Discusses results of an empirical study of the library reference assistance process that indicate the need to incorporate a select strategy that librarians use in the choice of appropriate information sources. The reference process is examined, a model is presented, and the survey instruments and examples of reference transactions are appended.…

Describes how library staff at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University cleaned up materials after a mold bloom in the rare book room. Includes advice for controlling mold: set up a hygrothermograph, clean dust from books, set up fans, do a "skin" test at regular intervals, keep windows closed, have dehumidifiers available.…

Offers one librarian's inspirational thoughts on the value of library work: community service, clash of values, intellectual freedom, public good, love of books and libraries, the beauty of small libraries, modern budgets, librarian image, the ideal library, a favorite librarian, the solace of knowledge, the value of silence, and reminders of…

Discusses the development a national information policy in the United Kingdom (UK): policies for national information infrastructures, electronic information services, privacy and data protection, copyright, public and national libraries; reviews problems inhibiting Internet use; compares the UK's and the European Commission's approaches to…

Removal of school library books is again an issue in the courts. In a 1993 Kansas City case involving the superintendent's removal of "Annie on My Mind" from several school libraries, the federal court found that school officials' motivation violated the First Amendment. Administrators must resist the temptation to quell controversy by…

This interview with John Perry Barlow (Grated Dead lyricist / technology expert) addresses issues concerning cyberspace, technology, and culture. Topics include the idea of community; the Internet; the Electronic Frontier Foundation; the role of libraries; print materials; concepts of information; peer-to-peer technology; file sharing; and…

Describes the needs and impact of continuing education programs (CEP) for library and information science (LIS) professionals in India, particularly for college librarians. Discusses results of a survey that was conducted to assess the impact of CEP courses organized by different agencies in the field of LIS. (Author/LRW)

Discusses XML (extensible markup language), particularly as it relates to libraries. Topics include organizing information; cataloging; metadata; similarities to HTML; organizations dealing with XML; making XML useful; a history of XML; the semantic Web; related technologies; XML at the Library of Congress; and its role in improving the…

Investigates how psychotherapists define, cope with, and treat difficult patients. Explains the psychology of difficult clients, techniques psychologists use in working with them, and how these might be utilized by librarians, and emphasizes the importance of seeing difficult clients as a means of personal growth. (Author/LRW)

Considers whether the corporate sector is aware of information literacy as a new economy skills set and a solution to information overload. Discusses terminology used in the business sector to describe aspects of information literacy and explains the definition of information literacy used by Australian academic libraries. (Author/LRW)

Suggests that the library has morphed into a new "place," one that has been enhanced by technology in a manner transcending just new databases and actually informing new educational practice. (EV)

Revisions to Internet standards, the Next Generation Internet Protocol (IPng), will be tested with initiatives such as Internet II, a high-speed Internet being developed by a consortium of universities, and the vBNS, a National Science Foundation and MCI project. Argues that librarians should be aware of these changes if they want to participate…

Considers the use of the phrase "customer service" with reference to libraries and their users' needs, expectations, and satisfaction. Librarians' perceptions of those being served, and the public's view of library workers, are discussed, and a sidebar examines the history of fee-based subscription libraries. (LRW)

Describes how to explain the organization of a library to elementary school students by making an analogy of a library being like a state: each state is made up of towns and neighborhoods as libraries are made up of areas for fiction and nonfiction. Includes a worksheet. (LRW)

Proposes that a cost model specific to preserving authentic electronic records be developed. Topics include financial challenges of processes involved in preserving electronic records; financial management tools to support the decision-making processes that archives and libraries use; digital resources and data types; and baseline requirements…