct some previous mistakes in collection…

Defines cultural sensitivity and discusses the need for librarians to be culturally sensitive to ensure that libraries are instrumental in staff and patron success. Highlights include a presentation of culturally sensitive learning programs and guidelines; an examination of related issues and trends occurring at the University of Arizona Library.…

This report describes a study undertaken by the Library Advisory Committee (LAC) to identify the crucial issues and trends affecting public academic libraries and to provide a set of recommendations to the State Board for Higher Education in these areas. The report focuses on the changing role and nature of academic libraries in Maryland as they…

Defines multicultural groups, discusses the evolution of multiculturalism, analyzes the "one-third myth," which says that America will be one-third minority by the year 2000, discusses statistical multicultural theories, and reviews laws and regulations that provide equality in jobs and education. Also examines multicultural trends in…