This report presents data from 116 U.S. and Canadian research libraries that were members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) during the 1995-96 fiscal year. The 1995-96 Preservation Statistics questionnaire was designed to yield statistical information on the current level of preservation efforts in research libraries and on the key…

This paper addresses organization and management issues related to library material selection and acquisitions in the digital age, based on the author's experiences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill library. The first part of the paper focuses on selection. The following principles of selection are discussed: (1) developing a…

Outlines the functions of a Library Media Center and its introduction and benefit to young students. (RK)

Explores meaning of managerial accounting in libraries and discusses instructional program for students of library and information science based on experience in School of Library and Information Science at University of California, Los Angeles. Management decision making (budgeting, performance evaluation, overhead, resource allocation,…

Examines "A Planning Process for Public Libraries," published by the Public Library Association in 1980, discussing the mission of the public library, survey research and data collection, library goals and objectives, planning strategies, budgeting, the political environment, and output measures. Twenty-six references are cited. (EJS)

Describes the process followed in developing the materials selection policy used by the Leon County Public Library, so as to demonstrate how a policy responsive to adult interests evolved and continues to change as adult needs and interests change. Seven references are listed. (Author/LLS)

Describes the organization of a project to automate acquisitions activities at the National Library of Venezuela which was carried out at Northwestern University between 1976 and 1979, and which led to the automation of cataloging operations at the National Library. (Author/JL)

From an organizational approach to virtual or digital libraries (V/DL), this study places V/DL in the context of the academic library, focusing on relevant opinions of library heads. Findings suggest that the library heads typically understand V/DL as digital materials, are mainly supportive of V/DL understood in this way, and demonstrate the…

Discusses the state of community (primary) school libraries in Papua New Guinea. Highlights include teachers' delegated library duties, training in librarianship, lack of books, acquisition problems, facilities and types of storage, classification of the collection, and unattainable standards. (AEF)

Presents four challenges faced by libraries and proposes research designs to address each of them. The challenges involve: invisible infrastructure; content and collections; preservation and access; and institutional boundaries. Proposes a mixture of research methods that includes surveys, case studies, documentary analyses, and policy analyses.…

Briefly discusses the development of two types of public libraries in Iran, i.e., those libraries under the administration of the Ministry of Islamic Culture and Guidance, and those administered by the Ministry of Education. The organization, staff, buildings and equipment, collections, and services of both types of libraries are described. (CLB)

Describes a survey of academic libraries that investigated the cataloging backlog of music materials. Pertinent literature is reviewed; reasons for backlogs are discussed, including large acquisitions and gifts without a corresponding increase in staff to process them; a lack of knowledgeable staff; and the impact of other library automation…

Discussion of the decline in the purchasing power of academic libraries' acquisitions budgets focuses on why and how the acquisitions budget should be integrated into the broader library and institutional budgeting and planning process to help manage the costs of scholarly communication. Highlights include collection development and remodeling the…

Reviews time-saving approaches that can help academic librarians (or small libraries lacking collection development librarians) to maintain collections. A sidebar provides information on locating subject publication lists and appendices offer guidelines for collection weeding and sampling. (JMV)

Discusses the economics and value of information and describes a study that compared an objective measure, the estimated direct costs to a library to purchase materials or provide services used by specific users, with a subjective measure, exchange values those users would pay for the information. (LRW)