With the onset of the information explosion, the role of the special librarian began to change. While his service goals remained the same, new techniques had to be developed to cope with the flood of published literature. Both networking and information science represent predictable responses to this situation. Information science offers a new…

Explains objectives of research on development of an online public access catalog using a proprietary microcomputer network being conducted by the Polytechnic of Central London; examines background of existing local area library networks, problems of network system design, and advantages of distributed processing; and summarizes research…

The 28 essays in this collection provide an overview of research in library/information science (LIS), present a practical context of such research, and consider related issues and concerns. The essays are: (1) "The Elusive Nature of Research in LIS" (Peter Hernon); (2) "Guides to Conducting Research in Library and Information Science" (Ronald R.…

Libraries need to weigh the benefits, usage, and cost-effectiveness of owning collections against seeking alternatives to deliver the information needed by customers. The University of Arizona Library investigated different approaches for meeting the research needs of East Asian Studies faculty and students under great pressure of physical space…

This report on the needs of research libraries with recommendations for improvement is based on minutes of meetings of the Committee on Research Libraries and commissioned papers on topics of major concern. Problems of research libraries involve: (1) increased demands because of rising university population, new business and industrial information…