Reviews the recent American Library Association publication, "Planning and Role Setting for Public Libraries: A Manual of Options and Procedures," noting omissions in its approach. Several reasons for including the larger library community in the planning process are discussed. (MES)

Discusses the importance of the role of librarians in the educational process. The value-added concept is applied to librarians, and requirements in terms of accreditation for school librarians and federal standards for school libraries and librarians are advocated. (MES)

Reviews a study by the RAND Corporation on the changing ethnic nature of California which focused on the impact for public library services of having the majority of the population composed of what once were racial and ethnic minorities. The report is criticized for the narrowness of the questions addressed, softness of data, and simplicity of…

Suggests that the virtual library is an impossibility and the ideal of an all-encompassing solution is unrealistic. Current roles of libraries as places for personal enrichment and places to learn more about things will merge with the new technologies to make the library a constantly evolving institution. (JKP)

Suggests ways to use library buildings and space to attract users and to showcase collections and services. Ideas for a marketing strategy using windows, promenades and walkways, the entrance of lobby, and the interior are offered. Increasing use by making libraries a place for fun and entertainment is also recommended. (MES)

Provides excerpts from David Berninghausens's "Social Responsibility vs. the Library Bill of Rights" and responses that appeared in "Library Journal" in 1972 and 1973 because of the continuing debate over the role of the American Library Association (ALA) Social Responsibilities Round Table and whether or not ALA should take…

Discussion of recycling paper in law libraries is also applicable to other types of libraries. Results of surveys of law libraries that investigated recycling practices in 1987 and again in 1990 are reported, and suggestions for reducing the amount of paper used and reusing as much as possible are offered. (LRW)

Advocates a close collaboration and cooperation between teachers and librarians in all school systems, especially at the elementary level. Demonstrates how, through creativity and energetic cooperation, librarians can play a central role in the ongoing curriculum reform movement. (HB)

Discusses the Internet, an interconnected array of scientific research networks. The role of libraries in the Internet is discussed; the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) and Advanced Network Services (ANS) are described; and economic issues of the Internet are raised, including external economy and public good. (eight references) (LRW)

Describes the role of Silvia Watson as information executive of the Highsmith Company, a supplier of office equipment and other materials to the library market. Watson's position in the organizational hierarchy, library services at Highsmith, company policies and products, and the role of the library in the company are discussed. (MES)

Chronicles the evolution of the position of consultant in poetry (in 1989, officially titled Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry) at the Library of Congress from the 1930s to the present. Poets highlighted include Howard Nemerov, Alan Tate, Robert Penn Warren, Robert Hayden, Joseph Brodsky, Rita Dove, and Stanley Kunitz. A sidebar discusses…

Reviews the history of United States librarianship. Suggests that the profession has failed to analyze the meaning of library service and its significance to users. Argues that this has limited the ability to understand the present role of the U.S. library and thus affects efforts to plan for the future. Contains 131 references. (Author/LRW)

Describes a survey of Ontario (Canada) medium-sized businesses that was conducted to investigate the impact of the public library on business success and discusses results that found a significant relationship between public library use and business success. A copy of the questionnaire used is appended. (Author/LRW)

Because Ohio public, school, and special libraries did not have the infrastructure of their academic counterparts, they turned to a regional OCLC network, OHIONET, to provide Internet access. This article provides an overview of the Internet and OHIONET, discusses OCLC's role in providing services to members via the Internet, and describes the…

Presents examples of representations of libraries and librarians taken from modern popular culture, including popular film, television, and novels, and using Foucault's approach to discourse, asserts that such representations are made possible by, and decoded within, the structures of a discourse of fear, a practice of speech and symbols that…