Evaluation results are described for the DIALIB project, a three year experiment of on-line bibliographic search services in four public libraries. Findings include users of the system and their characteristics; use of data bases; librarian reactions; and time and cost of on-line searching, both in a free and fee-based environment. (Author/JPF)

Two-year continuing education project jointly sponsored by Oklahoma County Libraries System and South Oklahoma City Junior College is described. (KP)

This paper presented at the 1987 convention of the Catholic Library Association explores the role of the librarian as a teacher in school and public libraries and among clienteles ranging from school-age children to older adults. (EM)

Describes a public library outreach program for institutionalized senior citizens, including the rationale, local environment, management of the program, and individual literacy discussion sessions. The many positive results both to the participants and to the library are described. An annotated list of materials tested in several group situations…

Describes cooperative approach to municipal documents control by Urbana Free Library (Illinois) and City of Urbana. Highlights include basic elements (organizing documents into numbered series, microfilming, producing microfiche for distribution, computer-assisted indexing, providing access to indexing by computer-output microfiche and online…

This response to suggestions that the technical services librarian may be replaced by a combination of paraprofessional staff and automated processes discusses the catalog librarian's role in staff training, systems analysis, integrated systems design, technical services management, and original cataloging. (CLB)

Discusses the issue of intellectual freedom as it relates to videotape collections and the free circulation of tapes to patrons, particularly children. Research on the effects on children of viewing violence is reviewed briefly. Development of a procedure for handling complaints and clear guidelines for children's access to videos are recommended.…

Statistics on book budgets, population served, and collection size of individual public libraries in New York State were correlated with their circulation data to examine efficiency of scale for mid-size libraries. Findings show that circulation increases erratically with increased book budgets and size of population, but consistently with…

Examines the place of fiction in the library collection, the attitudes and practices of Australian librarians with respect to fiction, and the factors, including historical ones, which have shaped these attitudes. A proposal for a new approach to fiction in public libraries is presented. (Author/CLB)

Provides a composite picture of interlibrary loan policies of 832 academic, special, and public libraries published in American Library Association's second edition of "Interlibrary Loan Policies Directory" (1984). Loan policies for books, periodicals, microforms, dissertations, theses, government documents, audiovisual materials, and…

Updates a directory of national youth-serving and youth advocacy organizations which appeared in the spring 1985 issue of "Top of the News." The directory has been compiled to share information about new projects and publications among children's librarians. (EM)

A four-part survey of top administrators, their deputies, and board chairmen of selected large U.S. and Canadian public libraries was conducted to determine whether administrators and deputies have acquired the skills necessary for effective management. Analysis of the responses indicates that managers have adequate skills, but there is room for…

A survey of public and academic libraries conducted to obtain information on length of reference desk shifts and proportion of the reference librarian's time spent at the desk found the two-hour weekday shift to be the most common, and that librarians typically work 7 to 21 hours per week at the desk. (EM)

One public library's storytelling program for fourth through eighth graders and their grandparents has preserved grandparents' stories and fostered family communication. Storytelling was done one-on-one, with each child then writing and illustrating the story. Benefits included preservation of oral history and encouragement of storytelling,…

Describes a young adult summer reading game which is offered in three age-level versions from grades 1 through 12 at Enoch Pratt Free Library (Maryland). Benefits of young adult reading games in public libraries, game rules and sample questions, and the game finale visit to Walters Art Gallery are highlighted. (EJS)