This article discusses the importance of family practices to children's acquisition of literacy and describes attempts to influence such practices through the institution of family literacy programmes. One of these is the Family Literacy Project in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, which both served as a model and provided material for a similar…

Describes the Pica Library Automation Network (originally the Project for Integrated Catalogue Automation), which is based on a centralized bibliographic database. Highlights include the Pica conception of library automation, online shared cataloging system, circulation control system, acquisition system, and online Dutch union catalog with…

This discussion of the difficulties Poland faces in acquiring materials for its libraries' collections centers on four aspects: (1) historical background, (2) publishing output versus acquisition of collections, (3) decentralization of acquisition as the basis for distribution of collection in Poland, and (4) centralization of information about…

Provides an overview of Canadian public library services to ethnic groups, including historical background, programs of the Toronto Public Library, the Multilingual Biblioservice (MBS) of the National Library of Canada, local holdings, and local acquisition programs. Fifteen references are cited. (FM)

Outlines participation of Canadian librarians in the world of international librarianship, mentioning the role of librarians in such organizations as the Canadian Library Association, the Ontario Library Association, the National Library, the Library of Parliament, UNESCO, and the International Federation of Library Associations. (EJS)

This paper assessing the development of libraries in Chile focuses on the public library movement. An introductory section on the historical, economic, technological, and educational background of Chile is provided, as well as a discussion of the adverse effect of the military regime on the country's cultural life. The main part of the paper…

Papers on national library services and activities, which were presented at the 1983 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) conference, include: (1) "The National Library of China in its Gradual Application of Modern Technology," a discussion by Zhu Nan and Zhu Yan (China) of microform usage and library automation; (2)…

Papers on serials and their bibliographic control, which were presented at the 1983 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) conference, include: (1) "ISDS [International Serials Data System] and the National Bibliography," in which Ross Bourne (United Kingdom) describes ISDS development, the distinctive features of…

Describes the organizational structure of the research unit of the Parliamentary Library of Canada and lists a variety of services offered to Parliamentary members, committees, associations, and delegations. (CLB)

Reviews evolution of West Germany's national library and information services in three periods--early development of national library services, 1946-48; creation of national library associations, 1946-49; establishment of systematic planning for national library and information services, 1971-83. A comparison of West German services with those of…

Surveys Australian public library services to ethnic groups, including library-based activities, community information services, libraries of ethnic communities, and service to aborigines. More than 50 references are cited. (FM)

Papers on children's services, which were presented at the 1983 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) conference, include: (1) "Education and Training of Children's Librarians: An Investigation" by Eva Glistrup (Denmark), which presents preliminary results from a 1982 survey of institutions in 30 countries (30% response…

This report considers the effects of new technology (online search services) on user access to information; the role of libraries in providing such access; the structure of a future national information network in the United Kingdom; and general managerial considerations. Seventeen references are cited. (EJS)

Papers on library/information science theory and research, which were presented at the 1983 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) conference, include: (1) "The Role of the Library in Computer-Aided Information and Documentation Systems," in which Wolf D. Rauch (West Germany) asserts that libraries must adapt to the…

Discusses the role of the library in the life of an immigrant child or the child of immigrants or immigrant descendants. Twenty-two references are cited. (FM)