Beginning in 1995, the University Libraries of Virginia Tech embarked on a major shelf-load reduction/storage project. Every effort was made to communicate the scope of the project to the teaching/research faculty of the university. This article presents an overview of the project, with emphasis on ways in which sensible criteria, advance…

What would a person do if they were suddenly given half a million dollars? The Southern Oregon University Library, after receiving a congressional grant of $470,000, decided to use the money to create the Southern Oregon Digital Archives (SODA). The primary goal for SODA was to have a full-text, completely searchable database of hundreds of…

Up until fairly recently, library collections have consisted of physical things--books; journals; audiovisual materials; and, in some libraries, collections of realia. Now, however, collections often include materials that cannot be placed on library shelves either because they are digitized versions of primary sources or because they exist only…

The author of this article shares her opinions and feelings on attending the American Library Association (ALA) Conference. She admits that she hates going to the exhibits. In this article, the author shares a list of hints to make exhibit time more productive.

A library collection is a community asset. Studies indicate that chess is a healthy mental pursuit for children of all skill levels; the educational nonprofit Chess-in-the-Schools. www.chessintheschool.org reports improvements in reading scores and a variety of other intellectual and social benefits for kids who accept the rigors and rewards of…

From its humble origins some 30 years ago in New York's bombed-out, poverty-ravaged South Bronx, hip-hop has risen to become a dominant cultural force both here and abroad. Strictly defined, the term refers to the entire cultural constellation that accompanies rap music, which in 2001 surpassed country music as the most popular musical genre in…

As bookstores and the Internet march forward, the library community continues to question and forecast its role in society. Innovative libraries nationwide have seized the opportunity to reinvent themselves, bringing a new level of excitement to the industry. Yet puzzlement remains on what strategies, what roles will work in communities where…

Tom Rink may be the only librarian who is also a police officer. After years of the Tulsa police force, he was ready for a change. When a career exploration course showed he was ideally suited to be a librarian, he was amused. The son of two librarians, he had never even considered it. He did enjoy researching, writing, and exploring all kinds of…

In this article, the author discusses and provides some examples on how students and teachers should use library media centers. He also discusses the common problems with facilities design as it changes along with other aspects of society. He states that flexibility in design ensures that the physical facility will meet future program needs.…

Johnson Doug, a representative of the state library association decided to speak to the board members of the Left Overshoe Independent Schools when they threatened to implement a budgetary cut for the library school program. The local parents and teachers should testify to the board the advantages of a library program and raise voice against…

The sound approach in creating learning environments is in implementing a fully integrated library program that is both efficient and effective. Further, its definition and the way it works are stated.

In this article, the author addresses the importance of having orientation for new librarians. During their crucial first few weeks on the job, the author claims, new librarians need as much hands-on, real-world training as they can get. If they are ushered to the information desk without an introduction to the staff interface of the catalog or to…

Integration of library services into the portal that Lasalle University recently implemented for the entire campus is described. In addition to learning the technical aspects was the need to inspire change in the communication culture of the university and to rethink how the library provides services.

There's no doubt about it: magazines can be a nuisance. They're easy to rip off, flimsy, and costly. The dogeared, thumb-smudged pages, missing subscription cards, and already-solved crossword puzzles and mazes (completed confidently in ink!) are sure signs that kids find magazines irresistible. Young children and teens love to flip casually…

Dennis Wilson is a patient and persistent man. After three years of observation, data gathering, extensive discussion, and presentations, he reorganized his collection development team into seven members. Before, the work was distributed among 75 people. Wilson's motivation? The need to get products to patrons "as soon as possible." The…