Although spiraling costs and reduced budgets require that small academic libraries form clusters to share resources and services, consortia and library networks so far have taken only tentative or shallow steps in this direction. Real and meaningful steps can and must be taken to develop joint acquisition policies, effective and timely…

Describes facsimile technology and reviews library telefacsimile projects. Four issues to be considered before purchasing telefacsimile equipment are discussed: (1) patron need; (2) processing priorities; (3) copy quality; and (4) cost factors. Costs are compared with other delivery methods, and new developments in facsimile transmission are…

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…

Discussion of operational effectiveness in libraries focuses on a modeling approach that was used to compare the effectiveness of a local interlibrary loan system with using a national system, the British Library Document Supply Centre (BLDSC). Cost figures and surveys of five academic libraries are described. (six references) (LRW)

Discussion of Illinois experiences in library cooperation and computerization (OCLC, Library Computer System, LIBRAS) describes use of library materials, benefits and drawbacks of online networking, experiences at Lake Forest College (Illinois), and six tasks recommended for small academic libraries as preparation for major changes toward…

Drawing on a current study, funded by the British Library Research and Innovation Centre, the context of higher education libraries is discussed, including funding and costs and recent major official reports on education and libraries. Future trends and imperatives are outlined. Models of library purchasing consortia are presented. The operation…

The continuing problem of the high cost of accessing scientific, technical, and medical (STM) literature haunts both developed and developing economies. Maintaining access to significant research and scholarship at a time when both the volume and price of information have increased nearly three-fold in the last decade requires fresh strategies and…

The role of public services librarians in collection development is examined in light of changes being brought to libraries by finances, cooperation, and information access. Highlights include situation in academic and special libraries, attributes of successful reference librarians and choices affecting collection developing, collection…

This 1997 edition focuses on statistical data supplied by Michigan public libraries, public library cooperatives, and those public libraries which serve as regional or subregional outlets for blind and physically handicapped patrons. Statistics on academic libraries are also presented in this edition, and summary statistics for prior fiscal years…

This special issue contains eight papers from a conference on library collection development and networking issues. Discusses the library's role and the need for new policies; serial costs and recommendations for resource sharing; evaluation of academic periodicals; partnerships and the relationship of vendors and libraries; and models and trends…

Describes the Online Journal Access Citation (OJAC) project developed with the British Columbia Electronic Library Network and Simon Fraser University to demonstrate the feasibility of an electronic document delivery system. Topics discussed include publicity, training, and documentation; telecommunications; effects on regular interlibrary loans;…

The Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) surveyed Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions to measure the degree of electronic resource sharing in ARL libraries; to discover which resources are being shared and between what kinds of institutions; and what documentation is available. Of the 119 ARL institutions surveyed, 53…

Presents summaries of 12 papers presented at the 1990 Computers in Libraries Conference. Topics discussed include online searching; microcomputer-based serials management; microcomputer-based workstations; online public access catalogs (OPACs); multitype library networking; CD-ROM searches; locally mounted online databases; collection evaluation;…