Describes the development of library technology and the need for telecommunications in a state with a lack of population density. Topics include the state library's role; shared library resources and library networks; government information; the Wyoming State Home Page on the World Wide Web; Ariel software; network coordinating; and central…

Discusses the value of school library automation, and suggests that an automated school library is the right of every child and teacher. Examines the role of the teacher librarian in the current environment; advantages of Online Public Access Catalogs (OPACs); and trends towards greater convergence in information technology applications in the…

Provides a brief history of library cooperation in America, with emphasis on the latter half of the 20th century. Identifies motives for library cooperation, potential obstacles and keys to success, as well as a nexus between service quality improvement and library cooperation. Describes the role of library consortia in the current electronic…

Presents factors for librarians to consider when decision-making about information retrieval. Discusses indexing theory; thesauri aids; controlled vocabulary or thesauri to increase access; humans versus machines; automated tools; product evaluations and evaluation criteria; automated classification tools; content server products; and document…

Implementing any new service or technology can require a process of trial and error. Often, it is useful to introduce the service as a pilot project, so that the staffing issues and technical details can be worked out prior to fullscale implementation. This is especially important at times when staffing and/or budgetary circumstances are…

Purpose: To share the experiences and challenges faced by the Open University Library (OUL) in developing a content management (CM) system for its subject guides. Design/methodology/approach: A summary of multi-format subject guide production at the OUL is provided to justify the decision to develop a new system for their production using a…

Reference services are in the midst of evolutionary changes. At a time when budgets are shrinking, traditional models of service and print reference formats are being questioned. This article discusses future directions of academic reference collections in terms of the apparent shift from print to electronic reference sources. Questions addressed…

The need to develop new OPACs that meet the needs of users better is becoming well acknowledged. How libraries can transform their OPACs to modern web friendly formats is not yet clear. This paper describes the State Library of Tasmania's experience in developing a new OPAC by exporting bibliographic data to a software package outside the ILMS.…

This book advises librarians, paraprofessional library supervisors, and library school students on problems unique to the management of serials. Chapter 1 explains the character and publication patterns of serials. Chapter 2 discusses the scope and the organizational structure of serials management, and the role of the serials manager. Chapter 3…

Although the general automation process can be applied to most libraries, small libraries and media centers require a customized approach. Using a systematic approach, this guide covers each step and aspect of automation in a small library setting, and combines the principles of automation with field- tested activities. After discussing needs…

This diskette contains the data file from the Federal Libraries and Information Centers Survey, Fiscal Year 1994. The survey gathered data on federal libraries in the 50 states and the District of Columbia for fiscal year 1994. This data file contains descriptive data about each federal library's services and operations, including: organization…

This descriptive study investigated the numbers of unique and overlap titles in selected elementary schools which may influence resource-sharing decision making. A convenience sample of seven elementary schools in DeKalb County, Georgia, using the Follett Software Company's "Circulation Plus" system was used. Each school printed a shelf list…

This paper provides an overview of a University of California (UC) study of the issues involved in creating an online directory of electronic information resources available to the university community. For the purposes of the study, electronic information resources include bibliographic and other databases available at or through UC libraries and…

This descriptive study, using a questionnaire survey, determined how computer-based technology was being selected, funded, and utilized in high school library media centers and assessed its impact on library media program. A total of 132 questionnaires were sent (of which 107 questionnaires--81 percent--were completed and returned) to randomly…

This paper discusses the results of a project designed to gather data that the Library Media Coordinators of DeKalb County (Georgia) Schools can use to evaluate several aspects of online searching in the county's secondary schools. The project, involving responses from library media specialists (LMSs) from 24 DeKalb secondary schools (5 junior…