Explains the revamping of library services in London's East End that will begin with the library buildings being sold and replaced with Idea Stores, positioned in high-density shopping areas. Discusses combining traditional library services with adult education, performance space, daycare, and retail style. (LRW)

Discusses usability testing for Web sites and explains how librarians can implement the methods needed to evaluate their library Web sites. Highlights include reviewing other library Web sites; defining the users; defining test objectives that are linked to user needs; administering the tests; and pertinent resources. (LRW)

Examines the concept of service quality in libraries. Highlights include assessment; service quality versus user satisfaction; measuring service quality, including SERVQUAL; planning; experiences at Texas A& M University in cooperation with ARL (Association of Research Libraries) that resulted in LibQUAL+; and conceptual issues. (Contains 54…

Examines CCIs (Comprehensive Community Initiatives), which can help librarians expand services to young adults who live in poverty; reviews a Wisconsin plan which highlights community-based librarianship; presents a case study of a Florida CCI-based youth development project; and discusses public libraries and CCIs, and library education programs…

Discusses technological change and intellectual property as it affects libraries and access to electronic information. Topics include the balance between copyright law and fair use; the Copyright Term Extension Act; the Digital Millennium Copyright Act; product versus service; databases with public access; and similarities with Napster. (LRW)

Discusses the history and emergence of non-library commercial and non-commercial information services on the World Wide Web, often referred to as expert services. Describes the methodology used for a study of expert services and considers implications for further research and the development of digital reference services by libraries. (Author/LRW)

This paper is a selective review of recent publications, focused on the economic value of public and special libraries which are treated separately, since context and organisational objectives differ widely for different types of libraries. Those who wish to further explore this topic will find many studies into the social value of libraries which…

Librarians are the ultimate knowledge managers. Everyone knows that. After all, haven't they been the custodians of documented knowledge for centuries? Who could possibly do it better than them? Well, then why aren't people knocking down their doors, begging them to be the knowledge managers of the organisation? Are they just ignorant of how…

Traditional measures of quality are no longer adequate to reflect library excellence and impact. Analysis of an Association for Research Libraries data set showed that there was a relationship between the ARL Index and services; between the number of undergraduate students and services; and between instructional presentations and operating…

Virtual tours delivered via the Web have become a common tool for both instruction and outreach. This article is a case study of the creation of a virtual tour for a university library and is intended to provide others interested in creating a virtual tour of their library the opportunity to learn from the mistakes and successes of fellow…

Sophistication and accessibility can be dangerous bedfellows, especially when it comes to information sources. One of the real challenges in undergraduate academic libraries can be connecting students in a meaningful way to the resources that will be most helpful and understandable for them. This article discusses how techniques borrowed from the…

Who can be trusted on the Web? These days, with identity theft seemingly rampant, it's more important than ever to take all possible measures to protect privacy and to shield personal information from those who might not have good intentions. Today, librarians also have to take reasonable precautions to ensure that the online services that they…

One of the most important policy documents for a school library media center is the selection policy or the collection development policy. A well-developed selection policy provides a rationale for the selection decisions made by the school library media specialist. A selection policy represents the criteria against which a challenged book is…

In the day-to-day operation of a library media center, service is the most important job. A library media specialist is employed to be of service to your students, teachers, administrators, and parents, but according to "Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning," prepared by the American Association of School Librarians, the school…

Teacher-Librarians are rushing to the front lines to help battle the latest crisis on education. A gender gap exists in reading proficiency: boys do not read as well as girls. The challenge of enticing boys into reading has led teacher-librarians into a variety of inventive and proactive experiments. They have started "boys only" reading clubs,…