Currently "Big Data" is an emerging field that presents several Information Technology challenges regarding the capture, storage search, structure, and visualization of this data. The real challenge for organizations is to find ways to extract value from it and provide better services to their clients. The data generated in academic and…

Presented as the keynote address at the Library Research Seminar, University of Maryland, October 7, 2010, this essay identifies and explores three agendas ever appropriate for study, the pursuits of which are especially needed now. They are as follows: to (1) explore the historical dimension of library topics, (2) revive study of the institution…

On May 31st 2012 the ACTive ALIA Group and Australian Government Libraries Information network (AGLIN) ran a national symposium on the topic of "Value of Libraries". Approximately 80 attended this event which was designed to challenge librarians with conversations that focused on economic and other means of demonstrating our value--value…

In the last few years, technology-savvy librarians have begun turning their attention to a host of new tools to connect with their users and colleagues. The umbrella term for these new technologies--Web 2.0--began gaining traction in 2004. Many librarians were quick to embrace the new wave of technology. Early adopting libraries used blogs to…

This study examines what the public search for in the catalogue of the State Library of Victoria (SLV). As well as indicating the type of content being accessed, this gives an indication of what catalogue users expect of the State Library collection. A content analysis was undertaken of a random, stratified sample of 4,000 search queries typed in…

Public libraries deliver many benefits to their patrons, but understanding these benefits in terms of dollars-and-cents is difficult. In an effort to quantify the return on investment to taxpayers for monies invested in public libraries, the Library Research Service (LRS) initiated the study, "Public Libraries -- A Wise Investment: A Return…

This article identifies and provides some commentary on the key issues emerging from research into the digitisation of Indigenous materials in collections conducted in collaboration with three state libraries. It situates the research project within the broader context of related activity aimed at addressing the ongoing challenges of access,…

This study examines the influence of culture on digital libraries of the first wave. The local cultures of innovation of five European national libraries (Biblioteca nacional de Portugal, Bibliotheque nationale de France, Die Deutsche Bibliothek, the National Library of Scotland, and the British Library) are reconstructed in case histories from…

This paper is designed to point out major funding sources and chronical what was, and is, the Federal support pattern. (Author)

The 1973 fiscal year activities of the Federal Library Committee (FLC) are briefly discussed in this annual report. The report begins with background information on the FLC since its establishment in 1965. The three areas emphasized during the fiscal year, which are reported upon, are: the reorganization and functions of the FLC as reported in the…

The 1972 fiscal year activities of the Federal Library Committee (FLC) are reported upon under General and Work Group categories. Community Relationships and the Federal Library Advisory Service are discussed as General facets. The Work Groups reported upon are: Automation, Coordinated Collection Development, Education, Interlibrary Loan, Physical…

The three conclusions of this study are: (1) major Federal agencies need comprehensive and integrated information systems, (2) very few Federal agencies have libraries with the capacity to administer comprehensive information programs and (3) libraries can make a greater contribution to agency information programs if they were given the resources.…

The efforts of the Secretarial Work Groups during fiscal year 1971 are described. Three research projects were funded and one is pending. Fourteen publications were issued by, for, or in cooperation with the Federal Library Committee. (AB)

Emphasis is placed on the automation efforts of the Federal Library Committee's Task Force on the Automation of Library Operations. (MF)

This article provides an overview of a new project for a long-range program of research to improve the quality of Federal technical library and information services. (MF)