The primary goal of this study was to identify gaps in curriculum coverage and required skills for research support services (RSS) in university libraries in the Punjab province of Pakistan. A convergent parallel mixed methods design was used to meet its objective. To collect data for the quantitative strand, across-sectional survey with a…

A recent "New York Times" article heralded a film documentary whose subject was a competition in which the entrants vied for the title of "one of the best craftsmen of France." The film spotlights the competition between pastry chefs--French pastry chefs--who come from all over France to compete. It's a microcosm of larger…

A survey of Australian academic reference librarians was conducted as part of an international collaboration seeking to identify the most important knowledge, skills and attributes now and for the next ten years. Librarians working in or managing reference-related services at university and vocational education and training institutions…

A study of S. R. Ranganathan's theory of reference service is undertaken by using an historical methodology. It was evident from the literature review that Ranganathan had established that reference service was the most important work and served as the hub of all library practices. There were six factors that were repeatedly considered by…

Includes two reports: a report of the results of a survey of state library association executive officers that examined the practices and priorities given reference activities at state conferences; and an annotated bibliography of 100 books, articles, and dissertations published between 1980 and 1990 that discuss librarianship in Ghana. (12…

Developed with the support of the German Foundation for International Development (DSE) and the University of Botswana (Africa), this five-week "long vacation" training program includes four modules designed to provide refresher and in-service training for those library assistants who have work experience but have not been able to attend…

Describes an investigation that assessed the effectiveness of Australian indexing and abstracting services in their bibliographic control of the literature of library and information science. Conclusions about the coverage of the literature are presented, and methods for improvement are suggested. (CLB)

Long a controversial topic in the specialized world of reference librarianship, unobtrusive evaluation is a useful tool in gauging the degree to which reference librarians are effectively performing their jobs. Based on a nationwide survey of government documents reference service in Canada, This book examines the broad philosophical implications…

These five reports discuss electronic books; the Internet speed and digital reference; Internet publishing from the perspectives of libraries, publishers, authors, and scholars; a cross-cultural comparison of intellectual freedom in the United States and Canada; dissemination of government information; and the implications of technology for…

A study at the King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (Saudi Arabia) revealed that the overall materials availability performance rose from 63.8% to 76% when library staff provided assistance. The major reasons for nonavailability of items were related to circulation policy, ownership, and user skills. (Author/AEF)