In Nebraska, pursuant to Nebraska statutes 79-1014, districts must submit a Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Plan by mid October of each year as specified by statute. The LEP plan is meant to specifically address the needs of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students and will be used in calculation of state funding for the following fiscal school…

The topic of virtual reference has been a popular one in the past year, and this column highlights a range of those articles. Included are overviews of the topic, articles addressing specific technological solutions and concerns, and pieces that explore the intricacies of delivering and assessing a "traditional" service through a…

Describes the "Excellence in Academic Libraries" award in the university division from the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). Discusses the history of the award; results of the award; winning libraries as examples of excellence; cash award; and campus impact. (AEF)

This paper describes the experimental implementation of BIROS (Bibliographical Information Retrieval Online Service) in the Lancashire Public Library. The project is designed to provide information on the potential use of an online service for the general public, with particular regard to professional and technical users; the implications for…

After five years of existence, a three-county regional cooperative including public libraries, a community college library, and local government agencies was evaluated to assess: (1) general library services; (2) the interlibrary loan program; (3) library user satisfaction; and (4) the need for additional statistical reporting. Existing records…

Describes a comprehensive home food production education program designed to meet extension agent needs for ready reference and homeowner needs for basic gardening information. Program components include fact sheets, slide library, and a beginner's guide. Material use and program evaluation are included. (CT)

The Perseus Digital Library (PDL), under continuous development since 1987, is one of the primary digital resources for the humanities. A summary of the PDL genesis and current status is given and the multifaceted and longitudinal evaluation effort is described. A brief synthesis of results is provided and reflections on the evaluation along with…

This course text outlines the objectives and content for a professional continuing education course on clinical medical librarianship. Following an introduction to the course, the history of clinical librarianship and several programs are described. The third section offers guidelines for setting goals and objectives for a clinical librarian…

Describes a library-subsidized walk-in service at Albert R. Mann Library, Cornell University, which provides computer-generated bibliographies to undergraduate students at very low cost. Undergraduate needs, models, planning the service (parameters, fees, database selection, promotion), an initial evaluation of the program, and modifications of…

Duke University science librarians took a one-day retreat to examine operations, define goals, and explore options for achieving goals. Cost/impact analysis and decision matrix models were used to analyze each librarian's activities. The cost/impact model enabled the librarians to prioritize functions and to better deploy limited resources to…

The School Library Media Services Division of the Pennsylvania Department of Education administered the operation of AdvancE as Pennsylvania's adult education clearinghouse. The goal of the project was to provide Pennsylvania's adult educators with prompt access to information and resources to help them implement the most effective administrative…

Discusses an in-service cross-training program designed for reference desk workers at the University of New Mexico Library. Describes the reference department and provides an overview of cross training. Highlights include training issues, a needs assessment questionnaire, program implementation, and evaluation. Four appendices provide sample…

To help foreign students adjust to academic environment, the University of California-Davis Library developed a personalized instructional program (small groups, "on call" service) with a dual emphasis: teaching international students how to find and use library information; educating library staff to recognize/understand the special…

The online search evaluation form recommended by the Machine-Assisted Reference Section Committee on Measurement and Evaluation of Service of the American Library Association is discussed. Each of the 10 questions recommended for inclusion and questions rejected as inappropriate are analyzed. Eleven references and the Search Evaluation…

This examination of the philosophy and objectives of academic library reference services provides an overview of the major reference approaches to fulfilling the following primary objectives of reference services: (1) providing accurate answers to patrons' questions and/or helping patrons find sources to pursue their research needs; (2) building…