Two academic libraries undergoing significant organizational changes were the location for a project that researched how staff members and subunits of the libraries made collective judgments, negotiated what is sometimes called the "landscape of practice"--the collective body of knowledge of their profession--and thus came to collective…

It was early March 2008, and the author was only a few months from finishing her third year as an elementary school librarian. During the morning recess the school library was humming with the sounds of students. Suddenly, three students rushed in asking the author to help them find a silent-reading book for class. Looking at the clock and seeing…

The Canadian university library members of two consortial e-journal deals were surveyed t o determine how many of the corresponding print journals had been cancelled as a result of their participation in the online package purchase. The survey indicated that the number of concurrent print subscriptions held by the libraries had notably decreased.…

The impacts of technology upon traditional library resources are sometimes unexpected. The library at California's University of the Pacific discovered that usage of print materials was dwindling, even though the addition of a 50-station "Information Commons" had bolstered overall library use. At first it was anticipated that the…

Digital imaging technology, which is used to take a computer picture of documents at the page level, has significant potential as a tool for preserving deteriorating library materials. Multiple reproductions can be made without loss of quality; the end product is compact; reproductions can be made in paper, microfilm, or CD-ROM; and access over…

As student fees, print vs. electronic access, service quality expectations, and basic economics have an increasing impact on library operations, some academic libraries are taking a second look at the process of charging overdue fines. This article explores the contemporary environment on this issue. It offers as an example a compromise solution…

For most research libraries, remote storage of significant portions of their print collections has become an economic necessity. Historically, user objections to remote storage have focused on access-related issues: i.e., lack of browsability, cumbersome requesting procedures, lengthy retrieval times, and lack of content information about…

In 1991, the University Libraries of Northern Illinois University implemented a revised policy for renewals of library materials. Various system, staff, and patron-related concerns required the access services department to adapt to immediate demands, then to seek longterm solutions. This case study examines the initial impact of the new policy,…