The chapters in this volume, originally presented at the Third Annual Virtual Reference Desk (VRD) conference, "Setting Standards and Making It Real," (Orlando, Florida, November 2001), were organized, revised, and updated to reflect current technology and practice. The VRD conference and the ideas in this book represent the cutting edge…

The first International Symposium on Library and Information Science Education in the Digital Age, held in November 2000 at Wuhan University (Wuhan, China), drew more than 90 library and information science professionals from China, Macao, and the United States. Participants gathered to discuss a question of common concern: How are our respective…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of Melvil Dewey's work in the American public library, both in Dewey's day and today. Using the writings of Melvil Dewey, as well as writings about him, this study examined what changes Dewey made and influenced as they specifically related to services provided to library users. This included…

This paper describes a research project conducted in March 2001 for the Master of Library and Information Studies at New Zealand's Victoria University of Wellington. The project investigated the perceptions of information professionals (denoting qualified practitioners) in New Zealand regarding applied LIS (Library and Information Studies)…

This research project studied the perceived quality of the library and information science literature and asked questions regarding international librarianship. Additionally, it questioned what librarians read, how they choose their reading material, and how they use the literature for their decision making. The sample consisted of librarians from…

The growing importance of information technology and innovation in the market place brings with it a need for the better management of professional knowledge for knowledge workers in the New Economy. This paper illustrates some major steps underway at the University of New South Wales, Australia towards building an educational system for IS…

The purpose of this Student Handbook for the Department of Information Studies (IS) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), is to provide a readily available summary of information from a variety of sources. The Handbook is divided into five sections. The first section, "General Information," includes the IS calendar and…

This study is concerned with the importance of historical method in library and information science research. The research conducted in this study specifically examined library and information science doctoral dissertations written between 1984-1999. The study of the "Digital Dissertations" database found that only eight to seventeen percent of…

Author attempts to provide a framework for thinking about education: abouts its purposes, its means, and the way it plans ahead. (Author)

A new information unit serving labor union and management constituent representatives is described. Information files and bibliographic procedures are designed for use with in-house computer facilities. Collection covers thirteen major subject areas. Effectiveness of utilizing other library resources in the area is discussed. (Author)

This is a selective annotated bibliography of material on food habits and factors affecting them, published during the period 1928-1972. References are mainly in English, although a few in European languages are included, and represent information primarily from scholarly and professional journals. Entries are organized by subject and author. (LK)

Information is defined as data of value in decision making. Computer and Information Science is the study of information flow in a system and the processing of that information. These concepts are related to problem solving and the design of engineering curricula. (Author/TS)

Analyzes socioeconomic environment of libraries for the next 10 to 20 years and indicates how forecasts are likely to change traditional professional activities. A review of librarianship and information science literature on future of information profession is included and main trends of thought are identified. Twenty-two references are listed.…

Provides rationale for introducing information technology courses in secondary schools. Discusses priorities (target audiences, time parameters, course topics, resources needed) to be considered before introducing such courses. The author's proposed course is outlined and discussed, consisting of historical/political, economic/social,…

Cites representative extensions of concept of entropy (measure of the amount of energy unavailable for useful work; from the second law of thermodynamics) noting basic relationships between entropy, order, information, and meaning in such disciplines as biology, economics, information science, the arts, and religion. Seventy-eight references are…