Explores tour trends in academic Association of Research Libraries (ARL), specifically examining the prevalence of several tour formats, including guided, self-guided, and virtual Web tours. Results from a survey conducted in November 2000 include statistical information about tour administration, audience, and structure, as well as perceptions of…

Describes the results of a survey of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries to identify the minimum education and experience required of paraprofessional catalogers. Topics include copy cataloging, original cataloging, training, and possible paraprofessional degree requirements. (Author/LRW)

The dilemma is one that most public librarians know well. The interlibrary loan (ILL) service over the past seven years had increased by almost 72 percent--with no end to the upward spiral in sight. Borrowing had increased 23 percent, but lending to other libraries had seen the largest growth: 106 percent. ILL staffing hadn't increased and…

Questions about the high prices of scholarly journals have grown in importance over the past several years, but they have assumed new urgency given the extremely tight budgets facing most universities today. In this article, the authors discuss the alarming increases in the cost of scholarly journals and the emergence of a concentration of…

At the May 1995 Membership Meeting of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), a panel of experts offered four perspectives on strategies and public policy choices involved in defining the rights and responsibilities of copyright owners, users, and the libraries in the networked environment. These perspectives, and an additional paper…

This report is based in part on an analysis of current preservation practices and of the 1988-89 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Preservation Statistics. It includes discussion of the 10 components of a comprehensive preservation program to which library administrators must give attention. Organizational models for mature preservation…

A survey of the collections of the libraries at the State University College at Buffalo (New York) was conducted to determine the physical condition of books and bound periodicals. The methodology of prior surveys at Yale (Connecticut) and Syracuse (New York) Universities was used and the following hypotheses were tested: (1) the methodology used…

A structured questionnaire was mailed to the directors (n=124) of all of the academic libraries belonging to the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) to obtain information on the status of participative management for support staff groups in major research libraries. Thirty of the 69 library administrators responding to the survey report that…

This membership meeting focused on higher education reform in the 1990s and the mission of educational institutions in the face of changes in educational philosophy, cultural and demographic changes, and shifts in public policy. It is argued that the ongoing academic revolution will define higher education in the next decade, and that research…

This set of minutes from a semiannual meeting of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) includes three presentations: "The Economics of Document Delivery" by Donald B. Simpson, "Electronic Journal Publishing and Libraries" by Jay K. Lucker, and "Policies and Controversies" by Hugh C. Atkinson. Atkinson reviews…

Arguing that some books and documents must be conserved because they have scholarly value as well as for the information they contain, this report presents reasons for preserving such artifacts and recommends means of developing effective and efficient preservation strategies. Two strategies are suggested. The first advises identifying and ranking…

This kit on personnel organization in member libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a revised and updated version of a 1973 kit. In the past, personnel functions within libraries were often carried out through the parent institutions' personnel offices in conjunction with existing administrative offices of the libraries.…

An Association of Research Libraries (ARL) survey on the status of ARL librarians revealed that librarians at 20 of the 92 responding libraries belonged to a collective bargaining unit. At a time when inflation is increasing faster than salary increases, and when librarians' salaries are perceived as moderately low, unionization offers one way to…

This collection of grievance procedures from member libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) contains: (1) documents on committee approaches to grievances from University of British Columbia, Center for Research Libraries, University of Connecticut, Harvard University, Michigan State University, and University of Nebraska; (2)…

This collection of primary source documents on support staff and student assistants in Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member institutions contains: (1) "Personnel Guides for Supervisors" (National Library of Medicine); (2) "A Personnel Development System" (Rutgers University Libraries); (3) "Training…