Describes the history of the Robbins Library in Arlington, Massachusetts, which grew from a couple of wheelbarrow loads of books in l835 to a collection of 130,000 volumes in l985. (EL)

Presents histories and descriptions of two major public library collections of Afro-Americana and Africana: the Vivian G. Harsh Collection of Afro-American History and Literature (Chicago Public Library); and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (New York Public Library). Fifteen references are listed. (Author/MES)

Describes the various purposes of special collections of children's literature including their value to historians, sociologists, psychologists, artists and authors, their reference purposes, and their value in preserving regional artistic and literary heritages. A bibliography of journal articles, pamphlets, and brochures listed by state is…

Discussion of laser videodiscs for library collections covers selection, finding reviews, suppliers, cost, preservation, and security. Sidebars define laserdisc terms and list several recommended titles. (MES)

Identifies and describes trends in public libraries for 24 selected variables, including library collections, services, operating income and expenditures, and staffing. Data are from the National Center for Education Statistics Public Libraries Survey. (Author/SLD)

Describes the organization and coordination of a public library's move from an old Carnegie building to a new facility. The planning process, publicity and communication, team concept, color-coding scheme, and use of software and volunteer help are covered. (EM)

Description of the production of a "Software Directory Wall Chart" at the North-Pulaski Branch of Chicago Public Library focuses on three major steps: organization of the software collection, use of a database management system to input desired data, and construction of the chart. Storage of diskettes is also discussed. (EJS)

Discussion of popularity of romance fiction at a small public library notes origins of the paperback collection, donations by patrons and publishers, categories and representative titles (Harlequins, romantic suspense, historical novels), cataloging and preparation of paperbacks for the shelves, reader preferences, and the place of romantic novels…

Addresses the public library's problems in cataloging foreign language materials and assuring the patron's access to them. Eleven references are cited. (FM)

Summarizes universe data on public libraries in the United States. Includes information about public libraries' administrative structure and legal basis, operating income and expenditures, staff, collections, and services. (Author/SLD)

This discussion of the role of sound recordings--phonodiscs, tape cassettes and cartridges--in public and university libraries provides a brief review of types of collections and criteria for choosing materials, the variety of uses patrons may make of such collections, selection tools and patron input for collection building, in-house listening…

The New York Public Library's preservation and conservation activities during the last three decades that are discussed include environmental control systems, collection use, binding, deacidification, microphotography, and cooperative microfilming. A list of 32 references is included. (CHC)

Describes a project to preserve the pre-Revolutionary Russian periodicals collection of the New York Public Library's Slavonic Division. Progress in this project, microform preservation considerations, and cataloging of the collection are discussed. (21 references) (MES)

Reports on efforts of three institutions in response to need for consumer health information: Health Education Center (promotes health in southwestern Pennsylvania), Tulsa City-County Library (Oklahoma), and Wellness Council of the Midlands (WELCOM) (promotes wellness at work site in Omaha, Nebraska, area). WELCOM's 62-item reference list is…

Describes historical background of "Register"--main entry microfiche catalog of New York Public Library master negatives of monographs--and bibliographic problems of compiling catalog whose entries have been prepared according to differing cataloging rules; methodology used to produce fiches; means by which "Register" can be…