Reviews this book by N. G. Satish, which investigated the information gathering and use patterns of social scientists. Recommends the researchers follow Satish's example by adopting an international perspective to the literature and study procedures. (JMV)

Discusses government commitment to information availability and dissemination, presents an overview of policy initiatives guiding information dissemination and agency responsiveness in meeting public-information needs, and notes challenges for the federal government in matching information dissemination and performance indicators (input, output,…

Examines a new approach to measuring service quality--conducted at Yale University's libraries--one that produces findings useful for local planning and decision making. The goal is to probe the service attributes of greatest potential to both actual customers and service providers. The setting for this study was Yale University. (AEF)

Analyzes the utility of policy principles advanced by professional associations for public access to government information. The National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS), the Information Industry Association (IIA), and the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) urge the adoption of principles for the dissemination of public…

Discusses the significance for libraries of privacy concerns involved with geographic information system (GIS) technology. Argues that librarians need to be aware of federal and state efforts to address privacy issues and monitor developments in government information policy. (AEF)

The first article summarizes the findings of four studies which used unobtrusive testing techniques to evaluate library reference services. The validity of this testing method and the conclusions reached are discussed, and suggestions are made for improving reference services in five related articles. (CLB)

In order to identify the information needs of individual residents of the six New England states, telephone interviews were conducted to generate baseline data relating to information providers (e.g., availability, linkage between sources, and institutional barriers to information provision) and information seekers (e.g., problem awareness and…

Results of this examination of the information needs and gathering behavior of social scientists, especially historians, suggests that existing library and information services may be based on a misunderstanding of their needs. Factors that need to be studied are identified, and research models are suggested. (CLB)