In response to the current intensified public interest in education, some professional organizations have undertaken to draft public policy responses. These responses are constrained by a variety of issues. When practitioner task forces analyze policy under time constraints, they face issues in policy definition, and the definition used affects…

This examination of the past and present states of collection development in the research library covers background information, theories, and associated problems. A historical review of methods that have been and are currently being used for collection development includes discussions of the changes imposed by World War II on the practice of…

This collection contains data from a 1976 survey on organization, staffing, and operation of the gifts and exchange functions of member libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and 26 primary source documents. Source documents in the kit include: (1) annual reports from Columbia University, University of North Carolina, and Ohio…

This kit on resource allocation in academic and research libraries contains nine primary source documents and a concise summary of a 1976 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) survey on management of fiscal spending activities in ARL libraries. Based on responses from 70 libraries, the summary discusses 3 specific subjects within the general…

This kit on the integration of nonprint media into Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions contains a concise summary of a 1977 phone survey with ARL members, eight descriptions of programs and services, and five acquisition and processing policies. To collect data on practices regarding the acquisition, processing, and use of…

One section of a spring 1979 Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) survey on communication in Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions examined how members exchange information with external groups including the university administration, faculty, users, support groups, other libraries, and the profession in general. According…

A national, nongovernmental accreditation system is the key to ensuring that education remains fundamentally sound, responsible, responsive, and effective, thereby providing public confidence in the integrity and quality of educational institutions and programs. The Council on Postsecondary Accreditation (COPA) policy on the rights and…

This paper is an overview of 64 documents on multicultural education policies from various Australian state education bodies during the period 1979 to 1985. In comparisons between states and across time, these policies are marked by inconsistency in form, scope, status, and content. States vary considerably on: (1) whether English as a second…

Six critical educational technology (ET) needs in California were identified at the first of two forums held in California in the summer of 1982. The six needs are: (1) state and local planning: coordination and cooperation across the state; (2) public awareness of technology literacy issues; (3) adequate funding for planning and implementation of…

This packet of materials was prepared to help participants at a Youth Service America conference to understand proposed youth service legislation and to lobby their Congressional representatives/senators for its passage. The packet contains a fact sheet on the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources Omnibus Youth Community Service Bill…

A background for discussion of curriculum reform and some concrete examples of what is occurring in parts of the United States are presented. The current debate over the undergraduate curriculum is reviewed, summarizing the criticisms and key recommendations of the most influential recent reports. State and institutional responses to these reports…

A policy statement on ethical practices for college presidents developed by the Committee on Governance of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is presented. Presidents of AASCU member institutions recognize the special responsibilities that pertain to them by virtue of the public trust they hold. To fulfill that…

During the Iranian Revolution of 1979, millions of Iranian women left their homes and entered the public sphere, but their public presence was soon restricted with the ascension to power of the Ayatollah Khomeini. For Westerners the Iranian women's seemingly easy acceptance of the forced wearing of the veil (chador) appeared to be their ultimate…

This overview of continuing education in the People's Republic of China since 1949 delineates its history, describes its current practices and needs, and discusses its future prospects. The paper opens with a discussion of the term "continuing education"; in China, adult education or spare-time education are the usual nomenclature. A…

This review of the current status of combined school-public (community) libraries in Vermont acknowledges that, while on the surface the concept appears to be just the answer for many communities with limited funds and other resources, it also raises many questions about the nature of library service to a community. The paper provides: (1) a brief…