As early as junior high school, after she had gone to see The Music Man and came out idolizing Marian, Karen Bersche knew she was destined for librarianship. But she didn't get around to it until after she got a degree in counseling, started her family, and opened her own daycare center. She has more than made up for lost time since, first as…

A summary of the financial aspects of library system operation, based on financial data extracted from the Public Library Association's "Public Library Systems in the United States: A Survey of Multijurisdictional Systems. (JB)

Examines arguments now being presented in support of public library networking and resource sharing and suggests ways to obtain harder evidence that might serve to legitimize these beliefs: estimate benefits, build in evaluation, support estimates of benefits, seek cheaper alternatives for accomplishing same goal, consider alternatives to…

This comparison of online searching cost figures from several of North Suburban Library System's public libraries notes search costs for 1984, average costs for public library computer searches, cost discrepancies, barriers to integration of online searching as a reference tool, searching data, and philosophical decisions. (EJS)

Increasing demands for more information more quickly has called into serious question the traditionally fragmented nature of library service by creating a need for greater interlibrary cooperation. Libraries have responded to this need by the formation of networks which are nothing more nor less than a formalized tool for interlibrary cooperation.…

This examination of the feasibility of implementing an automated circulation system within San Mateo County's Peninsula Library System (PLS) was undertaken to determine if the system should automate material circulation systemwide in order to reduce operating costs while improving circulation procedures and increasing patron access to system…

The Mountain-Valley Library System (MVLS), a cooperative of 19 public and academic libraries in nine northern California counties, performed a cost study of its interlibrary delivery system during fall, 1977. This report discusses the results of item count for all 62,000 materials handled in the system during a two-month sample period and projects…

A demonstration project was undertaken to determine whether 1978 telefacsimile technology--specifically the Qwip 1200, the Rapidfax 100, and the Colorado Video Inc. Slow Scan Television--could address rural public library needs in an effective manner. Five public libraries in developing communities in Colorado, Kansas, Montana, South Dakota, and…

The Florida Interlibrary Loan Improvement Project (FILIP), initiated in 1979 by the Florida State Library to examine and analyze the interlibrary loan patterns and problems of the Florida Library Information Network (FLIN), compared the use of the OCLC Interlibrary Loan subsystem as a mode of communication between FLIN member libraries to the use…

Describes programs and services offered by the 20-branch Columbus and Franklin County Public Library System, highlighting budgetary considerations, library administration, effect of technological advancements (i.e., circulation of videotape recorders, automated circulation system), innovative library programs, and contributions made by library…

Because North Carolina's telecommunications services have been unable to provide cost-effective, statewide dial-access service to public libraries, the state library has had to identify a suitable alternative for public library network access. This article outlines the state library's efforts to provide access to the Internet and to electronic…

A demonstration project was undertaken to determine whether 1978 telefacsimile technology could address public library needs in a cost-effective manner. The TALINET project involved local public library staff in five developing communities in Colorado, Kansas, Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming, as well as research/resource information staff at…

A cost/benefit analysis of the Public Library Automation Network (PLAN) project was undertaken to evaluate those areas in library technical processing impacted by BALLOTS: searching the data base for catalog copy; cataloging with MARC or original catalog copy input by participating libraries; data entry of original records and modification of…

A study was conducted to determine if the centralization of playback machine operations for the national free library program would be feasible, economical, and desirable. An alternative model of playback machine services was constructed and compared with existing network operations considering both cost and service. The alternative model was…

Evaluation of Tanzanian experiences in developing nationwide public library system under conditions of limited resources and unlimited user demands discusses six principles as basis for alternative strategy: liquidating irrelevant librarianship theories; establishing valid performance measures; adopting cost-effectiveness; giving primacy to…