This historical overview of the California Library Authority for Systems and Services (CLASS--recently renamed Cooperative Library Agency for Systems and Services) highlights its origins, purposes, governance, committees, programs, products, organization and planning, inclusion of out-of-state libraries, long range plan, issues, a management study…

The Community Health Information Network, a cooperative library network established between a community hospital and six public libraries, is described. This model program provides health education and information services to patient/consumers and library services to health personnel through their public libraries. Funding, factors leading to the…

The draft program of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Service (NCLIS) is presented, along with comments from the field. (JB)

Discusses academic and public libraries that expand the range and type of their services via fee-based information services and private information businesses that charge fees. Questions of billing the total cost to the patron versus part of the cost are considered; and the impact of such fees on library cooperation and networks is described. (six…

Assesses the changes in interlibrary loan (ILL) practices, and points the way to an ideal future. Discusses patron-initiated document request systems; library-mediated ordering systems; document delivery suppliers; accessing electronic resources; ILL management software; paying ILL invoices; new electronic delivery options; and results of a…

Description of VALNet (Valley Library Consortium), a consortium of public, academic, and school libraries in Idaho, highlights proposed online public access union catalog which would include nonbibliographic and referral files and circulation and serials control modules. The political climate, marketing, needs assessment, support and consultation,…