Compared with oral history in most Western countries, oral history theory and practice in Mainland China lag behind in both study and practice. This paper outlines the experience of oral history work in the Shantou university library, and the types and features of the oral history collected by the library. It examines problems in the development…

The 1996 National Household Education Survey (NHES:96), an ongoing national survey on important educational issues, included a series of questions about the use of public library services by members of United States households. Responses represent public library use by members of each household surveyed and not by individual persons within…

The 1994 Forum on Library and Information Services was planned to provide an opportunity to explore the role of libraries in the evolving information and communications infrastructure. This report on the proceedings of the Forum begins with the agenda and a list of the participants. Two roles of the Department of Education relating to libraries…

A survey instrument was designed and administered to obtain a broad base of information concerning the presence of computers and computer literacy classes in public libraries in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Minnesota. The results indicate that 50.8% of the 100 libraries that responded to the survey (80.6% of the original random sample) have public…

The Association of Christian Librarians is an interdenominational organization of 300 members made up of Christian librarians sharing interests in library service in Christian higher education. From its birth at a 1957 conference of 17 librarians, the association has grown to over 300 members. The association strives to promote, develop, and…

Eighteen state-supported academic libraries, primarily in Illinois but also in other midwestern and western states, were contacted by letter (14) or by telephone (4) in order to obtain information on their circulation policies and procedures. Fifteen libraries responded by sending copies of their policies. Information was also collected by…

An experiment with the artificial aging of paper which--in contrast with the usual practice--was carried out at relatively low temperatures (i.e., 50-95 degrees Celsius), and not on laboratory handsheets, but on naturally aged paper from the commercial production of four centuries, produced results justifying the thesis that there may be at best…

Noting that librarians have long debated whether specific library functions may, or should, be scientifically examined, or whether they constitute an art not susceptible to scientific study, this paper reviews and critiques attempts to develop models of library material selection using the theories and methods of scientific investigation. First,…

This study tests the widely cited proposition that 20% of a library's books account for 80% of its circulation. Using data collected for a collection development survey, it was found that of the sample of 4,213 books, 799, or 19%, accounted for 79% of the circulation during 1987. In fact, 25% of the books accounted for all of the circulation that…

Academic librarians report that use by increasingly large numbers of high school students is creating pressures in budgets, staff, and materials. Indications are that these demands will increase: students are increasingly sophisticated in their information needs; they are mobile; and school library media centers' collections have been weakened by…

This document contains validated activities and competencies needed by information professionals working in a library system supplier organization. The activities and competencies are organized according to the functions which information professionals working in such organizations perform: research and development; marketing; customer support;…

This study investigates the degree of relationship between scientific and technical subject headings and their corresponding class notations in the Dewey Decimal (DDC) and Library of Congress Classification (LCC) systems. The degree of association between a subject heading and its corresponding class of notation or notations is measured by…

This user survey was part of a three-part diagnostic study that sought to obtain information on how public libraries operate in Latin America (Argentina, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Venezuela) and the Caribbean (Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, and Surinam) and the social role performed by this type of service in the region.…

This guide gives an overview of basic library research methods with emphasis upon developing an understanding of library organization and professional services. Commonly used bibliographic techniques are described for various published and unpublished, print and nonprint materials. Standard reference sources (bibliographies, encyclopedias, annual…

To test the effect of library instruction on learning basic knowledge and skills in using reference tools, 33 Ball State University students received such instruction in a course on information resources in libraries. In control groups from basic literature courses, 39 students received course-related library instruction and 81 students received…