Librarians providing information services electronically must create useful information systems. This article illustrates that the effectiveness of an information system is characterized by its readability, browsability, searchability, and interactive assistance. Describes the concept of interactive assistance and how it relates to information…

Information counseling involves identifying users' skills/errors and using this information to make changes in instruction or other services. An inventory of Internet-learning behaviors is presented for affective and cognitive behavior. Suggested uses for the inventory include: promoting information self-counseling skills, helping learners…

Outlines changes in infrastructure that may be needed when breaking from traditional instructional methods to distance education methods. Highlights include differences in classroom presentations, including interaction; the role of the instructor and instructional support, including libraries; problems with multi-campus sites; and locus of control…

Describes the Department of Education's National Library of Education. Highlights include a description of primary collections and special collections; reference, research, and statistics; interlibrary loan; Internet services, including a World Wide Web site; ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center); technology resources; and resource…

Seventeen libraries of the schools and colleges of optometry in the United States are described, noting their founding dates, staffing (professional librarians, computer specialists and support staff, hourly/student staff), collections, Web site addresses, changing uses of technology, and special features. (MSE)

The Library and Information Service (LIS) is a reference source for the Legislative Yuan in Taiwan comprised of books, periodicals, newspapers, microforms, and CD-ROMs. This article provides an overview of the LIS creation, resources and services. Includes the Legislative Information System (LEGISIS), a network offering multimedia information,…

Despite predictions that the Latino population will become the nation's largest minority group, mainstream publishing offers few titles for Spanish-language collections development. This article describes how the San Antonio (TX) public library has developed a "Latino Collection." Includes highlights on how the Queens Borough (NY) Public…

Highlights events of the 1997 conferences sponsored by the Wisconsin Library Association Support Staff Section. Discusses keynote presentations on attitudes of library personnel and the importance of working with change and presentations on the areas of diversity, communication, the Internet, and humor. (AEF)

To prevent vastly different Internet access policies from creating uneven service for patrons from community to community, the author argues that librarians, as the logical champions, must define "universal service." Offers hardware, software, Internet functions, training, and service as some of the elements of access that should be…

The collection and services of the Alexandria Digital Library (ADL) at the University of California Santa Barbara focus on geospatial information sources with links to geographic locations. Evaluation studies conducted within the ADL project are described as well as what was learned about user characteristics and reactions to ADL. (Author/AEF)

This study of native and non-native English-speaking university students showed that the non-native students visited the library more frequently and for a greater variety of reasons than their counterparts. Findings also revealed that international students may experience significantly greater problems adapting to and using the library than do…

Examines the information practices and strategies used by interdisciplinary scientists in research libraries. Highlights include gathering and disseminating knowledge outside their core knowledge domains through personal networks, conferences, and the literature; intermediaries who help transfer knowledge and information from unfamiliar subject…

Describes the assessment plan developed for the interlibrary loan department at Central Missouri State University library. Highlights include the need for assessment of interlibrary loan services; client satisfaction; internal peer review; and library services operations review. Questionnaires and surveys are appended. (LRW)

Outlines the Family Friendly Libraries (FFL) charter and how its aims challenge equal and unrestricted access to information as mandated by the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights. Discussions include how FFL might hurt libraries, how libraries can "keep things positive" by promoting services that FFL can support, and…