Sharing scientific research data has become increasingly important for knowledge advancement in today's networked, digital world. This article describes the evolution of access to United States government information in relation to scientific research funded by federal grants. It analyzes the data sharing policy of the National Science Foundation,…

In 2007, the author examined existing academic libraries in the United States to determine best practices for the design, implementation and service of learning commons facilities. A primary objective of this study was to discover how to create a higher education learning environment that sustains scholarship, encourages collaboration and empowers…

Discusses 10 library roles that need to be taken into consideration when planning for a new facility: study hall, workplace, distribution center, cost center, part of a community, a museum, part-time parent, a store, an evolving organism, or something more. It is noted that different roles help determine the type of facility needed. (LAE)

Representatives of six vendors of online library systems address key issues related to system performance: designing, configuring and sizing systems; establishing performance criteria; using benchmark and acceptance tests; the risks of miscalculations; vendor, consultant, and library roles; and related topics. (Author/EM)

Five library consultants address issues that affect online system performance: options in system design that relate to diverse library requirements; criteria that most affect performance; benchmark tests and sizing criteria; minimalizing the risks of miscalculation; and the roles and responsibilities of vendors, libraries, and consultants.…

Five Grand Challenges are proposed for library research: (1) Library service: Could library services be made more meaningful? (2) Library theory: Who knew what when? (3) Library design: Have digital libraries been designed backwards? (4) Library values: How neutral can libraries be? (5) Library communities: How do communities differ? (AEF)

Discusses the role of academic libraries as campus meeting centers, highlighting the distinction between changing functional requirements that are addressed with space programming and the social and emotional needs of a community that are realized through the design of place. Offers examples of design ideas and recommendations for librarians and…

Describes the development of a Web site at Union College's (NY) Schaffer Library that was designed to provide access to library and Internet resources. Home page design as well as site design is discussed, features of the site are explained, and future expectations are considered, including the role of the library. (LRW)

Compares and contrasts the experiences and perceived roles of librarians and architects in the library-design processes of recently completed branch public libraries in three library systems in the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia. Discusses the project team, site selection, architect selection, library interiors, and information…

The first of five chapters in this master's thesis examines the current status of media facilities and historical factors that have contributed to their development. An analysis of the design of media facilities following the principle of "form follows function" begins in the second chapter, which expounds a theoretical model of the…

The Islamic Republic of Iran's parliament, the Majlis, passed in 1990 a law setting out the functions of its national library. In 2005, the inauguration of the first stage of the new national library building was celebrated as a major national cultural and architectural achievement. This article looks at the origins and evolution of the National…

This volume is the first of two in a report on a state-of-the-art assessment which was conducted to determine the roles of school, academic, special, and community libraries in creating and/or providing viewtext information services; the information resources now available or expected to be available in the future to a sample of libraries in the…

For many, the library is the literal information bridge to the future. Organizations dedicate themselves to building and re-imagining school library spaces around the world by filling shelves with books and making library spaces relevant for our youngest readers. At the same time, with a fast-moving revolution of technology hitting campuses around…