A system of course analysis was developed and used to code and compare faculty research, courses, and library materials in the Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics departments of the University of South Carolina. The purpose is to provide a guide in determining how well the library's collection supports the academic needs of these departments. (10…

Discusses problems (poverty, lack of national publishers, use of libraries as study halls, low professional status of librarians) affecting high school libraries in Latin America and suggests ways to improve library services, focusing on reference service (opening reference stacks, improved cataloging, library skills instruction), technical…

Offers a case study of the University of Alabama, Birmingham, library without depository status, which maintains a government documents collection through microfiche and subscriptions and compares it to depository libraries in terms of staff, shelving, binding, collection analysis, and quality of service. The future of electronic government…

Reports on a use of computer-aided instruction and multimedia technology in an outpatient library to meet the information needs of people who have severe and persistent mental illnesses. Topics include funding, special needs related to schizophrenia, computers in mental health rehabilitation, collection development, and library usage. (Author/LRW)

The Getty Information Institute conducted a two-year study of online searching by 27 humanities scholars using DIALOG. Discusses results and recommends that library services: provide interdisciplinary information for humanities scholars; recognize that online searching in humanities may be harder than in sciences; expect wide preferences for…

Describes factors that have hindered Spanish-language collection development and suggests strategies and tools that can help the non-Spanish-speaking librarian select and acquire Spanish-language monographs, periodicals, and audiovisual media for adult and youth audiences. Provides lists of selected resources for Spanish-language and Latino book…

Briefly discusses competencies needed by librarians serving children in public libraries and presents a list of recommended competencies in the following areas: knowledge of client group; administrative and management skills; communication skills; materials and collection development; programing skills; advocacy, public relations, and networking…

Users (n=148) of an audio book library were surveyed to collect data for formulating a policy on development of the library's collection. The survey found a broad range of reading interests among users and differences in preferred genres of fiction between men and women. Policy changes made based on survey results are discussed. (Author/PB)

Describes an ethnic collection development conference held in California that focused on how librarians can meet the needs of the growing numbers of ethnic and racial minorities. Topics discussed include library management; sources of reviews for ethnic titles; selection criteria; acquisitions procedures; cataloging practices; subject heading…

Reports on a study that examined the impact of national information networks, particularly the Internet and the emerging NREN (National Research and Education Network) on academic libraries. Topics addressed include academic computer services; costs; and academic library services, including electronic journals, electronic collection development,…

Discusses problems faced by innercity libraries and describes programs at a Cleveland Public Library branch that help make the library an integral part of the community. Topics addressed include a new immigrant population; developing a Spanish language collection; attracting children and adolescents; discipline and safety; and working with the…

Discusses the role of the school librarian in the electronic age. Topics include expanding services to include computer-based data and information-seeking strategies; working with classroom teachers; collection development versus access to information; information-center managers; and the teaching role of the school librarian. (LRW)

Describes the restructuring of a traditional Interlibrary Loan Department at the Auraria Library, University of Colorado at Denver, into Information Delivery/Interlibrary Loan (ID/ILL) and its move to Collection Development Services. Discusses cost-effectiveness of ownership versus access; the collection philosophy; and components of the ID/ILL…

Presents the Brown University Library experiences in purchasing electronic services to serve as a model for issues of budgeting for electronic materials in academic libraries. Topics include politics of budgeting; education of users; availability issues; access issues; consortia issues; ownership issues; tracking electronic product prices; and…

Presents Bobby Roberts, director of the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS), and describes some of the changes he has made since 1989: raising public library tax rates, doubling the book budget, library automation, new and renovated buildings, adult public programming, library cooperation, and fund raising. Discusses politics and the…