LINQ: The Librarians' Inquiry Forum is a practitioner inquiry model for public librarian professional development whose theoretical foundations are based in New Literacy Studies, Critical Race Theory and social epistemology. This research explains the development of the LINQ methodology and design across four public librarian communities of…

The main goal of this research study was to develop a conceptual model for the design of public library websites for teens (TLWs) that would enable designers and librarians to create library websites that better suit teens' information needs and practices. It bridges a gap in the research literature between user interface design in human-computer…

Library media specialists are a literacy model. They hold the world of literacy at their fingertips and in their collections. Everything individuals need to know about literacy can be found in some form in the library domain, either in the stacks or in the professional repertoire that librarians posses. There are plenty of ways that library media…

Facing a major budget crunch, the Hawaii State Public Library System awarded a five and one half-year, $11.2 million contract to a vendor (Baker & Taylor) for collection development. Hawaii librarians argue that outsourcing sacrifices local expertise and a central part of their professional identity. Discusses the controversy from opposing…

Discussion of public library support systems for at-risk teens focuses on the Bay Area Library and Information System (BALIS) that was developed to improve library services to at-risk teenagers in the San Francisco Bay area. Highlights include needs assessment; staff training; intervention models; and project evaluation. (10 references) (LRW)

Describes the planning, organization, and implementation of a reference workshop offered as a continuing education option for reference librarians at the Queens Borough Public Library (New York, NY). Participant evaluations are analyzed, recommendations for future learning activities are presented, and assignments and the evaluation form are…

New Zealand librarians, using 95 indicators of performance, rated their libraries highest on service indicators and lowest on local government relations. Factor analysis was used to derive 13 dimensions of effectiveness. The indicators ranked highest in a prior survey of stakeholders are spread across nine of the dimensions, which fit four models…

Reports on a survey of the communications mechanisms used by 23 public library leaders and on their need to bridge a perceived communication gap between researchers and librarians. Five recommendations for closing the gap, based on respondent suggestions and Everett M. Roger's diffusion of innovation model, are proposed. (nine references) (KRN)

Discusses education of special librarians and public librarians in West Germany and presents a model of an integrated course of study at the Hamburg College of Librarianship. Highlights include the influence of new technology on libraries and the importance of specialized subject knowledge in addition to library and information training. (LRW)

To determine on which levels of cooperation most media specialists and public librarians function, and whether or not the cooperation is satisfactory, a survey was conducted of libraries and school media specialists in the Atlanta-Fulton County and Gwinnett County (Georgia) areas. Questionnaires (152) were mailed to 115 school library and media…

In a two-day workshop at the San Francisco Public Library, the staff of the Bay Area Reference Center (BARC) led discussions on how the library can serve as a community information and referral center. Various speakers reviewed the problems and possibilities of such a service and presented guidelines for the establishment, volunteer staffing, and…

Information can play a vital role in assisting inner city residents to cope with major survival problems. The provision of supportive information increases the effectiveness of all types of advocacy. The limited success achieved by recent library outreach programs in the inner city is partially due to the absence of a commitment to advocacy by the…