This study compared online versions of LISA (Library and Information Science Abstracts), Library Literature, and ERIC to investigate time lag and duplication of coverage. Six searches of each database were executed over a period of 15 months. Results indicated that Library Literature had the least time lag and LISA the most; duplication was low.…

A study of S. R. Ranganathan's theory of reference service is undertaken by using an historical methodology. It was evident from the literature review that Ranganathan had established that reference service was the most important work and served as the hub of all library practices. There were six factors that were repeatedly considered by…

Their personalities and backgrounds are very different, but James R. Jacobs and Shinjoung Yeo are passionate about the same causes: librarianship, open government, and empowerment through information. They balance each other. Yeo is focused, realistic, critical, and an excellent researcher. Her superhero alter ego is Wet Blanket Woman, able to…

Eight articles in this section focus on sports: the baseball mystique and scholarly publishing; importance of archiving sporting activities; museums and libraries partner to make sport history live; online resources for sports information; Webliography of general sports sites; public libraries responding to changing needs; sports fiction; and…

Summarizes results of project identifying research priorities in field of library and information science sponsored by Department of Education, Office of Libraries and Learning Technologies. Background material, one-page summaries of projects comprising the Research Agenda, and a classification and brief summary of other projects reviewed are…

Includes three articles that discuss the top stories from "Library Journal", including the demand for librarians, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, library education, database publishers, electronic research services, the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA), Internet filtering, and electronic reference; the school…

Describes the development, operation, and services of a special unit at the Chicago Public Library that provides reference and research services to professional librarians. Specific reference materials, online databases, and current awareness services are covered. The selection and acquisition of library materials is discussed in some detail. (21…

Develops a comprehensive, unified, explanatory theory of librarianship by first making an analogy to the unification of the fundamental forces of nature. Topics include dependent and independent variables; publishing; acquisitions; classification and organization of knowledge; storage, preservation, and collection management; collections; and…

This paper describes the creation of a comprehensive evaluation tool for reference librarians in adult service divisions to use in selecting World Wide Web sites as reference sources. Traditional evaluation criteria, endorsed and applied by librarians over the years, are not sufficient for the evaluation of today's hypermedia web site environment.…

The historical and current status of information dissemination centers and the problem of user interface are reviewed. During the past decade, the problems of technical data processing have been conquered; information dissemination has evolved from a loosely knit group of experimental centers to an organization of established centers, many…