Describes the results of a survey of public service librarians conducted by the Queens Borough Public Library to determine their confidence levels of using electronic resource to answer reference questions. Results demonstrated high confidence levels in using the library's online catalog and lower confidence in using the Internet. (Author/LRW)

To investigate the experience of American and Canadian university libraries with remote access catalogs, self-administered questionnaires were sent to the 137 directors of all Association of Research Libraries (ARL) libraries and all libraries of Canadian degree-granting institutions. The study was designed to: (1) survey Canadian and U.S.…

Explores issues surrounding efforts to introduce online catalogs to users and presents relevant research results from Northwestern University's "Educating the Online Catalog User" project. Highlights include attitudes and preconceptions about online catalogs and instruction, research on online catalog use, suggestions for online catalog teaching,…

Preliminary reports from seven Association of Research Library (ARL) members conducting research on current public services concerns describe progress to date and initial findings. Research grants of up to $4,000 were provided for the projects, which were selected in part because of their potential usefulness to academic and research libraries.…

This document explores the various issues and concerns related to the development of online systems in libraries and, in particular, online catalogs. Following a preface, foreword, and introduction, chapters are devoted to each of the following topics: (l) providing for special interests including the disabled; (2) authority control; (3) subject…

Explored user perceptions of dependability and accuracy of Texas A&M library services through focus groups. Reports user difficulties in locating materials, inaccurate catalog and circulation records, inadequate signage, searching the online catalog, and late notification of interlibrary loan arrivals; and discusses the library's efforts to…

This report addresses the objectives of a national survey of users and non-users of online catalogs (OPAC's) as they apply to MELVYL and its implementation in the University of California (UC) Libraries on nine campuses. These objectives were to collect information to enable libraries to improve implementation of support services for public access…

New York University (NYU) Libraries received a 1-year grant from the Association of Research Libraries to study users' responses to its recently installed Geac online catalog, Bobcat (Bobst Library Computerized Catalog). The survey instrument, developed for Council on Library Resources (CLR)-funded national study of responses to public access…

Traces the development of the British Library since its founding in 1973 and discusses problems and achievements in the library as a whole and in the Reference Division, the Lending Division, the Bibliographic Services Division, and the Research and Development Department. Listed are 73 references. (RBF)

Discussion of the influence of library catalog use studies on cataloging codes and practices focuses on a study of reference staff members at three Association of Research Libraries academic libraries that was conducted to determine their use of bibliographic record elements. Records in online catalogs and bibliographic utilities are examined, and…

This study on the role of instruction in encouraging the successful performance of the first-time online catalog user examined three relationships to evaluate the effects of an instructional program: the comparative effectiveness of four instructional methods in orienting users to the online catalog; the influence of an instruction program on user…

The 21 papers in this collection were presented at the meetings of two sections and three round tables of the Division of Education and Research: (1) "Library and Information Services in Culturally Diverse Communities" (Cheryl Metoyer-Duran); (2) "Library Education in a Pluralistic Society" (Shmuel Sever); (3) "Each One an Individual:…

Four papers prepared under the Robert Vosper Fellowship Program of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and delivered at the 1992 annual meeting are presented. "International Cooperation in the Field of Name Authority Data: Observations and Recommendations" (Francoise Bourdon) presents an early…

Considers the increase in the variety of electronic reference options in academic libraries based on surveys of ARL (Association of Research Libraries) members. Discusses online catalogs; CD-ROM databases; World Wide Web access; and changes in library instruction, including formal instruction, point-of-use instruction, and Internet instruction.…

Provides an overview of research conducted at Victoria University of Wellington regarding differing perceptions and expectations of user communities and librarians related to the usability of digital services. Considers access to services, currency of information on the Web site, the online public access catalog, databases, electronic journals,…