Discusses the development of children's reading rooms in public libraries throughout the United States. Early efforts to isolate juveniles from adult patrons are described, the gradual acknowledgement of the value and necessity of separate children's collections is explained, and efforts to encourage teachers to use these collections are…

Discussion of information literacy focuses on resource-based learning. Considers library instruction versus information literacy; documenting value added; the workforce and information literacy; user-friendly library systems; and educational reform. Information literacy standards, endorsed by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL)…

Explores ways of writing the history of information infrastructures. Describes the historical development of the information infrastructure of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), a universal medical classification system. Discusses changing medical information needs and the ICD's advancements in information technology and…

Describes sources of information at the New York State Library that pertain to hearing impairment. Topics addressed include New York State's role in the development of deaf education; background on the state library; and library services aimed at special populations. A selected bibliography of 45 relevant items in the library collection is…

These two articles examine library activities in Ethiopia. One describes the information and documentation services of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies Library, including its publications, conferences, seminars, and suggestions for improvements; the second article describes Ethiopian libraries prior to 1900, which were primarily church and…

Examines the work of Paul Otlet as a forerunner of hypertext and as a pioneer in the history of information science. Topics addressed include microtext systems; the Universal Decimal Classification (UDC); hypertext links, navigation, and the UDC; Offices of Documentation; multimedia; a universal network for documentation; user-centeredness; and…

Examines the evolution of the character and practice of distance education through a historical explanation of early distance education, and a review of early distance education pioneers. Addresses 20th-century developments in distance education, 20th-century distance education target groups, and discusses the need to understand the role of…

Describes library services provided by the South Australian Institutes to meet the needs of their German-speaking population between 1861 and 1909. Focuses on the creation and demise of the traveling box library, a service that loaned boxes of German-language books to country institutes. Contains 88 references. (JMV)

Presents a historical overview of the creation of Native American tribal libraries. Describes the current status of libraries on reservations today and outlines four major problems tribes have in trying to sustain library services on their reservations. Summarizes identified information needs of Native Americans and examines the future of Native…

Discusses the increase in audience research for public broadcast radio programming and how it influences decisions about programming and fundraising. The evolution of public radio's use of audience research is related to its changing conception of localism. (53 references) (Author/AEF)

Discusses the adaptation of academic library instructional programs in response to new technologies, most notably the Internet. Topics include a brief history of library instruction; the Internet age; faculty needs; and changes in the student population and the need to focus on the users. (LRW)

Explores the development of videotex in Great Britain, west Germany, France, and the United States from 1968-90. Using the Social Construction of Technology framework, the interaction of social groups, problems, solutions, and technological artifacts in videotex development is discussed. Transmission, display, standards, and marketing problems are…

Examines the role of marketing, promotional activities, and public relations in library instructional services and discusses some reactions to using these techniques to improve instruction programs. Considers information technology, the explosion of available information, and changes in users, and emphasizes the need to respond to user needs.…

This paper provides some of the historical context of the efforts of the American Library Association (ALA) to define, extend, protect and advocate for equity of access, focusing on central tendencies rather than internal debate. The first section, "Toward the Concept of Access," discusses: how ALA became a public service organization; extension…

Describes the value of defunct newspaper morgues, with a focus on the E. H. Butler Library at Buffalo State University (New York), and provides the historical background of two Buffalo newspapers. Discusses challenges facing the special collections librarian: storage facilities, requests for information by patrons from all over the world,…