Presents an annotated list of selected recent scholarly and general reference works under the subject categories of archives; literature; music; psychology; sociology; black studies; women's studies; history and area studies; and new editions and supplements. (LRW)

Reviews the so-called "library crisis" and literature on the determinants of journal prices. Discusses the impact of the recent merger activity among journal publishers and notes the possibility that electronic publications may slow down the increase in journal prices. Discusses the question of why substantial improvements in computer technology…

Discusses issues concerning metadata in Web pages based on experiences in a vocational education center library in Queensland (Australia). Highlights include Dublin Core elements; search engines; controlled vocabulary; performance measurement to assess usage patterns and provide quality control over the vocabulary; and considerations given the…

Describes a Web usability study conducted at Western Michigan University to investigate students' success in locating journal articles. Participants' search paths and comments revealed widespread confusion about the article-finding process and revealed weaknesses in the library's Web site which led to improvements in page layout and library…

Discusses a variety of topics and their implications for library and information science professionals and their education. Highlights include the nature of science; contingency theories; the assumptions of sociology; the approach of symbolic interaction; recent scholarship on organizations; and the advantages of qualitative research methods.…

Describes the layered model of Open Systems Interconnection (OSI); summarizes the three upper and lower layers; and discusses data communications standards associated with specific layers. Architectural concepts are explored, including hierarchy and abstraction, levels of dialogue, internetworking, and end-to-end communication. OSI is compared…

Describes and compares several general interest periodical indexes available on CD-ROM. Features described include target audience, coverage, updates, subscription prices, licensing, the availability of turnkey systems, search features and interfaces, screen displays, full-text support, and installation and support. The addresses of the companies…

Challenges the view of plagiarism as a moral rather than pedagogical issue and the view that students plagiarize when they know they are plagiarizing. Offers survey results indicating that students and instructors alike misunderstand plagiarism. Urges instructors to show students how to use secondary materials responsibly and to give students…

Discusses four issues relating to the use of controversial books in schools: (1) self-censorship; (2) policy; (3) parents' roles, teachers' roles, administrators' roles; and (4) impact of controversy. Offers suggestions on how parents, community members, administrators, and teachers can contribute to the selection and evaluation of texts in…

Describes common problems with signs used in school libraries and offers suggestions for improving their effectiveness. Techniques to be considered in designing legible signs are discussed, as well as developing a system of signs by evaluating their function in terms of instructional objectives. A list of suggested readings is provided. (CLB)

Discusses the changing role of the cataloger and the lack of comprehensiveness in cataloging and classification courses offered in graduate library programs. The information that should be covered in introductory courses is outlined and the value of such courses to catalogers and noncatalogers is explored. (36 references) (CLB)

Reviews attempts to find cost effective alternatives to scientific journals, including dissemination of separate articles, selective dissemination of separate articles, synopsis journals, miniprint, microforms, and electronic journals. It is concluded that the traditional journal has not been seriously threatened and that librarians need to take…

Describes a low cost study of the transaction logs of an online catalog at an academic library that examined failure rates, usage patterns, and probable causes of patron problems. The implications of the findings for bibliographic instruction and collection development are discussed and the benefits of analyzing transaction logs are identified.…

Identifies the optimal goal of knowledge workstations as the harmony of technology and human decision-making behaviors. Two types of decision-making processes are described and the application of each type to experimental and/or operational situations is discussed. Suggestions for technical solutions to machine-user interfaces are then offered.…

The campus library is no longer a self-sufficient repository of publications and information. Only well-organized library networks will be able to manage the expanding amounts of information that modern technological systems are already generating. However, collaborative collection development has been slow because it challenges the traditional…