Libraries are not so unlike market giants Netflix, Amazon, and Pandora. Despite their significantly different business models and missions, they share an interest in facilitating the search for information, including what to read, view, and listen to next. Librarians, too, want their patrons to be able to use their tools to make connections among…

In the journal "The Chronicle of Higher Education," an article by Geoffrey Nunberg criticizes Google's Book Search (GBS), emphasizing that disturbing errors are endemic. He recognizes that for mainstream "googling" purposes, "they don't really care about metadata provided by a library catalog." In perhaps his most discouraging point, linguistics…

For years, patrons have been able to access library services from home and in the library building, but in the world of Google, Yahoo, YouTube, MySpace, and Facebook, library web sites and catalogs are too often not the first place people go to look for information. The innovative use of toolbars could change this. Toolbars have been popular for…

Presents results of a study on user needs, sources used, and search successes. Illustrates that despite increasing competition from other information sources available to the public--such as consumer media and the Internet--libraries are still a primary source of information and education for the American public. (AEF)

Considers the role of librarians in the networked information age. Topics include contributions of librarians to information technology, including bibliographic utilities, online database searching services, and public access to electronic information; future challenges, including controlling costs; considering community objectives; and the…

Discusses the impact of electronic publishing, information networks, and new ways of accessing information on libraries. It is noted that the virtual library will still need human direction and that librarians' primary responsibilities will be in finding knowledge and teaching. (EA)

Compares current and past results from two surveys done of Association of Research Libraries' members to determine how electronic reference services affect staff, patron expectations, and user instruction. Increases were found in: patron Internet access; end user online searching; local area networks; and tape-loading databases. Decreases were…

Developing an Internet local job resource collection to expand library services to jobseekers utilizes librarian expertise in the evaluation, selection, and presentation of resources. This article provides Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and descriptions for online resource guides containing job information, resume services, recruiting sites, job…