If school choice programs are to provide any degree of equitable access to educational opportunities, then useful information about academic quality needs to be available to all participants, not just those who hob knob with the school board members or chat with the superintendent over the backyard fence. This study draws upon a unique data set to…

This article discusses a project undertaken to assess the journals in a Big Deal package by applying a weighted value algorithm measuring quality, utility, and value of individual titles. Carried out by a national library consortium in Canada, the project confirmed the value of the Big Deal package while providing a quantitative approach for…

Increasing demand for biotechnology and biomedical resources prompted the Engineering Library at the University of Colorado at Boulder (UCB) to complete a collection assessment of the journals, books, and other resources provided by the University Libraries. This paper presents a variety of methods for evaluating library collections and describes…

This article examines what is desirable in online reference books in science and technology and outlines a framework for evaluating their interfaces. The framework considers factors unique to these subject areas like chemical structures and numerical data. Criteria in three categories, navigability, searchability, and results, were applied to five…

Core-reference collections are the small number of sources which meet the basic needs of all libraries, and the purpose of this guide is to assist libraries in the selection, acquisition, and use of these resources. Section I, structured like an annotated bibliography, focuses on the selection of those works which should constitute the main…

Examines the role of information professionals in selecting vendor services within the context of the theme "the future of information services." Reviews options information professionals have in terms of selecting vendor services; evaluates professional services, end-user services, and vendor support; and provides an historical…

This paper describes sources for meeting the information needs of travel clientele. Topics addressed include: (1) U.S. government Web sites; (2) collection development tools, including review journals, online bookstores, travel Web sites, and sources of point-by-point comparisons of guide books; (3) prominent guidebook series and publisher Web…

This book provides a straightforward approach to finding and recommending good novels based on what sparks a reader's interest. With emphasis on award-winning fiction, the guide features more than 500 novels published between 1990 and 2001. This companion title uses the same easy-access organization used in the original "Now Read This: A Guide to…

A case study based on theories of loose coupling and loosely coupled systems focuses on the relationship between librarians and faculty who share collection development responsibilities. Data indicates that areas of collaboration at a public comprehensive university library center more on procedures of collection development than on substantive…

Proposes evaluation methods based on the use of nondichotomous relevance judgements in information retrieval (IR) experiments. Argues that evaluation methods should credit IR methods for their ability to retrieve highly relevant documents. This is desirable from the user point of view in modern large IR environments. (Author/AEF)

Describes the challenges of evaluating information faced by school library media specialists. Discusses the basic process of evaluation. Describes components of the evaluation process and several factors inherent in evaluation contexts. Presents recommendations for practice based on the summarized research. (AEF)

The primary objective of this guide is to help librarians select adult services reference tools which cover many different topics, with special emphasis on recent social and technological changes. Arrangement is topical, with particular attention given to the following topics: AIDS, abortion, the environment, economic problems, the crisis in…

Describes the creation and testing of an online prototype, end-user database selection tool developed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Discusses identifying computer-assisted techniques for guiding users to the most suitable databases for their information needs; improving user services; and improving ease of access to…

This article reviews eight prominent Internet booksellers and two bookseller jumpsites by examining their depth of inventory, amount of information provided for each title, search mechanisms, ease of ordering, customer-service features, simplicity of site navigation, and the quantity and quality of site entertainment. Each review gives the…

Both the demand for, and supply of, mental health information has increased across all sectors. Academic, public and special libraries must locate, evaluate and select materials that support consumer education, academic teaching, interdisciplinary research, and professional credentialing. Selectors must navigate disciplinary barriers to develop…