Examines the foundations of academic librarianship in terms of the ends and means of library services, recognition of the difference between them, exploration of the quality of library services, and development and refinement of descriptions of these concerns. The impact of information technologies on these areas is discussed. (17 references) (CLB)

Presents a methodology for describing, analyzing, and evaluating the public service functions of serial file systems, and describes a user study conducted in a university departmental library to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of its system in enabling students new to the library to locate known-items in the serials collection. (CDD)

Reports measures of the gains in search time and likelihood of success in known-item searches with the Acorn automated catalog at Vanderbilt University. User time and search success are valued in dollar terms to make the measures meaningful for system design choices. (Author/CLB)

Compares, contrasts, and critiques predictions that have been made about the future of research libraries, focusing on the impact of technology on the library's role and users' needs. The discussion includes models for the adaptation of new technologies that may assist in library planning and change. (38 references) (CLB)

Urges the research library community, in which ownership is traded for access and competition for cooperation, to take concerted action to survive declining resources and the impact of electronic information technology. Concrete steps that can be taken toward contributing to a new world of scholarly communication are suggested. (Contains 12…