Reports results of materials availability surveys conducted in public library systems and discusses implications of the findings for validity, reliability, and usefulness of fill rates as measures of library performance. A second paper presents another view in defense of fill rates, and responses by both authors are also included. (MES)

Describes a class activity designed to teach students in grades five and six the importance of using an encyclopedia index. (MES)

Focusing on networks, this review of some of the major library news stories of 1987 discusses OCLC, the Linked Systems Project, and rural needs in the context of networking. Salaries, preservation, funding, and several other issues are also discussed. (MES)

A reviewer and librarian reflect on personal experiences with books and libraries. (EL)

This article analyzes characteristics of competition and cooperation, identifies associated benefits and risks, and examines ways in which each strategy can be used by library managers as part of a flexible communication style. Considerations in choosing a communication strategy are noted. Thirty-three references are cited. (EJS)

Describes a system of subject indexing developed by Julius Kaiser (1868-1927) which is based on "concretes" and "processes" to govern the form of subject headings and subdivisions. Elements of amplification, guides for the subject index, and criticism of Kaiser's systematic indexing are noted. Five sources are given. (EJS)

Examination of "The Concise Anglo-American Cataloging Rules (2nd edition)" (AACR2), published in 1981, highlights intended audience, use in small libraries, student use, paraprofessional and public service librarian use, use in non-English environments, cataloging by example, comparison of "AACR2" and "Concise AACR2,"…

Cites books, journals, articles, and speeches covering the gamut from computer literacy as a national crisis to a current listing of popular computer camps, educational computing, library role, and staff training. Primary focus is on microcomputers, but several less recent articles are oriented to computers in general. (MBR)

Discussion of information and misinformation about integrated online library systems highlights capabilities and functions that should be offered by an integrated system, practicalities of purchasing a system, visions versus reality, library versus information automation, origins of integrated online systems in the 1960s and 1970s, and future…

A personal report and critique of goings on in Lausanne at the 1976 restructuring of the International Federation of Library Associations. (Author)

At Davis & Elkins College (West Virginia), a simple and efficient training system for media technicians has been developed that is an adaptation of the checklist. (Author/ER)

A study of the characteristics of personal collections of a sample of authors drawn from the general fields of the sciences, social sciences, and humanities, and the relationship between the size and composition of their collections and the location of works referred to in certain of their recent papers. (Author)

Describes the use of the Preserved Content Index System (PRECIS) in Aurora High School, Ontario. (PF)

Traces the development of library labor unions. Suggests that, with unionization firmly established, more centralization would increase its potential as a factor in the profession. (AP)