Discusses technostress--i.e., stress brought on by changes in technology--in libraries and media centers. Case studies are presented that show stress in community college libraries caused by the rapid implementation of new technologies; coping strategies for librarians and media specialists are discussed; and strategies for managers are suggested.…

Reports on a study that examined the impact of national information networks, particularly the Internet and the emerging NREN (National Research and Education Network) on academic libraries. Topics addressed include academic computer services; costs; and academic library services, including electronic journals, electronic collection development,…

Describes a variety of technological advancements being used at the library of the American Foundation for the Blind to make library operations and services accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. The database management system INMAGIC is explained, and sidebars describe various other technologies. (LRW)

Describes the Hawaii Department of Education's School Library Network Project and its approach to retrospective conversion for more than 200 school library media centers using a combination of 3 methods: in-house, full data entry; in-house, partial data entry; and full vendor contract. It is noted that a combination of these methods provides the…

Discusses the processing of Arabic materials at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (Saudi Arabia) library and describes the creation of an Arabic online catalog that supplements the catalog for non-Arabic materials. User needs are reviewed, library automation is discussed, and search strategies in the Arabic catalog are described.…

Discusses budgets for library materials and how to select and evaluate book and serial vendors. Trends in automation, publishing, and economics that affect both libraries and vendors are discussed; and examples from the University of California at Berkeley that include serials service charges and approval plan discounts are presented. (six…

Questions the wisdom of permitting visions of the electronic library to drive budgets and strategic planning. Social and economic realities limiting user access to information, new roles for librarians, and models that guide management of information resources and services by real librarians for real users are discussed. A proposed action agenda…

Contains part of a speech given at the workshop "Student Access to New Information Technology in the Library Media Center." Suggestions for technological change are offered, including carrying out existing functions more effectively, changing work roles and organizational structure, developing new functions, and goals; and implications…

Discusses the impact of technology on the profession of librarianship and suggests changes that are necessary for librarians to adapt to their changing role. Topics addressed include focusing on the mission of librarianship, i.e., providing access to information; librarians' sense of self-worth; educational requirements; and technological…

Describes the technical, economic, social, and cultural challenges to building a national digital library system. Selecting and filtering information, building and scaling distributed digital library networks, invoicing, payment, authorizing access, the locus of planning leadership, and the information poor are discussed. (Contains three…

Describes the historical development of the Schlesinger Library, which was founded at Radcliffe College (Massachusetts) to document the lives and achievements of women. Topics discussed include funding, users, programs for the public, oral history projects, exhibitions, the culinary collection and research on food and food history, and the impact…

Summarizes users' opinions of a networked electronic library at Cornell University's Mann Library as part of the planning process for a major redesign. The system's impact on library collection development, preservation, technical services, information services and delivery, instruction, and computer support are described; and plans for library…

Five articles address issues concerned with personnel management in libraries. Topics discussed include ethical issues; hiring practices, equal employment opportunity and affirmative action in members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL); technological changes in libraries that affect motivation and work attitudes; career planning in…

Discusses changes taking place in the library systems of Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Topics reviewed include the influence of Soviet Russian library theory and practices; decentralization of library administration; library finances; library education; library employment; library technology; and censorship and collection policies.…

Describes the use of HyperCard software as an economical alternative to an online catalog to provide access to works of literary criticism at New Canaan High School (Connecticut). Topics discussed include the search screen display; the use of a scanner to input actual book indexes; and a dictionary of authors. (LRW)