This publication follows the tradition of publishing selected papers from the Pacific Islands Association of Libraries, Archives and Museums (PIALA) annual conferences. This 27th annual conference was held in Kolonia, Pohnpei State, Federated States of Micronesia, November 13-17, 2017. This volume includes a listing PIALA Officers and Executive…

The silo is a well-worn metaphor in information systems used to illustrate separateness, isolation, and lack of connectivity. Through the many iterations of system development, libraries, archives, and museums (LAMs) have sought to avoid silos and find the sweet spot between interface design and metadata interoperability. This effort is being…

Library scholars and practitioners have frequently reflected on the various factors that in combination make up a hospitable library, but there has been little theoretical synthesis of the notion of the library as a place of hospitality. The hospitality industry provides a rich vein of theoretical material from which to draw definitions of…

Before 1994 education in South Africa was divided along racial lines. There were separate departments of education for whites, coloureds (people of mixed decent), Indians (people of East Indian decent), and blacks (black Africans). Education for white children was much better funded than any of the others. The quality of the education that white…

For over a half a century, State Library Administrative Agencies (SLAAs) have played a key role in the development and delivery of library services in the United States. While the organization and responsibilities of these agencies vary from state to state, they have two things in common: state-level planning for library services and…

This publication follows the tradition of publishing selected papers from Pacific Islands Association of Libraries, Archives and Museums (PIALA) annual conferences. The volume begins with a listing of the members of the PIALA 2008 Planning Committee, the Officers and Executive Board, and Acknowledgements, followed by the Schedule of Events and a…

Background: Although education in Africa is expanding, little is being done to support learners' literacy outside the school. Rural people have little access to books and so cannot develop their reading skills. Purpose of Study: The project described here has both an educational and a research purpose: to complement formal schooling by making…

This book is for community leaders, librarians, library committees, volunteers, aid workers and others who are interested in the practical aspect of starting and maintaining a successful library. Throughout the developing world, countless dedicated people respond to the pressing need for information in their communities by helping to start a…

This article features the Pierce County Library System (PCLS) in Tacoma, where new services are changing the way customers experience the library. PCLS is comprised of 17 branches, two bookmobiles, one Explorer Kid's bookmobile, serves 509,000 people, and has 234,000 cardholders. The evolution of customer expectations and needs motivated the…

Libraries and catalogers face choices in the treatment of the growing collections of electronic journals. Policies issued by CONSER and the Library of Congress allow libraries to edit existing print records to accommodate information pertaining to the electronic versions (single record option) or to create new records for them. The discussion…

The number of electronic resources has climbed up steadily in recent times. Some of these e-resources are reference sources, mostly in Science, Technology and Medicine (STM), which publishers convert to electronic for obvious reasons. The library budgets for materials usually have two main lines, budget for one time purchase (monographs) and…

This collection of essays addresses the planning, construction, and operating issues relating to high-density library shelving facilities. The volume covers essential topics that address issues relating to the building, its operations, and serving the collections. It begins with an introduction by the volume's editors, "The Paradox and…

Describes efforts to conserve library materials in Cambodia being undertaken by a Cornell University library program. Topics discussed include the absence of educated librarians; environmental problems, including insects; an absence of preservation facilities and supplies; a lack of policies for the National Library; and physical and bibliographic…

Discusses past influences on Russia's libraries, examines current improvements in the Russian library situation, and considers prospects for the future. Highlights include the publishing industry; government economic problems; financial support from trade unions; outdated materials; dissatisfied users; and censorship under past regimes. (LRW)

The United States Department of Education invited leading professionals who work in the library field in federal agencies, universities, associations, and foundations to a meeting in Washington, DC to explore the need for national focus on library research. Each participant suggested a research issue of particular concern to their organization and…