Job satisfaction was investigated at a South African university library undergoing change on many fronts. The study included 31 members of staff and the data were gathered via interviews/questionnaires, informed by standard HRM job satisfaction theory. The study found a "love-hate" relationship between respondents and their work. The key…

The aim of this research was to investigate current issues faced by public library staff in rural South Australia and to examine some of the reasons why people choose to work in rural libraries. The study took a mixed methods approach, combining interviews and questionnaires to gain a fuller understanding of the issues and experiences of rural…

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…

The purpose of this project was to perform an analysis of the Rockford Public Library (Illinois) circulation services department and provide recommendations leading to customer service improvement, better space utilization, and improved departmental work flow. Based on an analysis of input from individual interviews with staff, review of…

This article examines the relevance of training and skills development to modern librarianship in the first generation universities in Nigeria. The developments noticed in this sector in the universities within the past decade made it imperative to have new workers with new skills to adopt to the many changes that have taken place that are likely…

Developed as part of a three-year project funded by the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA), this manual is designed to present librarians in the State of California with an alternative, "sense-making" approach to assessing the information needs of patrons and potential patrons and to assessing accountability, i.e., whether…

Historical studies of public libraries are important because they provide insight into the development of these institutions and serve as an aid to future researchers. This paper examines the development of the Tuscarawas County Public Library (TCPL), in Ohio, for the years 1937-60, in order to discover how the library's building, budget,…

An evaluation of the Curriculum Resource Centre (CRC)-Library Services for the Nanaimo (British Columbia) School District is presented in this report, which is based on surveys, interviews, observations, tours, discussions, readings, and meetings conducted by the team members during the course of the study. The evaluation team consisted of two…

Investigated centralized copyright clearance services in higher education institutions based on the findings of a questionnaire survey and five case study interviews in United Kingdom libraries. Examines reasons why services were established, how they were funded and staffed, their overall remit, problems, and good practice guidelines. (Author/LRW)

Describes the design, implementation, and practice of a personnel evaluation method (performance appraisal) at the Cambridgeshire Libraries. Findings reported include staff attitudes and perceptions of the method, and the overall effectiveness of the evaluation scheme. Various theoretical models of appraisal and practical applications in…

This report describes and presents the results of a survey designed to obtain information on the preservation and conservation policies and procedures, staff, facilities, and expenditures of 18 academic libraries in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. The goals of the survey were to inform each library surveyed of its strengths and weaknesses in the…

Three prison librarians were interviewed about the ways they handle major issues in their libraries. Two of the three librarians were females and one was male; one was Caucasian, one was Afro-American, and one was of Asian descent. A case study approach was used to examine their methods. Issues examined included: (1) materials selection and…

Describes the results of a survey of broadcasting libraries in Nigeria that used questionnaires, observation techniques, and interviews to generate data. Inadequacies regarding staffing, development, preservation and conservation practices, collection development, bibliographic control, space, and funding are discussed, and recommendations for…

Highlights findings on the status of academic library microforms facilities in the United States and Canada based on visits to 11 libraries. Topics covered include administration, personnel, collection access and storage, classification, acquisition, circulation, indexes, hours, facilities, signage, equipment, photocopying, cleanliness, vandalism,…

Describes a study of student online searches at Cornell University that was conducted to explore the value of staff assistance to trained end users searching the BRS Menus system. Analysis of audio tapes of the search process, questionnaires, and interviews is presented; student attitudes are discussed; and future possibilities are considered.…