Questions the future of the Master of Library Science (MLS) Degree in a field which in the past has criticized and doubted its professionalism. At a conference sponsored by the Association for Library and Information Science Education, educators and librarians discussed problems of the field and projected areas of change. (CDD)

Looks at King Research, Inc. (KRI), a data analyst firm specializing in library and information science research. Various KRI projects are described, including the new "Planning Process for Public Libraries." Profiles of KRI staff members are given along with a selected bibliography of the company's publications. (LLS)

Discusses the results of focus groups and surveys that asked teenagers their opinions of libraries and library services. Highlights include access to technology; customer service for students; library space for teens; books and materials; rules, regulations, and hours; jobs and service opportunities; and marketing toward teens. (LRW)

Argues that, although research measuring library effectiveness has tended to equate effectiveness with user satisfaction, this approach is faulty for several reasons and calls for more in-depth user needs assessment studies. (LLS)

Provides statistics based on the 1996 National Households Education Survey (NHES) of 55,000 families, measuring library use by presence of children, race, and ethnicity. Provides tables reporting use of public libraries by presence of children, by any household member, and by any household member in the last month. (PEN)

Discussion of information literacy focuses on the homework help centers developed by the County of Los Angeles Public Library. Describes a study conducted in partnership with the University of Southern California that investigated the cost effectiveness; success; and student, teacher, and parent perceptions of the centers to justify funding. (LRW)

Argues that librarians should make use of computer technology and available research to reexamine the premises of descriptive cataloging processes. Four references are appended. (LLS)

Summarizes the two recent studies of interest to the library community: (1) an A. D. Little analysis of past and present systems for dissemination of scientific technical information, and (2) Fritz Machlup's economic profile of key disseminators of scholarly, scientific, and intellectual knowledge. (FM)