Examines the move to make U. S. government information available solely in an electronic format. Discusses inability of general purpose search engines to access the information; shift of cost to the consumer; the online version of the "Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications"; federal statistics; Agency Web sites; and a…

Examines an effective response to library or archive theft and vandalism of valuable materials: the restricted access reading room. Discusses the need for an alert staff, user identification, restriction of carry-in items, electronic surveillance, record keeping, limits to quantities of collection materials, exiting procedure, photocopying, theft…

The Internet has made the Holocaust denial movement, or revisionist ideas and research, more widely available than ever before. The major revisionist and refutation sites and documents available on the Internet today are examined. (Author/AEF)

The creation of rules and procedures for cataloging archival collections was made difficult because of the nature of archives and manuscript collections and the challenge of describing them. Discusses definitions and principles; accessioning and arrangement; inventories, the core descriptive finding aid; integrated descriptive programs; and…

Archives can use the Internet to enhance access to information about holdings, programs, and services; improve efficiency of traditional reference services; and expand use without an increased burden on existing resources. Reviews the experiences of the New York State Archives and Records Administration which operates Internet services using…

Information on freebasing cocaine was requested from reference librarians at six public and seven academic libraries. None of the librarians refused to offer assistance, although assistance varied in its extensiveness. None of the encounters involved a reference interview or bibliographic instruction. Arguments in support of information…

Discusses problems and ethical issues associated with access to special collections in the humanities. Topics include access to the Dead Sea Scrolls; scholastic monopolies and access barriers; access restrictions and destroyed documents; privacy rights and professional codes of confidentiality; fair use of unpublished manuscripts; and the Freedom…

Discusses electronic reference in libraries and how it has changed over the years with changes in computer technology. Explains technical background and history as well as library and reference impact for three stages in the development of electronic reference: the need for search intermediaries, the emergence of CD-ROMs, and user access to…

Because freely accessible resources allow searching without the constraints of costs for connect times, the Internet resources profiled in this article are intended for browsing. Includes references for some valuable patent information but not for extensive patent searching. (AEF)

Reviews two projects incorporating document delivery into ready reference and acquisitions and provides an analysis of four major document-delivery vendors, as part of a research project funded by the University of Montana (Missoula) Faculty Grant Program and the Mansfield Library. Findings support integration of document delivery within a…

Considers future possibilities and needs in libraries, including fewer acquisitions due to rising costs; the demise of older materials; the influence of the nature of access on the direction of scholarly inquiry, i.e., the influence of technology; using electronic resources appropriately; and questioning established routines. (LRW)

Reference librarians will find numerous opportunities for effective patron referrals on the Internet. This paper describes selected sites from organizations, academic departments and the private sector which offer useful information on psychology. The sites included are chosen for their uniqueness, credibility, and usefulness. (Author)

Describes the provision of library services to performing musicians in a music conservatory and focuses on their need for information in three main categories: (1) access to collections through library catalogs and other sources, (2) sources for the study of musical scores, and (3) research using sources for contextual and background research. (10…

Discusses the inclusion of cartobibliographic instruction as part of academic bibliographic instruction programs. Highlights include bibliographic access to cartographic sources; problems, including lack of full cataloging, special locations, and unusual displays of information; and cartographic sources in various disciplines, including the…

Explores the future of reference librarianship within the context of the enabling technologies that will chart library development in the 21st century. The article types libraries into categories of "traditional,""automated,""hybrid," and "digital." The typology delineates shifts in human/machine…