Discusses the use of document delivery by academic and research libraries and lists 28 private document delivery services frequently cited in a survey of libraries who use the services. Topics addressed include traditional interlibrary loan services; the effects of rising journal costs, restricted budgets, and staff cuts; and copyright issues.…

Reports on an analysis of job announcements for library and information professionals in research institutions revealing a trend toward hiring subject specialists and administrative and technical professionals without masters degrees in librarianship. Findings reveal variety in positions and professionals hired and change in stated employment…

Compares the more positive library automation experiences of a small public library with those of a large research library. Topics addressed include collection size; computer size and the need for outside control of a data processing center; staff size; selection process for hardware and software; and accountability. (LRW)

Focuses on academic and research library networking in Latin American and Caribbean countries (LAC), where a high level of library service has been achieved. Discusses the information challenges of the 1980s and 1990s to LAC countries; networking in LAC; Brazilian information services; the University of Sao Paulo integrated library system…

Analyzes Web sites of ten large research libraries in order to establish a basic understanding of how some major libraries are currently providing virtual reference services. Discusses centralization; email reference guidelines; creating a service economy; expanding hours of service; virtual users' needs; and real-time virtual reference.…

Focuses on electronic scholarly-journal publishing. Discusses characteristics of current academic electronic publishing; effects of the World Wide Web; user needs and positions of academic libraries; costs; and decisions of research librarians that drive the industry. (AEF)

Discusses the life cycle costs of acquiring and maintaining an academic research library and develops a methodology to determine the life cycle costs of collections based on statistical data collected by the Association of Research Libraries. Results indicate the cost structure of a research library is largely driven by its monograph collection.…

In creating Australia's first prime ministerial library, a new cultural institution was developed which blends professional practice from the fields of librarianship, education, archives, journalism and museums. The John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library honours the contribution of wartime prime minister John Curtin, works towards the advancement…

While university libraries have a long tradition of preserving scholarship, they are less experienced in the technology-dependent and computer networked environment. By taking advantage of current activities and expertise that exist in various parts of the institution, policies and practices can be linked that will engender long-term…

Colleges and universities are integrating information literacy into their undergraduate curricula. Accreditation commissions of higher education are integrating information literacy into their general education standards. Students enrolled in programs that promote information literacy are instructed to utilize library resources and services to…

In 1956-57 John Metcalfe was seconded from the Public Library of New South Wales to the University of Sydney to report on the needs of the University Library. This is a forgotten chapter in that Library's history, and a hitherto unexamined aspect of Metcalfe's career. Metcalfe was apparently manoeuvering to leave the Public Library, and expected…

The primary emphasis of this study of the use of digital technology to preserve library materials was the capture of brittle books as digital images and the production of printed paper facsimiles. Of equal interest, however, was the role of digital technology in providing access to library resources, and preliminary work in this area has also been…

This report provides a review of Bulgaria's history as it relates to library collections, and describes the current state of preservation activities at key institutions. The discussion includes: the political history of Bulgaria and its library collections; the Soviet state and its aftermath; economic constraints; decentralization of Bulgaria's…

This document consists of 6 issues (1 year) of a newsletter devoted to information and reports on issues and actions of interest to research libraries. Each issue contains articles on current issues, federal relations, and ARL activities as well as columns by the Coalition for Networked Information, the Office of Scientific and Academic…

This document contains the results of a 1994 survey on the use of user surveys by ARL (Association of Research Libraries) members. Of the responding libraries, 68% had conducted user surveys in the last 5 years. A number of these libraries (20%) reported conducting surveys at regular intervals ranging from every year to every five years. The…