Library quality is no longer evaluated solely on the value of its collections, as user perceptions of service quality play an increasingly important role in defining overall library value. This paper presents a retooling of the LibQUAL+ survey instrument, blending the gap measurement model with perceptual congruence model studies from information…

As emerging information technologies have driven demand for new library communication channels, there has been increased interest in the use of mobile tools to promote interaction, expand outreach, market programs, and enhance the library experience. Libraries today are at widely different levels of mobile engagement, a gap poised to grow as…

What do Google Maps and a library's Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) have in common? Google Maps provides users with all the information they need for a trip in one place; users can get directions and find out what attractions, hotels, and restaurants are close by. Librarians must find the ultimate OPAC that will provide, in one place, all the…

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the experiences of new users of Second Life in order to identify potential barriers and attractors to the expansion of the userbase and therefore the market for in-world information services. Design/methodology/approach: A multi-faceted methodological approach was taken utilising two questionnaires (pre- and…

Each night, around 20,000 people--both adults and children--make the streets of Dhaka (the capital city of Bangladesh) their home. Living amongst the noise, rubbish, and traffic, thousands of families walk down the streets of Dhaka, looking for a safe place to rest for just a few hours each night. Trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty, the…

Presents extracts of speeches by some of the participants at the White House Conference. The speeches highlight community information services, the societal need for libraries and information services, and the importance of a citizen's lobby to support them. (RAA)

User involvement in information services is a contentious issue. This article explores the participation of patrons in libraries, archives and records centres. It reviews the causes of this change, and discusses the consequences for the information profession. The article notes the constants in information environments, and concludes by suggesting…

Provides background reading and sources of current practice/ideas relative to instituting programs for older adults. Annotations of selected materials, published since 1972, are grouped under five headings: "Background Materials,""Model Programs,""Information and Referral Services,""Audiovisual Programs," and "Services to the Handicapped and the…

This document briefly highlights how the Institution of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) supports all types of libraries and museums in the United States. Short lists of statistics on library connectivity, patrons, school library funding, and reference librarian services, and on museum visitors, museum services, and museum holdings are provided.…

A technique developed to collect statistics on reference and information services and library-staff time utilization is described. This technique consists of taking continual inventory of actifities and recording them on a specially designed service record card. (5 references) (Author/NH)

This report contains information detailing a state conference which was held to foster citizen awareness of the value of library services and to translate that awareness into concern and willingness to become involved in programs to improve the quality of information services. Seven sections discuss the following: (1) the conference planning…

The conference was held by the North Country Reference and Research Resources Council as a means of communicating and cooperating with Canadian libraries situated in close proximity to the Northern New York State libraries composing the Council. Topics covered by invited speakers and round table discussions included: (1) cooperative library…

Efficiency can be determined fairly well by cost measures, but it is impossible to measure the total service impact of library operations. Effectiveness in library terms is to provide the highest possible level of service within the limits of the available resources. (22 references) (Author/SJ)

Unless a limited set of specific goals is pursued with diligence, the local library may find itself running off in all directions at once, trying to satisfy every library-related need of a very heterogeneous "community." (16 references) (Author)

Programs examples and discusses the profitability of entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial operations that charge fees for information services and products. Various types of fees and charging mechanisms are described. A list of professional associations, publications, workshops, and selected readings is provided. (CLB)