Compares the effectiveness of five online systems in facilitating interlibrary services. The OCLC Interlibrary Loan (ILL) subsystem, the Research Libraries Group (RLG) Message System, the University of Toronto Library Automation System (UTLAS), and two others are evaluated with respect to the request verification, location, request transmission,…

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…

Discusses criteria for evaluating school library information services. Highlights include types of services; physical facilities; library usage; circulation statistics; changes due to technology; fill rate, or the percentage of successful searches for library materials; OPAC (online public access catalog) reports; observation; and examining…

The Silas Bronson Library in Waterbury, Connecticut received a state grant in 1976 to provide increased accessibility to their services through a books-by-mail program. In 1975, 9,750 catalogs listing the books-by-mail collection were mailed to local households. Newspaper publicity requested that households that received the catalogs share them…

A sample of 300 video patrons at the Grandview Heights Public Library (Ohio) was surveyed to determine what information they used from the videocassette container to make their selections. It was expected that knowing what patrons used could help in deciding how much information to enter in bibliographic records for videocassettes. The majority of…

Through descriptions of widely available and helpful sources to find answers about North American Indians, this article highlights some basic library sources such as reference books, reference librarians, electronic indexes, on-line databases, and periodic indexes. In finding books owned by the library about North American Indians, the use of the…

Discusses advances in microcomputer and optical technologies and how these technologies are being integrated into library reference work. Topics discussed include training of library reference staff; library bibliographic instruction; CD-ROMs; videodiscs; hypertext; bibliographies; library catalogs, including online catalogs; indexing and…

A NEW CIRCULATION SYSTEM NOW IN USE AT THE ELECTRONICS SYSTEMS CENTER (ESC) LIBRARY, PART OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, IS BASED UPON A PREVIOUS SYSTEM WHICH USED TABULATING CARDS, UNIT RECORD MACHINES, AND A SMALL COMPUTER. THE NEW SYSTEM IS A TRANSACTION CARD SYSTEM, IN WHICH ONE BASIC TYPE OF CARD FORMAT IS USED FOR CHARGING,…

Summarizes and responds to librarians' objections to books-by-mail programs: limited selection, potential loss of library patrons, loss of identity of library providing service, and postal rates. Effectiveness of mail order catalogs, program costs, and comparisons of walk-in and books-by-mail circulation statistics are discussed. (6 references)…

To speed materials to the user while allowing a maturation period to take full advantage of the National Program for Acquisitions and Cataloging, many libraries make newly-acquired materials available for circulation before cataloging. The U. C. L. A. library employs a computer to produce weekly author and title listings. (Author/DH)

One of a series on library services to disadvantaged adults, this guide suggests several ways a library can provide books by mail services. Mail order delivery is a way of making the library's collection available to many who are unable or unwilling to visit the library building. The system can be handled by clerks or volunteers. Planning should…

Describes experiences of the Cranbrook Public Library (British Columbia) in implementation of an automated circulation system. Background of the library and need for the system, stages of development, use of community volunteers, retrospective conversion, functions of the menu-driven system, benefits from the system, software, and system costs are…

This directory of selected University of California Education Abroad Program (UC-EAP) host university libraries is intended to offer students and others a compilation of information necessary for research in 38 university libraries located in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and North and Latin America. Each library profile within the directory is…

Bibliographic utilities are marketing specially designed hardware and software that permit libraries to patch together automated cataloging, acquisitions, serials control, reference, online public catalogs, circulation, interlibrary loan, and administrative functions. The increasing complexity of the technology is making it more difficult to…

Provides generalizations and offers speculations about online library catalogs based on experiences of the Division of Library Automation, University of California, noting cataloging for access, rediscovering serial analytics, document delivery, electronic publishing, remote public access, circulation systems, and reference services. Four…