The year 2011 was the PALNI (Private Academic Library Network of Indiana) consortium's "rookie season" for the implementation of Primo, the 2010 Discovery Layer 500 race winner. In this article, the authors report on their transition to the cloud within Ex Libris Ltd.'s Primo TotalCare environment: their preparation, the steps involved…

Electronic performance support system (EPSS) technology provides a powerful mechanism for helping end-users operate complex systems. This article describes and discusses some research we have undertaken to explore their potential within academic library systems. Based on a needs analysis, an EPSS for supporting library users was designed and…

A training and reference tool for searchers in the Preorder Section of Cornell's Olin Library Acquisitions Department, this manual establishes the rationale for searching operations and includes illustrations as well as detailed explanations of searching procedures and problems. The information given applies only to the searching of monographs,…

Describes the history and development of the Tri-State College Library Cooperative (TCLC) Literature Search Center, a network of small academic libraries that cooperate to provide a computerized literature search service. (FM)

Explanation of enhancements of a new version of the Research Libraries Information Network (RLIN II)--originally called BALLOTS-- focuses on reference applications of what is primarily a technical processing system, e.g., complementing searches, verification, union catalog, and interlibrary loan. Illustrative examples are provided. (EJS)

When the Higher Education Library Information Network of Rhode Island transferred members' bibliographic data into a shared online public access catalog (OPAC), 10% of the University of Rhode Island's monograph records were missing. This article describes the consortium's attempts to retrieve records from the database and the effectiveness of…

Describes the Kentuckiana Metroversity Linking project, a consortium of academic and public libraries using the Z39.50 information retrieval protocol to provide service to Greater Louisville and Southern Indiana. Topics addressed include the Z39.50 standard, the consultant's role, addressing technical issues, Internet vs. dial-in access,…

Presents two differing perspectives on materials in Human Relations Area Files (HRAF), which provides ethnographic data to member institutions on paper slips or microfilm cards: focus on HRAF and supporting tools as data retrieval system; practical promise and limitations of HRAF materials as they relate to African cultures. (11 references) (EJS)

Description of Research Libraries Information Network, an automated technical processing and information retrieval system, notes subsystems (acquisitions, cataloging, message, print, tables), functions, design, and benefits to participating libraries. (Request complimentary subscription on institution letterhead from Editor, "Perspectives in…

Despite technological development allowing fast identification of specific citations and information sources, there is still a significant time lag in obtaining documents not available in a given university library system. In an effort to improve the speed and to identify cost effective means of obtaining documents through interlibrary loan, this…

Describes the use of microcomputers and relational database management systems to improve access to numeric databases by the Data and Program Library Service at the University of Wisconsin. The internal records management system, in-house reference tools, and plans to extend these tools to the entire campus are discussed. (3 references) (CLB)

Five years ago, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) funded an Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) study of the impact of new information and communications technologies on the roles of health sciences libraries in a radically changing health care and educational environment. A key recommendation of the resulting report called for…

Fifteen papers from the Division of Libraries Serving the General Public are included in this collection: "When the Children's Library Meets the Museum" (French and English versions; Annie Pissard); "Value of Library Service for Children Literature in France" (Aline Eisenegger); "The Latin American Literature in France" (Aline Eisenegger); "The…

Developed from presentations given at a 3-day invitational meeting of 31 leading online catalog designers from both public and private sectors in North America, these papers provide information about online catalogs--their present form, their use, and the questions that need to be considered in their future refinement. All of the papers in this…

Presents the results of a survey of academic libraries belonging to the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) concerning the availability and accessibility of OCLC (via dedicated or dial access terminals) for use by reference personnel. The methodology of the survey is described and data are presented in five tables. (JL)