The phrase, "digital divide," has been applied to the gap that exists in most countries between those with ready access to the tools of information and communication technologies and the knowledge that they provide access to, and those without such access or skills. This gap may be because of socio-economic, geographical, educational,…

This detailed overview of the concept of the information broker covers the following topics: (1) emergence and development of the concept; (2) services offered; (3) clientele; and (4) fee policies. Public sector libraries as information brokers and the future of information brokering are also discussed. Sixty-two references are listed. (MES)

Summarizes the arguments for and against fees in public libraries, and discusses whether the fee controversy is one of alternative technical means of securing funding, or of competing visions of the role of the public library. (Author/CLB)

Responses to a questionnaire exploring faculty perceptions of academic librarians on campus are analyzed in terms of faculty-librarian contacts, usefulness of librarians, importance of academic subject background, and status. Results indicate that librarians are seen as professionals with a service function rather than as full-fledged academic…

Discussion of library networking issues that may be relevant to Japanese and U.S. libraries as they increase their use of central databases and local systems includes the role of the traditional library, distributed systems, linked systems, and the emergence of commercial systems. (Author/CLB)

Examines the place of fiction in the library collection, the attitudes and practices of Australian librarians with respect to fiction, and the factors, including historical ones, which have shaped these attitudes. A proposal for a new approach to fiction in public libraries is presented. (Author/CLB)

Describes the development of satellite television and information access in Australia, principally within Australian higher education institutions. Client groups and basic technologies are overviewed as well as the role of the library in the provision of satellite services. (Six references) (Author/CLB)

Compares differences in the use of technology, attitudes toward it, and educational experiences of librarians between libraries in Europe and the United States, and between countries within Europe. The issues discussed include decentralization, bureaucratic versus professional staff, the use of technology for scientific versus humanities…

Traces the development of the National Library of Canada, focusing on the significance of this history in the context of national development. Future issues facing the library are identified, and the inherent ambiguity of recognizing international standards while protecting a specific national heritage is discussed. (9 references) (Author/CLB)

This paper describes how Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are creating the knowledge society, which will impact on developing and transitional economies as well as developed nations. It argues that librarians have an important role to play in overcoming the digital divide and makes reference to the Global Knowledge Partnership.…

A history of school libraries in England and Wales shows progress to be inconsistent, with centers of excellence the exception rather than the rule. Only when high-quality school libraries are clearly linked to effective learning will the teaching profession become firmly committed to the resource center's role in the school. (EM)

Discusses the effects of information technology on the environment within which the typical academic library must operate and the effects of the resulting environmental turbulence on the general social context of the university and on the relationship between the university and its libraries. (Author/CLB)

Discusses the responsibility of local libraries to provide information services to local government and act as a contact point between the government and its community. The distinction between internal and external information sources is examined, and problems of information delivery resulting from a lack of inter-council cooperation are…

Examines the library profession from a cross cultural perspective in order to explain how and why librarians define their work the way they do. The efforts of librarians to gain professional recognition are discussed as a means of understanding how librarians view their role and how they are ultimately affecting their society. (CLB)

Papers presented at a roundtable session at the 1986 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) conference consider current research in reading. They include: (1) "Bibliopsychology--The Contribution of a Study of Temperament" (R. O. Linden, Japan), which examines research on the impact of communication media on the…