The core mission of libraries has always centered on making content and related services available to patrons. The form in which that content is delivered has changed continually. The most ancient libraries or archives organized clay tablets or cylinders written in cuneiform. Centuries ago, the transition from scrolls to codices must have been…

In 2008, we started by pulling a sample of 483 public libraries from across the country, using 2007 public library annual report data. Because small libraries have different needs and resources than larger libraries, we stratified the sample to make comparisons by size, according to the following population groups: fewer than 10,000 served;…

People see challenges to libraries in funding, in ebooks, and in the internet. However, in this information-rich age, librarians' roles are even more important. They are information experts. They know how to think about the changing information environment, and they know the impact--both positive and negative--it can have on people whose jobs…

Although it is pretty easy to find colleagues who will express fatigue or frustration about the constant need for libraries to prove their value proposition, there is also an upside to the exercise of crafting a message that justifies librarians' mission. The catch is that however good their crafted message may be, they must forget about ever…

Libraries are constantly evolving and changing expectations for the user and the information environment. More than just being an authoritative source for research, expertise, and quality content in the form of books and journals, the information center is evolving into a more expansive role. With the growth of information technology awareness and…

Virtual reference is a service that makes particular sense in a state like Montana. The fourth-largest state by geographic area but 44th by population in the U.S., it has about one library per 11,392 residents. Montana's libraries, including the libraries of Montana Tech of the University of Montana, where the author currently serves as a…

Podcasting is a term derived by combining iPod with broadcasting. During 2006, when the idea of podcasting was still in its infancy, this author [an information systems librarian at the Universal College of Learning (UCOL) in New Zealand] began to consider how this new technology could be used by librarians to provide instructional sessions. She…

Libraries throughout the world are increasingly involved in the production of scholarly publications. Much of this has been thanks to the growth of open access (OA) publishing in all its forms, from peer-reviewed "gold" journals to "green" self-archiving, and electronic theses and dissertation (ETD) repositories. As a result, more and more of the…

Formed in 1996, Internet2 is a not-for-profit advanced network consortium led by the U.S. research and higher education community. Its goals are to provide leading-edge network capabilities and to facilitate the development, deployment, and use of revolutionary Internet technologies. Starting with 34 universities, Internet2 has grown to more than…

Describes the development of a courier service in Oregon for document delivery between libraries to support coordinated collection development activities. Organization of the service by individual libraries without dependence on the Library Services and Construction Act is discussed, and costs and response time are considered. (two references)…

Even in the best of times, librarians have to be concerned about funding. Librarians who are faced with reducing expenditures have to consider which of them are essential for the institution to fulfill its mission. With all the changes that today's information technologies have brought, the library's role both now and in the future is not as…

Securing public access workstations should be a significant part of any library's network and information-security strategy because of the sensitive information patrons enter on these workstations. As the IT manager for the Johnson County Library in Kansas City, Kan., this author is challenged to make sure that thousands of patrons get the access…

Focuses on various issues related to the mission and function of the library Web site. Discusses purposes in academic, public, and special libraries and distinguishing the theoretical mission of the library Web site from the role, which should be one of selecting, organizing, providing access to, and preserving information sources. (AEF)

Summarizes issues raised at the 1991 spring conference of the Association of College and Research Libraries/New England Chapter (ACRL/NEC) concerning computer networks and libraries. Highlights include national information policy; library resources and services; developments at the National Agricultural Library (NAL); ILLINET; resource sharing in…

Discussion of the use of microcomputers in school libraries in the United Kingdom focuses on three models of school library computerization: (1) a library management-centered model, which addresses routine library operations; (2) a pupil-centered information skills model; and (3) a curriculum-centered model, which furthers pupil learning in…