This paper provides a theoretical critique of the deficiencies of full-text searching in academic library databases. Because full-text searching relies on matching words in a search query with words in online resources, it is an inefficient method of finding information in a database. This matching fails to retrieve synonyms, and it also retrieves…

No one likes being two steps behind, and the fastest way to fall off the pace is by not keeping up with major titles and hot authors. Fortunately, there are numerous resources, both prepublication and postpublication, that can help. It is best when readers' advisory (RA) librarians know what is coming out months ahead of time--in order to think…

Over the past decade or so, gardens have been blossoming in schools all across the United States. These gardens are as varied as their schools and are as unique as each child who tends to them. Some are bountiful vegetable gardens, and others are arid natural habitat gardens. Some are acres of land with entire classes devoted to their teachings…

In the context of the changes in the information environment, the LIS department of the TEI of Athens developed a curriculum intending to incorporate the changes taking place in the information field's knowledge base, based on a literature review, the comparison of similar curricula in LIS schools worldwide and the demands of the students and the…

This article discusses the electronic thesis and dissertation project at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel. It describes the status of the ETD movement in Israel as part of the worldwide spread of ETDs as reported in the literature. It also examines openness to ETDs by faculty and by publisher discipline. (Contains 6…

In this article, American author, children's librarian, and storyteller Laura Amy Schlitz is profiled. Schlitz is the winner of this year's Newbery Medal for her tall tale about the Mongols called "Gulnara the Tartar Warrior." Like her award-winning book, "Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!" (Candlewick, 2007), the tale takes place in the Middle Ages.…

Citing literature that supports the benefits of flexible scheduling on student achievement, the author exhorts readers to campaign for flexible scheduling in their library media centers. She suggests tips drawn from the work of Graziano (2002), McGregor (2006) and Stripling (1997) for making a smooth transition from fixed to flexible scheduling:…

This report summarizes the activities of the South Carolina State Library for 1995-1996. Sections include: (1) library governance and mission statement; (2) brief library history; (3) details about the organization and operations of the library, including a description of each of six departments with a list of employees and their duties, an…

This report provides information that characterizes libraries in California, profiling each library within its appropriate library type, i.e., public, academic, special, state agency, and county law. The data were gathered through the annual report forms for fiscal year 1989-1990 that were returned by 839 libraries out of an estimated total of…

This document contains the full transcript of a 2-day workshop on library automation. The first day of the workshop was devoted to a review of the state-of-the-art of library automation and the second day included presentation of testimony by Maine librarians. The transcript of the first day includes discussions of the historical development of…

From January 1980 through December 1982 the Illinois Valley Library System (IVLS) and 33 of its participating libraries conducted an experimental project to test the costs and benefits of OCLC use in small and medium-sized libraries. This report, one of eight describing the results of the OCLC Experimental Project, examines interlibrary loan…

In accordance with a long range plan for libraries in Colorado, a committee was appointed to develop the first standards for basic library service in Colorado public libraries. Libraries and their boards may use this document as a workbook for assessing their library and its services, as well as a document to assist in planning for the library's…

Academic librarians are increasingly expected to advocate for scholarly communications reforms such as open access to scholarly publications, yet librarians do not always practice what they preach. Previous research examined librarian attitudes toward open access, whereas this article presents results of a study of open access publishing and…

This study focuses on a quantitative assessment of undergraduate student use of SFX citation linking software. The study seeks to reveal whether or not students are using SFX, and, if so, how they are using it. Study participants were Penn State Altoona students, all of whom had received basic library instruction. Their research sessions were…

Library board members are an integral part of public libraries. Because of the importance of their role, this handbook gives library trustees in Oklahoma a basic understanding of their responsibilities and power. It contains useful information about developing policy, the board/director relationship, funding, intellectual freedom, library laws,…