Presents a historical background of the quality assessment of higher education publications in the United Kingdom. Explores quality control in British library and information science journals by analyzing the editorial processes and interviewing journal editors. Findings show that although there is some subjectivity in their application, valid…

Examines the academic reputation of reference materials and their role in education. Suggests that reference writing differs from academic writing in the target audience and recency of information. Indicates that reference writing has low status among academic circles despite the great value it carries for society as a whole. (MAB)

Discusses the evolving Global Change Data and Information System (GCDIS) and the need for librarians and information scientists to become part of the user-feedback process to make the GCDIS effective, both now and in the future when public access through the Internet will be possible. (LRW)

Discusses the need to improve library and information services for the deaf community, describes technological support available, offers current examples and future possibilities, addresses the needs of users with multiple disabilities, considers compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and suggests guidelines for serving the…

Discusses the emerging information universe in order to frame the context of the domain of future professional practice as well as its core competencies. Addresses how librarians might transform themselves in order to participate in this information universe. Skill sets necessary to this transformation are examined that define professional…

Examines legal issues important to the library and information sector of the European Union. Discusses European Commission directives on length of copyright term, software, renting and lending, and database copyright. Reports on the Magill case on copyright in, and abuse of dominant position by, the copyright owners of television listings.…

Presents an overview of the literature on reference services for quantitative social research; differentiates between data for information and data for research; suggests a general approach to providing services for these materials based on traditional archives and government documents reference; and gives a practical framework for handling…

Presents excerpts from a preconference of the 1991 American Library Association Annual Convention that celebrated the multicultural diversity found in contemporary children's literature. Four authors and illustrators (Cameron, Keiko Narahashi, Mildred Pitts Walter, and David Wisniewski) present their views of what cultural diversity means and its…

This discourse analysis of the cognitive viewpoint in library and information science identifies seven discursive strategies that constitute information as a commodity and persons as surveyable information consumers within a market economy: theoretical imperialism, referentiality and reification, representation and processing, radical…

Describes a project that experimented with using a NeXT computer as a cataloger's workstation. The use of Digital Librarian software to access the text of "Anglo-American Cataloging Rules" (AACR) on magneto-optical disk is discussed, and suggestions for future developments are made. (four references) (LRW)

Discusses the benefits of the Serial Item Contribution Identifier (SICI) standard for serials handling. Developed by the Serials Industry Systems Advisory Committee (SISAC), SICI applications through the use of a SISAC barcode are expected to benefit shipping, ordering, serials processing and claiming, document delivery, and information exchange.…

Discussion of document delivery focuses on fee-based information services. Fee-based information services are defined; reasons for using such services are considered, including reliability, responsiveness, and individualized attention; future directions are discussed; and networking possibilities are explored. (LRW)

Discusses the effects of the reunification of Germany on recognition of professional qualifications of librarians. Unemployment among professionals which has resulted from the closing of many libraries is addressed; the equivalency of professional degrees and training programs is considered; and continuing education offerings are described. Eight…

Describes six nontraditional online information sources and discusses how they could be used for library services or professional development: (1) ISAAC (Information System for Advanced Academic Computing); (2) NCIN (North Carolina Information Network); (3) Prodigy; (4) The Well (Whole Earth Lectronic Link); (5) America Online (AOL); and (6)…

Lists 74 journal articles, books, and reports on telecommunications for librarians under the topics of introductory materials, the role of telecommunications in libraries, telecommunications with or without libraries, how-to information, networks and libraries, and future possibilities. (LRW)