Describes a project at the Yale University library to survey the duplicate and negative microfilm collection before transferring it to a new facility. Discusses issues relating to bibliographic control and explains the resulting changes in microfilm cataloging and processing routines. (LRW)

Reports on two pilot studies conducted in the United Kingdom, one at a university library and one at a public library, that investigated the use of electronic books. Both studies raised concerns regarding the usability of the products and conclude that improvements are needed in terms of portability, readability, and navigability. (LRW)

Discussion of controversial fiction for older children and young adults focuses on two main issues: the relocation of controversial material, and why material is challenged. Includes a list of books that were challenged in schools and public libraries in the U.S. and Canada from 1984-1999. (LRW)

This article explores the potential and reality of using the academic library Web site to market library resources and services, for fundraising, and to market special events. It explores such issues as the placement of a link to academic libraries from institutional home pages and the use of a library Web site to include links to news, exhibits,…

Librarians, university press publishers, and scholars, find themselves at an unusually stimulating and challenging time in the history of these respective professions. The forces of technology, and privatization are changing the nature of their work environment, even as their fundamental mission remains, for now, the same. Committed as they both…

Introduction: In developing their professional competence, those who are interested in the practice of continuing medical education (CME) should recognize the knowledge base that defines their field. This study systematically identifies and organizes a list of books and journals comprising a core library (100 books/15 journals) for CME…

The US Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) launched the Improving Literacy through School Libraries Program at the outset of NCLB. Using competitive project grants, the Literacy through Libraries (LSL) objective is to facilitate the improvement of literacy skills and academic achievement of students by…

Includes a 1991 lecture on the future of rare book libraries and a commentary from 2003. Topics include paper-based collections versus electronic resources; changes in general research libraries; budget shortages; changing priorities; reformatting library materials; and education for rare books and special collections librarians. (LRW)

Disaster preparedness is an important issue in library management today. This article presents a general overview of the theoretical aspects of disaster planning in libraries. The stages of disaster planning are a circular process of planning, prevention, response, recovery, preparedness, and training.

By conducting a survey of a cross-section of researchers at six major research libraries, the author sought to determine the usefulness of specific online resources to find primary sources, to ascertain researchers' awareness of these sources, and to uncover their discovery methodology. The survey results demonstrate that the majority of…

This essay explores some of the conflicts faced by the author, a liaison with book-selection responsibilities to a university English Department. These conflicts include: trying to fill gaps missed by profiles set up with our book vendor; trying to achieve a reasonable balance between canonical and non-canonical texts; between primary texts and…

We are building conventional library space without making the paradigm shift our digital environment requires. The chief obstacles to change lie in our conception of readers as information consumers, in our allegiance to library operations as the drivers of library design, and in the choice made between foundational and non-foundational views of…

Just 10 years ago the Academy of American Poets initiated the observance of National Poetry Month to celebrate poetry and its place in American culture. Since then, the movement has continued to gain momentum with the emergence of Young People's Poetry Week in 1999, a focus on poetry slams as the centerpiece for Teen Read Week in 2003, and the…

Chris Dodge, a renowned alternative pressologist and the librarian at "Utne" magazine, has been known to say, "Every library should be a special library." In order to meet this challenge, the librarians at Barnard College decided to start a collection of underground publications known as zines. In this article, the author describes how librarians…

In the early 1990s, Northern Michigan University started distributing laptop computers to its faculty and students. Soon, a taste for technology developed and the university community craved more. Having tempted their taste buds, they quickly found that patrons were no longer satisfied with traveling to the library and asked that they bring…