Discussion of way in which books have functioned within framework of American librarianship highlights acquisition of books (libraries attempting to fill needs of everyone in geographical area, libraries devoted to filling needs of self-selected part of society, libraries devoted to collecting particular subject), and role of private collector of…

Founded in 1966 at Florida State University by Louis Shores, the quarterly Journal of Library History moved to the University of Texas at Austin in 1976 and continues to be published by the University of Texas Press. It was renamed Libraries & Culture in 1988. While there has been some continuity in the Florida and Texas years, during the…

This report surveys the development of librarianship in West Africa since 1954, focusing primarily on the production of professional library literature in Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, the five countries which constitute the sub-region of English-speaking West Africa. An overview of library developments is presented, and three…

An overview of libraries in developing nations examines in general terms their historical development during their colonial and post-independence periods and discusses the more salient factors affecting development. These factors include language, distribution of population, topography, poor communication, level of formal education, illiteracy,…

Statistics are basic to the legislative process and must be available in a form quickly and easily perceived to support library legislation. There should be a sound statistical base, fleshed out with practical examples, to impress legislators and lay persons. Communication of statistical data to decision makers requires a sound public information…

Library studies in institutions of higher learning in socialist countries regularly include studies of library legislation. The topic is integrated into course syllabuses and textbooks, and is discussed in detail in such courses as "Organization and Management of Librarianship" taught at all library educational institutions in the USSR.…

Librarians store, protect, and provide the knowledge our modern society needs, but it is frequently difficult to justify the services a reference librarian provides. The work load of a reference librarian varies greatly with periods of frantic activity separated by much longer inactive periods. The role is principally passive, waiting for library…

The history of library science in Poland and a number of Polish research projects are reviewed in this paper. It is concluded that a considerable amount of research has been done on the history of libraries in Poland, but that this research is fragmented and separated by its focus on theory or methodology. The methodology of scientific research in…

As the field of educational technology developed, the field of library science became increasingly concerned about audiovisual media. School libraries have made significant developments in integrating audiovisual media into traditional programs, and are becoming learning resource centers with a variety of media; academic and public libraries are…