Reports on an evaluation by the University of California at Berkeley Library of five vendors providing preservation microfilming services. Data are provided on technical criteria and cost. Other factors of vendor evaluation, including location, turnaround time, and communication, are also discussed. A list of questions used to gather background on…

A survey of 113 Texas libraries examined characteristics of reference positions to determine whether there were important similarities and differences between public and academic libraries in the areas of professional qualifications for employment; job skills and responsibilities; work scheduling; benefits; and departmental characteristics. The…

Describes and compares the results from two surveys of academic librarians in the State University of New York (SUNY) system that were conducted to determine librarians' satisfaction with faculty status. Evidence suggests that satisfaction correlates with institutional compliance with ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) standards.…

This study sought to determine the levels of persistence in scanning postings that are typical of users of one online public information system, LCS (Library Computer System), as it was configured in Illinois in 1987. The study involved observation of users doing searches in an academic library, questioning them about what they had done, and then…

The 1975 and 1986 versions of the ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) College Library Standards are compared, and results of a survey designed to determine their usefulness are reported. Findings indicated that standards are used, although they are in need of revision to address quantitative measurement, nonprint formats, and…

College freshmen enrolled in English composition classes were polled to determine their attitudes toward two different methods of bibliographic instruction: the lecture-discussion practicum and the workbook. Analysis indicated that most students perceived the lecture-discussion to be the more successful instructional technique for both general and…

Surveys librarians in academic libraries to determine extent to which publishing is factor in obtaining tenure and/or promotion. Methodology, results of survey (faculty status, tenure, publishing as criterion for tenure and/or promotion, publishing as option), and comparison with Rayman and Goudy's study are discussed. Seven references are cited.…

Presents and compares results from two surveys of basic library skills administered to first-year and upperclass students at Johns Hopkins University (Maryland). The relationship of test scores to library visits and to self-ratings for library skills are discussed, and copies of the surveys are included. (Contains 12 references.) (LRW)

The relative effectiveness of the CD-ROM information retrieval system, InfoTrac II, and the manual "Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature," was studied. Seventeen community college students were divided into two groups which researched the same questions either on CD-ROM or in the printed index. Results showed the "Readers'…

A survey of academic librarians determined that the use of e-mail in the follow-up stage of a library research project using mailed questionnaires was as effective as postal mail in speed and size of response. Discusses additional benefits (interpersonal communication, reduced time and costs) and drawbacks (time spent identifying messages…

This study by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) draws from a variety of data sources, but it is based on two unpublished data sets. These data sets, compiled from ARL's 1990 and 1994 salary surveys, contain basic demographic data, including age, for librarians employed in ARL's 108 university member libraries. The study examines the…

A survey of the collections of the libraries at the State University College at Buffalo (New York) was conducted to determine the physical condition of books and bound periodicals. The methodology of prior surveys at Yale (Connecticut) and Syracuse (New York) Universities was used and the following hypotheses were tested: (1) the methodology used…

A survey of 75 small academic libraries reveals that most hold reasonably current editions of four or five different general encyclopedias with considerable agreement on most popular titles. Encyclopedias are used primarily for ready reference and general introductions to research topics; new editions are purchased at least every five years. (EJS)

Discussion of the activities of academic libraries focuses on a survey of 27 English-speaking West African university libraries. The effects of technology are discussed, activities in West African university libraries are compared with activities in other African countries, and implications for West African librarians are suggested. (12…

Describes a study that compared figures derived from a questionnaire-based, book availability survey and from computer records of the use of the library's catalog. Although differences emerged, it was concluded that the computer monitoring technique could act as a surrogate for availability surveys. (AEF)