Discusses changes taking place in academic libraries and outlines the nature of entrepreneurship and innovation and their relevance to library development. Highlights include digital technology; the impact of changes in global learning and scholarly communication on library entrepreneurial opportunities; and a case study of entrepreneurial…

Includes three articles: (1) describes a collaboration that investigated integrity within the distributed nature of digital libraries through value-added surrogates; (2) describes the digitization of special collections at the University of Iowa libraries; and (3) explains the Collaborative Digital Reference Service (CDRS) being developed by the…

Presents planning strategies for academic libraries that integrate digital products and print collections based on patron needs. Highlights include paperless libraries; space planning; two models for design, one with electronic access and low reliance on print collections and the second with electronic access and high collection reliance; and…

Describes the development of resource sharing through interlibrary loan among Orbis libraries, a consortium of institutions of higher education in the Northwest. Highlights include the Pacific Northwest Bibliographic Center (PNBC), Oregon Regional Union List of Serials (ORULS), shared electronic catalogs, OhioLINK, and OCLC interlibrary loan…

Explores the possibility of using Web contact center software to offer reference assistance to remote users. Discusses a project by the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System/Santiago Library System consortium to test contact center software and to develop a virtual reference network. (Author/LRW)

Outlines ways to make online searching more efficient. Highlights include starting with printed materials; online reference libraries; subject directories such as Yahoo; search engines; evaluating Web sites, including reliability; bookmarking helpful sites; and using links. (LRW)

These six articles discuss collection level descriptions. Highlights include cross-domain issues; archive standards and automation issues; museum considerations, including metadata and Web pages, based on the Canadian Heritage Information Network; data standards for directories; electronic libraries in the United Kingdom; and the Research…

This article derives from a review of key challenges confronted by libraries that are actively investing in online collections and services. Conducted in the first instance to help refine programmatic goals of the Digital Library Federation (DLF), it took account of digital library developments, successes, needs, and challenges perceived by…

Describes a study conducted at Auburn University that analyzed four months of chat reference questions received at a centralized reference services desk. Discusses types of questions; types of users; whether questions were localized to the specific library's resources; and further areas of research. (Author/LRW)

Topics include: digital library projects in the National Science Foundation's NSDL program; an electronic reserve platform at the University of Calgary; highlights from the sixth International Summer School on the Digital Library; the Digital Imaging Project of South Africa; a database of local information at the Oregon State University library;…

Describes the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD), an effort involving over 120 universities around the world. It aims to enhance the skills of all graduate students preparing theses or dissertations so that they are empowered to create an electronic thesis or dissertation and to effectively use digital libraries. (EV)

Discussion of Internet resources in library collections focuses on factors to consider in selecting Internet resources and cataloging them. Highlights include price; cancellation of comparable resources in other formats; appropriateness of an electronic resource; stability of vendors; duplication; licensing; and cataloging treatment. (LRW)

Defines digital library collections and outlines two classes of collection metadata. Describes the Alexandria Digital Library (ADL) Project approach to collection metadata, including the ADL system architecture and collection guidelines and the format and use of the ADL collection metadata. Appendices include ADL collection metadata and example.…

Discussion of efforts in Canada to support print disabled users focuses on the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) Library's national network (VISUNET: CANADA) that supports the premise of a virtual library. Describes international collaborative efforts among libraries to better serve print disabled users. (LRW)

Discusses digital library planning in light of Internet commerce and technological innovation in marketing and customer relations that are transforming user expectations about Web sites that offer products and services. Topics include user self-sufficiency; personalized service; artificial intelligence; collaborative filtering; and electronic…