A survey of 125 public library directors in Indiana laid the groundwork for a future study of change in the public library. Data were gathered on the background characteristics of the libraries and directors; directors' perceptions of change; and utilization of formal planning processes. A copy of the questionnaire is appended. (27 references)…

A study of the information world of custodial workers at a large university in the South revealed: (1) information needs in the areas of health, career opportunities, and interpersonal relationships; (2) little information exchange among workers; and (3) little use of the public library. The interview schedule is appended. (51 references) (MES)

Provides background on public library standards and state aid to public libraries, and reports results of a 1986 survey of Illinois public libraries which explored the relationship between state standards and the per capita grant program. The questionnaire and survey data are appended. (six references) (MES)

Survey of adult Canadian library users focused on defining "seniors," and determining their awareness of library programing and needs for further programing aimed specifically at older adults. Results indicated that, in an era of fiscal restraint, librarians need to be wary of improving services to seniors at the expense of other…

Construct validity and reliability estimates indicate that study designed to measure utilization of automation in public and academic libraries was successful in tentatively identifying and measuring three subdimensions of level of automation: quality of hardware, method of software development, and number of automation specialists. Questionnaire…

Discusses data gathered from study assessing library users' behavior and perceptions of reference transaction. Characteristics of reference clientele (address, age, education), questions asked, answers given (type, source, length of time spent), relationships between variables, and cost of reference service are highlighted. Instructions and forms…

Fifty women enrolled in an urban Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) program were interviewed about their use of the mass media and the public library for useful information, preferences in the use of mass media, and their attitudes about source credibility. A 23-item interview guide is appended. (25 references) (EJS)

This survey of librarians in public and school libraries serving a significant number of Hispanics found that, although 60 percent of the respondents report that books in Spanish for Spanish-speaking children and young adults serve an important educational purpose, many of the remaining respondents are very much opposed to increasing their…

Study of New Zealand public library effectiveness duplicates research by Childers and Van House which examined the multiple constituencies model of organizational effectiveness. Librarians, users, and councillors rated performance indicators identified from the literature, and similarities and differences between the two studies are reported. A…

Describes a study of a large urban public library system that compared levels and sources of stress and job satisfaction between public service and technical service employees. Relationships among work load, job content, and job satisfaction are examined, working relationships among employees are discussed, and the organizational climate is…

Describes the Public Library Effectiveness Study (PLES), which was designed to apply models and methods of organizational effectiveness research to public libraries. Indicators of public library effectiveness are described, factor analysis results are presented, implications for evaluating library performance are discussed, and further research is…

Discussion of mass media use by older women focuses on a study of 55 women (average age 82) that examined their perceptions of time, their preferred media, their perceptions of the role of the public library, and actual use of the public library. Implications of the results for information professionals and further research possibilities are also…