Provides a historical overview of library cooperative efforts, the roles identified for the cooperative library organizations and their members, and associated services. Examines the contributions that rural libraries make toward cooperation among all types of libraries and identifies challenges for rural libraries participating in networks in the…

Three fundamental problems underlie most research in health sciences librarianship: determining what therapies are effective and of good quality, delivering information when and where it is needed, and in forms that will increase its use. Developments in health information research will be advanced through collaboration across disciplines and…

As the purchase of virtual resources accelerates, particularly through consortial agreements, the autonomy of the local library will fade and the roles of librarians will change drastically. This rapid transformation is illustrated by a discussion of OhioLINK and its positive and negative effects on one member library. (Contains 21 references.)…

Examines the academic library's information resources budget. Topics discussed include allocation methodologies; academic library budgets; economic and social issues; the library and its relationship to the university; technology and publishing; scholarly communication; user demands; alternatives, including redirecting the budget away from print…