Intended to provide background information for a special advisory commission created by the state legislature to study the desirability of a state library networking system, this series of 12 papers prepared by the staff librarians of the Virginia State Library summarizes the workings of various network programs, techniques for implementing them,…

This overview of the situation in library cooperation in the German Democratic Republic with regard to the legal fundamentals for library work emphasizes the role of the head offices of librarianship, which are responsible for the coordination and direction of development. The existing structure and networks (territorial and special) are also…

Describes recent research by the authors who received the 1990 American Society for Information Science (ASIS) Research Award. Three main areas of studies are described: (1) evaluation measures, methods, and models; (2) planning and evaluation studies involving individual libraries and library systems; and (3) planning and evaluation of library…

Barriers that hinder development of cooperative arrangements among libraries in Costa Rica are identified by studying librarians' perceptions of obstacles. A ranked list of barriers shows that the most important obstacles are related to administration and governance, absence of guidelines, poor public relations, and a limited number of…

Cooperative collection development is discussed as a method of coping with rising prices for expensive and little used library materials. The experiences of institutions which have had success in overcoming difficulties associated with cooperative ventures are presented, and a program of 12 recommendations is suggested. Twenty references are…

Six articles address telecommunications issues that are relevant to library and information science. Topics discussed include national library networks, the growth of computer networks, telecommunications strategies for academic libraries, the need to increase process research in telecommunications, and the potential of future lightwave…

Presents overview of state of Soviet Union library service comprising 350,000 libraries, including national, governmental department, and public group (trade unions, professional associations) libraries. Training of Soviet librarians, library cooperation, national planning and funding, cultural exchange and cooperation, supporting international…

This paper examines library network activity in the United States and the past, present, and future roles of the federal government in nationwide library networking. The first chapter describes the history and development of library networks and defines terms used in the report. An examination of the current status of networks in the second…

Describes why and how the North American Collections Inventory Project (NCIP) involving three Indiana research libraries was implemented; how cooperative decisions and planning are proceeding as a result of the project; and benefits and drawbacks of the project. Comments on future are offered as NCIP begins Phase Three. (6 references) (EJS)

Examines the current state of cooperative reference services through a review of the literature and interviews with librarians involved in cooperative services. Topics discussed include the need for cooperative reference services; structure, staffing, and funding; the use of communications technology; and factors to consider in planning…

Examines the impact of automation on the future of library technical services. The areas discussed include the functions of technical services, how those functions are changing and will be organized, and the qualifications and recruitment of future technical services staff. (85 notes with references) (CLB)

Intended for use by state library officials with policy responsibilities, this report presents a process for determining state levels of adequacy of public library services, measuring the current statewide performance, and planning statewide strategies for improving performance. Several facets of library service and resources are addressed, and…

Summarizes recommendations from the 1991 White House Conference on Library and Information Services which examined directions that technology must take regarding the library/media information fields (emphasizing literacy, productivity, and democracy). The paper makes recommendations about services, access, governance, networking, training,…

Provides a case study from the 1930s to the present of cooperative collection development at the Research Triangle university libraries (North Carolina). The rationale and principles for successful cooperation, types of cooperation that work best for different subjects and kinds of materials, and factors that promote long-term cooperation are…

This document contains the full transcript of a 2-day workshop on library automation. The first day of the workshop was devoted to a review of the state-of-the-art of library automation and the second day included presentation of testimony by Maine librarians. The transcript of the first day includes discussions of the historical development of…