A hundred years after Marie Curie received her Nobel Prize in Chemistry, this arm of science is pointing the way to a more sustainable future. Growing movements like green chemistry, which strives to create alternative and new chemical reactions that produce no harmful waste products, and molecular engineering hold great potential for industry,…

The dynamic and rapidly expanding field of neuroscience traditionally has involved the study of the nervous system from a biological/medical standpoint. In recent years, however, the science has become multidisciplinary, attracting researchers from computer science, psychology, sociology, philosophy, and even the humanities. For public and college…

The Outstanding Reference Book Committee of the American Library Association compiled this annotated bibliography of titles appropriate for small or medium-sized college or public libraries. (JAB)

Exotic, captivating, and seductive, orchids have long fascinated plant lovers. They first attracted the attention of Westerners in the 17th century, when explorers brought back samples from South America and Asia. By the mid-1800s, orchid collecting had reached a fever pitch, not unlike that of the Dutch tulip craze of the 1630s, with rich (and…

A compilation of reference books published in 1974 or late 1973 that should be of unique value for the small and medium-sized public and academic library. (PF)

The Chula Vista Public Library exemplifies the success of the completely planned library, with each and every element specified before construction begins. In contrast, the Penrose Library at the University of Denver is a triumph of a diametrically different approach: phased construction. (Author)

The Black Caucus of the American Library Association in the spring of 1974 surveyed minority librarians in 22 leading libraries. (Author/PF)

Describes the inequities and inefficiencies created by user fees in public libraries and publicly supported academic libraries and agencies. Alternatives to user fees are suggested. (KP)

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that every year 76 million Americans get some kind of food poisoning, more than 300,000 are hospitalized, and approximately 5,000 people die. A 2004 analysis by the Center for Science in the Public Interest indicates that contaminated produce is responsible for the greatest number of food-borne illnesses.…

Discusses the trend of increased library involvement with video technology and describes several outstanding library programs that use video. (PF)

Describes six trends in current library facilities design, whether for new buildings or renovations: self-service and operational efficiency; flexibility and technology integration; green/sustainable buildings that use the natural environment; collaboration between public and school/college libraries; aesthetics; and customizing to the local…