Reference service can be defined as the interpersonal communication process which is designed to provide information to a person who needs it, either directly from an appropriate source, or indirectly by providing the person with the source or teaching him how to find the needed information in the sources. (Author/JAB)

Reviews recent trends with respect to the core curriculum in graduate (Master's level) library school programs in the United States. Only those programs which have been accredited by the American Library Association are considered. (Author/JAB)

Describes Black Hawk College's (Illinois) efforts to meet the needs of nontraditional students and the community through an associate in liberal studies degree, a division of interdisciplinary and alternative study through the university parallel program, credit for prior experiential learning, courses available at public libraries, and community…

Evidence suggests that media tie-in paperbacks are good motivation tools for increasing literacy. Librarians should take advantage of the positive opportunities paperbacks offer to encourage young adults to form good reading habits. Suggestions are offered on how librarians can influence publishers in providing books that children can and want to…

This study of periodicals in economics and political science examines the half-life of journals, the correlation between the most cited and most used journals, the effect of a selective dissemination of information service on journal use, and the immediate availability rate of journals used and the causes of unavailability. (Author/JPF)

Case Western Reserve was the first law school in the U. S. to have a practical computerized legal research system used on a daily basis and the first to make instructions on such a system an integral part of the standard law school curriculum. The use of the LEXIS system there is described. nLBH)

Results of the fifth in a series of surveys of Learning Resources Center (LRC) facilities built by two-year educational institutions in the United States are reported. This survey covers 1976-77. (Author/KP)

Intended to assist library educators, vendor representatives, end-user trainers, and experienced searchers, this article examines typical problems encountered by students in learning online searching. Problems with database selection, search tactics, and using the search system are highlighted, and a sample online exercise and search request form…

Describes changes in management structures on college campuses that have led to the emergence of the position of chief information officer (CIO) to improve information services. The merging of new information technologies with traditional resources is discussed, the responsibilities of CIOs are described, and possible future developments are…

Describes LOTUS 1-2-3, an advanced spreadsheet with database and text manipulation functions that can be used with microcomputers by librarians to provide customized calculation and data acquisition tools. Macro commands and the menu system are discussed, and an example is given of an invoice procedure. (Author/LRW)

Describes BIBTOOLS, a system of programs for microcomputers that accomplish many of the manual tasks involved in compiling bibliographies. Highlights of the system, which is designed for use with medical databases, include input and output functions, combining the software with online literature searches, parsing, and programs that function as…

This review of the position of information, the use of information technology, and the needs of librarians, is based on the report of the Transbinary Group on Librarianship and Information Studies in the United Kingdom. Both practical and theoretical issues in library education and employment are discussed. (LRW)

Describes curriculum development in West German information science programs that integrates subject specialty knowledge with information science and technology. An overview of the West German educational system is given and a program with subject specialties in chemistry and electrical engineering at the Fachhochschule Darmstadt is explained.…

This annotated bibliography lists children's books by Australian authors selected to provide American libraries with books that reflect many facets of Australian life as well as the work of Australia's many authors. The list is arranged by grade level, including pre-school and primary, grades three to six, and junior high and up. (EM)

The Special Libraries Association 1987 conference had the theme "Global Information Access--Expanding Our World." Topics discussed included: information access in the Third World, the value of information professionals, copyright fees and fair use, CD-ROM technology, and military libraries. (EM)