Describes functions of Sahel Documentation Center established at Michigan State University (MSU) in September 1976, with support of grant from U.S. Agency for International Development to Department of Agricultural Economics, MSU Library, and MSU African Studies Center. Filming of the collection and its contents, including U.S. government…

Discusses the relationship between data and the recipient, and the academic library and its institutional information systems. Examples are drawn from the sciences, including medicine, because of their greater intensity of experimentation and change in information management. New roles for libraries and librarians are highlighted. (EJS)

Studies characteristics of a multilateral cooperative selection program for small rare book collections and describes success of such a program at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and University of North Carolina-Greensboro. Highlights include five guidelines as prerequisites to formal agreement and a cooperative collection development…

Discussion of role of school library media centers (SLMCs) in multitype library networks notes five basic factors that contribute to their exclusion from library networks: psychological, political and legal, funding, communication, and planning. Examples of programs attempting to reduce barriers to school participation in library networks are…

Discussion of the homeless in American public libraries focuses on harmless individuals who may be considered nuisance by library staff/patrons. Highlights include literature about problem library patrons, national problem, social issues, major themes (offense to others and library staff, balancing rights, and elitism), and implications for…

Describes the growth, rationale, and operation of a no-charge cooperative formed in 1982 by group of small Australian health science libraries to combat rising costs of interlibrary loans (GRATIS), and its South Australian equivalent (GRATISSA). Membership, coverage, features, problems, applications, and future developments are noted. Nine…

Describes the conversion of card catalog records at William Jasper Kerr Library, Oregon State University, to an online system. Discussion covers the use of OCLC and student assistants, procedures and specifications, and problems associated with massive retrospective conversion needs and uncertain budget allocations. Eight sources are recommended.…

Founded in 1894 to support museum research, the Field Museum of Natural History Library specializes in fields of anthropology, archaeology, botany, geology, palaeontology, and zoology. A rich serials collection and numerous special collections serve both the scientific community and wider public as noncirculating reference collection and through…

Description of a special library housed in world's largest indoor aquarium highlights history of aquarium and library; the collection supporting animal care-taking, reference, and research activities; archives; computer capabilities; users (primarily staff) and services; and networking and cooperation. Date founded, director, collection and staff…

The director of the Center for Research Libraries (CRL) provides historical perspective on CRL's development and discusses issues that have triggered debate on its objectives, programs, fees, and membership categories. Reactions to CRL by seven directors of research libraries, both members and nonmembers of CRL, are presented. (EJS)

Examines two issues to determine how they affect delivery of consumer health information: (1) Who is responsible for disseminating consumer health information, and what role should public and health science libraries play? (2) Should librarians (public or health science) provide medical reference works for general public? Thirty-five references…

Since 1976, Uris Undergraduate Library at Cornell University has provided a program in bibliographic instruction involving 140-150 classes per year and reaching between 2,500 and 3,500 students. In addition to course related and course integrated classes for students at all levels, the program includes intensive training for teacher-librarians.…

Examination of present conditions of law libraries in Pakistan with respect to their origin, resources, and services covers court libraries, academic law libraries, bar association libraries, government department libraries. Development of legal information service, the judicial system in Pakistan, and problems and prospects peculiar to law…

This report contains data on state library agencies in the 50 states and the District of Columbia for state fiscal year (FY) 2004. The data were collected through the State Library Agencies (StLA) Survey, the product of a cooperative effort between the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA), the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and…

This directory lists library resources for individuals with blindness or physical disabilities. The first section of the directory lists National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) network libraries and machine-lending agencies arranged alphabetically by city. In several states, two regional libraries have been…