Two companion studies addressing the information needs of the aging are discussed. Participants in the first study were 93 specialists in aging in four groups--library/information specialists who had achieved a reputation of working with the aging, educators/researchers in gerontology, policy-level administrators who were part of the governmental…

Intended as an orientation for music librarians unfamiliar with the film music field, this presentation addresses the most common film music questions received from library patrons, including queries about composers, soundtrack albums, the subject of the music, and scores, and describes the basic film music reference sources to consult for…

This paper develops two models of the reference interview: (1) the Need-Oriented Model, which emphasizes identifying the client's information needs and allows for a broad-ranging diagnostic interview; and (2) the Question-Oriented Model, which is constrained by the client's initial question and focuses on refining that specific question,…

This annotated bibliography of literature on public access to legal information is categorized into three sections: public access to legal information and materials in law libraries, access in non-law libraries, and non-prison libraries' responsibility to provide legal information to prisoners. (CLB)

This study examined the importance of negative searching, or searching to discover topics not previously explored in writing, and its oversight in the library literature. A survey of university faculty revealed a tendency to view negative searching as necessary to scholarly endeavors, but an online literature search showed little discussion of…

This guide identifies sources of information useful to libraries in meeting their users' needs on topics pertaining to Texas: books about the state's history, culture, and geography, and state agencies, and other bodies which provide information on specific topics. Included are books, both nonfiction and reference, telephone numbers, and…

Since the fall of 1957, the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station has published a semi-scientific quarterly magazine, "Louisiana Agriculture," to present information on the station's research to Louisiana citizens, particularly public officials, members of the agribusiness sector, science-oriented farmers, agriculture and science…

Presents guidelines developed at Cornell University for selection of compact-disc databases for public use in libraries. Criteria are suggested for the following areas: (1) collection development; (2) administrative considerations; (3) vendor considerations; (4) search capabilities; and (5) ease of use. One reference is listed. (MES)

Examines the possible role of the chief information officer in universities and corporations, and the ways in which librarians need to restructure their professional role to qualify for the chief information officer function. (CLB)

Provides an overview of issues relating to library services to linguistic, ethnic, and cultural minorities. Following a clarification of the terminology used, the process of immigration is addressed. The role of public libraries in this area and implications for professional associations are then discussed. Twenty-one references are listed. (MES)

A new superintendent established an equal access to information policy with board members by answering questions submitted by individual board members and then sending the questions and answers to all board members--without identifying who asked the question. (MLF)

This exploration of reasons why historians do not take full advantage of government publications as sources of historical materials focuses on the difficulty of accessing information under current classification and indexing schemes. (CLB)

The days in which the school practitioner could get by without a knowledge of statistics are over. Educators today need to be able to evaluate data, and data are statistics. It is necessary to deal with statistics when they appear and to provide them when they are needed or expected. This book attempts to provide an understanding of statistics,…

When helping undergraduates assess materials, academic librarians balance the reference interview with instruction in electronic databases. This article describes a method connecting these tasks with a search strategy dependent on the user's information needs. The connection is made by labeling the user's need with a diagnostic tool based on…

Describes a performance technology approach to paperwork reduction for managers that looks at information as a stimulus designed to prompt or initiate a desired behavior or response from the reader. Guidelines for improving performance through the use of information that serves as directions or feedback are given. (LRW)