Predictions regarding how much traveling Americans will be doing this year and where they might go vary, but it is expected that many will cut back on what is increasingly considered a luxury. Even so, gasoline prices are down substantially from a year ago, the stronger dollar means better prices in Europe, and there are discounts in all areas of…

America is facing what many have called the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, with one in ten Americans unemployed. It's no surprise, then, that the 2010 book-buying survey of public libraries is on the dark side. Representing some 100 institutions nationwide distributed equitably by size, type, and location, "LJ"'s annual survey…

This article focuses on resources for building successful stepfamilies and parenting children in stepfamily scenarios. While remarriage after divorce is the basis of most stepfamilies, divorced parenting differs from stepfamily parenting and is covered only peripherally in this article. Worthy stepparenting titles emphasize the singularity of…

It's called GoLibrary in the United States and Bokomaten in its native Sweden. Patrons know it as Library-a-Go-Go in Contra Costa County, California, but whatever its name, the automated lending service this materials handling machine provides has proved a tremendous aid in addressing underserved segments of this sprawling community. It's not hard…

Reading reference sources, whether on paper or on the screen, often leads to enlightened thinking, especially for library patrons. In an earlier age, enlightened monarchs surrounded themselves with leading intellectuals and patronized the arts. Today, people have the advantage of the world's collected wisdom at their fingertips in the form of…

Close collaboration between library and bookstore (or a complete merger of the two) could do much to solve the immediate problems faced by many small colleges with small library collections and limited budgets. (MF)

Brief reviews of recently published books, arranged by subject, comprise the main section of The Book Review.'' The Books to Come'' segment includes brief reviews of a few specially noted books and a comprehensive listing of scientific, technical, medical and business books. (1000 references) (DH)

A description of the four-month period in which Oklahoma County Libraries defended unlimited access to library collections including sex education materials for children. (KP)

To evaluate the extent of the book loss, the author identified several highly controlled areas of the collection where it was possible to determine losses and then used statistical sampling techniques to establish current loss rates together with the appropriate confidence intervals. (Author/NH)

1975 spawned the usual shoal of titles on traumatic contemporary events (the energy crisis, the high cost of living, the exploitation of resources and humans), and the more everyday concerns of this genre of literature (investing, administration, marketing, computerization, economics). (Author)

Reviews methods being developed for mass deacidification of books to prevent deterioration of paper. The use of diethyl zinc, liquified gas, and morpholine, and the advantages, disadvantages, and cost of each are considered. A 26-item bibliography is included. (JD)

In 2005, the University of Texas (UT) at Austin made some surprising national headlines when it removed the book collection from its undergraduate library. Behind the sensational headlines, the move was in fact more "life-as-usual" than "radical change." In today's academic libraries, technology is constantly redefining library…

Lists 100 "best" books in science and technology for public libraries. (PF)

Describes a project of the Levittown Public Library to determine its book loss rate, the methods of determining losses, kinds and ages of books lost, and use of the "Tattle Tape" security system to reduce book loss. (LS)

How the Cornell University Libraries dealt with flood damage and developed plans to handle future emergencies is described. (Author/SJ)