The paper examines the level of library automation and virtual library development in four academic libraries. A validated questionnaire was used to capture the responses from academic librarians of the libraries under study. The paper discovers that none of the four academic libraries is fully automated. The libraries make use of librarians with…

Librarians build collections. To do this they use tools that help them identify, organize, and retrieve items for the collection. Zotero (zoh-TAIR-oh) is such a tool that helps the user build a library of useful books, articles, web sites, blogs, etc., discovered while surfing online. A visit to Zotero's homepage, www.zotero.org, shows a number of…

Far more people are familiar with their local public or college library facility than their library's website and online resources. In fact, according to a recent survey, 96% of Americans said they had visited a library in person, but less than one-third have visited their online library. Since everyone agrees that online library resources are…

This article presents the results of a study into the provision of Internet training for adult public library clients. The study, which was completed in 2008, forms part of a larger investigation into the characteristics, preferences and needs of adult public library clients in New South Wales. The aim of this section of the investigation is to…

Traditional library web products, whether online public access catalogs, library databases, or even library web sites, have long been rigidly controlled and difficult to use. Patrons regularly prefer Google's simple interface. Now social bookmarking and tagging tools help librarians bridge the gap between the library's need to offer authoritative,…

The author of this article suggests that to refresh Web pages and online library catalogs in a more pleasing way, Ajax, an acronym for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, should be used. Ajax is the way to use Web technologies that work together to refresh sections of Web pages to allow almost instant responses to user input. This article describes…

Fullerton, California--College students use technology constantly. They text-message friends, compile playlists for their iPods, and are whizzes at updating their MySpace profiles. But when it comes to one kind of work they are required to do in college--namely, academic research--they can be inept. Too often, college officials say, students rely…

The purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, is to familiarize the reader with some advances in cataloging that may not be so esoteric in the near future for school librarians. Second, is to provide hints for easy cataloging of traditionally uncataloged electronic information and thus enhance information access through the school library OPAC.

Describes The Library of Virginia's Digital Library Project that has made many of its state library collections available via the Internet and World Wide Web. Highlights include digitization decisions; the HTML Web gateway; the online catalog; microfilm digitization; users and use statistics; and future projects. (LRW)

Presents the results of an informal user survey on favorite information technology, including the best features of these. Discusses library online catalogs, electronic encyclopedias, CD-ROMs, laser discs, electronic magazine indexes, online services, the Internet, word processing programs, magazines as major sources of technology information,…

The IIa Internet Study addressed the problem of access/retrieval of relevant information for end users in the digital environment. Findings indicate the feasibility of building distributed digital collections of Web-based documents by applying evolving technologies for dynamic harvesting, processing, and maintenance of catalog content. (AEF)

Discusses the impact of internetworking on academic research libraries with special emphasis given to collection development and resource sharing in an electronically networked environment. Topics addressed include a brief history of the Internet, NSF-Net, and NREN (National Research and Education Network); and future trends in the development of…

Considers the increase in the variety of electronic reference options in academic libraries based on surveys of ARL (Association of Research Libraries) members. Discusses online catalogs; CD-ROM databases; World Wide Web access; and changes in library instruction, including formal instruction, point-of-use instruction, and Internet instruction.…

This paper outlines the market developments, governmental promotion policies, and efforts by private industries for online database services in Japan since the late 1970s. The combination of these efforts over the years has resulted in an online database service market of US$20 billion annually, of which approximately one third is Western online…

Discussion of public libraries, the Internet, and the World Wide Web focuses on development of a Web site in Washington. Highlights include access to the Internet through online public access catalogs; partnerships between various types of libraries; hardware and software; HTML training; content design; graphics design; marketing; evaluation; and…