For electronic resources and reference librarians, fielding eresource access problems is often a daily task. A library user clicks on a link to an electronic journal article, book, or primary source and is unable to access the full text. Sometimes this problem occurs due to a lapsed subscription, a broken link, or a proxy configuration error. The…

Data concerning the prevalence of adult internet and social networking use confirm that Twitter use among adults ages 18-29 years old is greater than any other adult age group. The purpose of this article is to describe how the popular social media platform Twitter can be used as an electronic library, specifically a means of organizing and…

The internationally recognized "NMC Horizon Report" series and regional "NMC Technology Outlooks" are part of the NMC Horizon Project, a 12-year effort established in 2002 that annually identifies and describes emerging technologies likely to have a large impact over the coming five years in every sector of education around the…

It's well known that technology is changing at an increasingly rapid pace and that many public libraries throughout the United States are attempting to adopt new technologies to better reach their patrons. In trade journals, blogs, and at library conferences, professionals in the field have continually discussed the best methods for using web…

Eighteen scholarly papers and twelve abstracts comprise the content of the fourteenth annual Brick and Click Libraries Symposium, held annually at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri. The proceedings, authored by academic librarians and presented at the symposium, portray the contemporary and future face of librarianship.…

Some people learn better through viewing and listening, and some people simply do not like to read. In this society, there seems to be a move away from text, or, at least text as people have defined in the past. Moreover, mobile devices such as laptops, PDAs, and cell phones make video and audio incredibly easy to imbibe. So how do libraries…

The idea of the information commons as a space for students to gather and work with technology is over a decade now. Carving out these areas has allowed many university libraries to remain relevant in the academic lives of students. Just as libraries have historically provided reading rooms for users to access and work with print collections, they…

The challenges we face in the e-content environment are significant, and errors are costly. Our ability to divine the future is limited, but the prognostication diamond can help. We must examine not only those changes at the center of the diamond--that is, within higher education--but also those changes at the four connecting points of the…

This paper reviews the background and key terminology of the Internet, its current scope and use, and a selection of public policy issues. "Chapter 1: What Is the Internet?" includes an overview; capsule history; explanation of how the Internet works; basic terminology; and the kinds of information available on the Internet.…

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Library and the American Physical Society (APS) are experimenting with electronically disseminating journals and reports in a project called TORPEDO (The Optical Retrieval Project: Electronic Documents Online). Scanned journals and reports are converted to ASCII, then attached to bibliographic information, and…

Questions the wisdom of permitting visions of the electronic library to drive budgets and strategic planning. Social and economic realities limiting user access to information, new roles for librarians, and models that guide management of information resources and services by real librarians for real users are discussed. A proposed action agenda…

This paper discusses developments in information and communications technologies and their impact on university libraries. Topics addressed include: (1) background, including the Information Revolution, the Knowledge Economy, implications for education and information services, and responses to the challenges of globalization; (2) university…

This strategic technology plan for Virginia's public libraries presents current findings, recommendations, and the steps required to achieve universal access to electronic information. Introductory material includes lists of members of the Library of Virginia Board and Technology Plan Committee, an executive summary, and vision statement. The…

Access to online public access library catalogs and similar information networks by scholars in the humanities is discussed. Tools and approaches available for scholars to navigate the systems, their utility and contribution to "location independence" in information seeking, and the evolving relationship between libraries and their…

Outlines New York State's plan for all libraries to provide electronic services to their users by the use of computer and telecommunications technology. Recommendations of the initiative's organizing committee focus on: services and funding; equity and ease of access; profession and education; partnerships; standards and protocols; collection…