This research report presents the results of a survey of public libraries that serve areas where populations are 25,000 or fewer individuals. The long range goal of the study was to gather data that would help to initially describe some of the circumstances in which and because of which rural information services exist and endure. Questionnaires…

A possibility for improving library output measures would be to incorporate in catalog entries and charging codes a symbol indicating the type or level of difficulty of each adult non-fiction title. Experiments were conducted by the Public Library Research Group to define such categories. (Author/LS)

This study examined the selflearning and educational patterns of selected respondents in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania who have used library resources on a continuing basis. The content of learning projects emerged from real-life negotiations and ranged across the transactional environment. Episodes--consulting people, reading, browsing,…

The State Library of Florida funded a year-long project to examine the concept of cooperative/combined programs between school and public libraries to determine their potential for improving library services and reducing expenditures. Phase I involved development of an interview schedule and evaluation instruments, and visitation of the seven…

This third quarterly report for the period January to March 1977 describes the production schedule, records, and estimated costs and times in creating the Subject Access Project data base. Plans for on-line use of the data base and search strategy design are outlined. A table of specifications for preparing the data base for on-line searching is…

The Subject Access Project second quarterly report for September to December 1976 summarized in-progress work to improve subject access to monographs. Activities include: (1) analysis of book indexes and tables of contents for terms to augment MARC subject description; (2) analysis of additional book sections--e.g., maps, illustrations, charts,…

This report summarizes the results of a project undertaken to assist the Department of Education, Office of Libraries and Learning Technologies (OLLT), and the wider community it serves, to identify research priorities in the field of library and information science. The background of the project is briefly described and the prject design is…

Sample selection methodology and findings are described for a telephone survey of residents of the six Hawaiian Islands to identify library users and their characteristics as well as patterns of use. Findings are reported for demographic patterns of use, user and non-user attitudes, leisure time activities, levels of awareness and interests in…

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between use of the academic library and the classroom program at DePauw University, a small, four-year liberal arts college. Recorded circulation from the three campus libraries for the second semester of 1975-76 was studied and related to such variables as declared academic major, academic…

Based on the ACRL Guidelines for Bibliographic Instruction, this handbook is intended not only to provide guidance in the development of instruction programs, but also to stimulate discussion within the profession. It consists of the guidelines, five model statements and checklists, a glossary, and a pathfinder. The guidelines present generally…

Provided are ten student exercises designed for orientations in the sciences, particularly biology, and for a class entitled Literature of Science, Technology, and Agriculture. An introduction outlines the use of 5 classroom exercises and 5 library exercises, and an appended section provides brief comments concerning the applicability of each of…

Intended for college students whose library skills are inadequate for research at the university level, this self-instructional module introduces the user to bibliographies both conceptually and practically; i.e., what makes up a bibliography, how to use a bibliography, and how to compile a bibliography. The module has four sections: (1)…

This paper is a review and analysis of published research in the field of shelf classification in libraries, as well as an assessment of future prospects. Past, present, and proposed rationales for shelving books are described; results of investigations, surveys, and user studies are summarized; and suggestions for further research are presented.…

Existing and potential federal funding programs for libraries are discussed in this special conference theme summary. The relation of library funding to the total intergovernmental grant system is explained, and eight existing federal programs are outlined that support (1) public library services, (2) interlibrary cooperation, (3) school libraries…

This module is designed as a self-paced package to teach persons in educational psychology to conduct literature searches. The module could be easily adapted for use in other academic areas. The systematic method of approaching library research is divided into eight specific research skills: (1) writing an outline, (2) writing notecards, (3)…