This paper on electronic books (e-books) in the academic library begins by defining the e-book and presenting general information on developments in the e-book industry, including collections of e-books that are accessed through the Internet and electronic editions of print books that can be downloaded to a proprietary reading device. A list of…

The first section of this paper on library services for distance education discusses the status of distance learning in higher education. What distance learning means for libraries is addressed in the second section, including considerations related to diverse locations, agreements with participating institutions, delivery limitations, librarian…

Presents arguments in support of research library microfilm collections of archival sources for use by scholars. Historical background on microfilming and new technological developments enhancing use of microforms are discussed, as well as preservation and other benefits of microfilming. (10 references) (MES)

Two applications for the World Wide Web are discussed in light of projects in a University of Southern California library: (1) as a resource in the library, presented with the same information-literacy skills that should accompany any resource; and (2) as a publishing tool where content is created according to the particular instructional…

Advances in information technology are forcing librarians and administrators to reinvent scholarly information exchange. The old question of what constitutes a research collection remains, but is transferred to a new medium. This is an opportunity to take advantage of the new possibilities and to correct some previous mistakes in collection…

Ten years ago Wayne State University (WSU) libraries assimilated the university's media services unit. An analysis of its present facilities, services, collections, goals, and cost-recovery elements demonstrates the full-service WSU media center is a cost-effective, integral part of WSU library service. (Author/AEF)

Describes a study that explored the interaction between academic librarians and faculty at the University of Manitoba, the impact of librarian's contributions, and the future roles of librarians. Highlights include teaching and instruction; information services; information technology; research; collections; and the willingness of faculty to…

This study of state university libraries in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates provides information on library organization and analysis of collections, services, staffing, budgeting, expenditures, automation, and information technology. Suggests further research is needed in collections, services and…

Discusses reasons for developing electronic reserves (i.e., digital collections of library reserve materials), as well as technical and content options, intellectual property issues, and the issue of equitable remuneration for use of intellectual property in electronic reserve, including recent Australian developments. Experiences at the Monash…

The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) E-Metrics study was designed as an 18-month project in three phases: an inventory of what libraries were already doing about data collection for electronic resources and an identification of any libraries that could provide best practice; identifying and testing data elements that could be collected and…

This paper reports on a project that involved the digitization of manuscripts from the Boswell Collection (i.e., personal papers of James Boswell) by the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University (Connecticut). In this case, the digitization process was designed to serve a group of scholars already at work on a publication…

In this study, small academic libraries (monographic collections of under 30,001 volumes) were surveyed to determine the types and extent of electronic technology available and how it was being used. Satisfaction of users and staff, the correlation between instruction and the use of electronic technology, and funding are also discussed. (LRW)

Analyzes the transaction logs of MAGIC, the University of Connecticut's Map and Geographic Information Center's Web accessible collection. Identifies the users of the digital collection and what information they use most. Twelve figures present statistics. (AEF)

This document presents an analytical bibliography of literature on the library of the future that was published between the years 1983 and 1994. This project had four objectives: (1) to identify and retrieve published literature on the library of the future; (2) to formulate document surrogates for this literature and add them to a computerized…

Describes the various digital collections and some of the challenges faced by the early digital project initiatives of the Saskatchewan school, special, public, and academic libraries. An appendix lists the digital projects by theme (history, news, sports, culture, first nations and metis, and literature). (AEF)