In April 2010, the New York State Board of Regents challenged the library community to rethink the State's vast array of library services to ensure that they are aligned with modern expectations and the expanded functions needed in today's society, operate with improved efficiency, and are prepared for the future as an essential and vibrant part…

Librarians, like patrons and researchers, are caught between traditional library service models and the promise of evolving information technologies. In recent years, professional conferences have strategically featured programs and presentations geared toward building a mobile agenda and adapting or adopting services to meet new demands of mobile…

Libraries are constantly evolving and changing expectations for the user and the information environment. More than just being an authoritative source for research, expertise, and quality content in the form of books and journals, the information center is evolving into a more expansive role. With the growth of information technology awareness and…

The new Fac-Back-OPAC (a faceted backup OPAC) is built on code that was originally developed by Casey Durfee in February 2007. It represents the convergence of two prominent trends in library tools: the decoupling of discovery tools from the traditional integrated library system (ILS) and the use of readily available open source components to…

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…

In the contemporary library environment, the presence of the Internet and the infrastructure of the integrated library system suggest an integrated internal organization. The article describes the example of Douglass Rationalization, a team-based collaborative project to refocus the collection of Rutgers' Douglass Library, taking advantage of the…

Examines the information infrastructure and the impact of information technology in India. Highlights include attempts toward automation; library networking at the national and local level; descriptions of four major networks; library software; and constraints of networking in academic libraries. (LRW)

UCLA, which has one of the top 10 research libraries in the country, has been using Taos software since 1996. However in 2001, Sirsi Corp. announced that it was freezing development on Taos software. As the associate university librarian for information technology at UCLA, the author relates that it was his responsibility to lead the way through…

This article is about Jeff Trzeciak, the tech hotshot at the Wayne State libraries. He oversees instructional technology for the entire campus community, library technology services (with over 1000 workstations and 30 servers), digital library services, and the help desk. It is clear he loves his work. His passion, though, is creating online…

Six articles address telecommunications issues that are relevant to library and information science. Topics discussed include national library networks, the growth of computer networks, telecommunications strategies for academic libraries, the need to increase process research in telecommunications, and the potential of future lightwave…

This paper is based on two fundamental premises: (1) that the characteristics inherent in information (reproductivity, volatility, and value) combined with the technical capability provided by the new information technology (access, storage, communication, and control) have created the prospect of a new range of internal and external networking…

Academic libraries in China are transforming traditionally isolated and separated operations by initiating an integral library system to connect all academic libraries nationwide with each other and with other information networks abroad. The current academic library environment in China, the concept of the integral library system, and major goals…

Electronic technologies and collection development are two of the top concerns in library and information science today. The challenges of integrating electronic resources and technologies into the process of collection development are many, and many-faceted. Beyond task-oriented considerations, such as the selection process itself, there are…

The purpose of this study is to look at how the academic library systems office (i.e., an entity or group of entities within a library whose purpose is to oversee the hardware and software systems functions within its electronic automated processes and services for the use of the staff and public) in Ohio has evolved to become a library-wide…

Includes three reports that describe how Utah's government, libraries, and educational institutions at all levels are becoming more effective through the use of computer and telecommunications technology. Highlights include public library connectivity; public school networks that provide Internet access; and higher education technology and…