Discusses alternatives for dealing with insider theft of rare library materials, including publicizing losses and prosecuting. An example of insider theft is detailed. Ideas for preventing theft, including hiring practices and restricting access to materials, are considered. Suggestions for thinking through procedures to deal with the…

Describes the history and development of the algorithm that was used to produce a union list of monographs for ALEPH (Automated Library Expandable Program Hebrew University), Israel's research library network. The literature on merging online records is reviewed, case studies are examined, and problems with matching and merging online…

Discusses the nature and extent of discriminatory pricing by journal publishers, and reports on a survey of academic libraries that was conducted to assess the effectiveness of strategies used by libraries to mitigate the effects of high journal prices and price discrimination, i.e., higher prices for both institutions and foreign subscribers.…

Argues that the analytical comparison of library collections to the people using those collections could provide insights related to library acquisition priorities and practices, and describes and illustrates a method for analyzing this relationship. A sidebar by Myra White describes an application of the results of such a study at California…

Discusses the process of scholarly publishing, the need for more objective approaches to publishing, and the role of academic libraries. Peer assessment, why researchers must publish, the economics of journal publishing, why the process works for authors and publishers, and strategies for librarians are among the issues addressed. (11 references)…

Examines characteristics of authorship, editorial decisions, and reviewer assessments for accepted and rejected papers for "College and Research Libraries" based on over a decade of private correspondence and reviewer assessments. Comparisons with the wider literature on publishing in refereed journals are made, and directions for future research…

Reviews 30 reference sources in all subject areas, except the sciences, that were published in 1992. Appropriateness for public, academic, or other type of library is given in each review. CD-ROM products are included in this annual list for the first time, and the competition between print and CD-ROM reference works is described in a sidebar.…

Presents a bibliography of 113 core holdings of materials for teacher education that was developed at California State University, Long Beach, using OCLC to identify titles which were held by at least 100 libraries. Library of Congress call numbers are included. (LRW)

Outlines the development of the Houston Area Research Library Consortium's CD-ROM union catalog and presents hypotheses on the impact of the union catalog on resource sharing, especially with regard to the University of Houston libraries. Interlibrary loan borrowing is examined, procedures are described, and enhancements are suggested. (two…

A study of library collections at Amherst College, Grinnell College, and Franklin and Marshall College to assess the applicability of a selection model for preservation candidates in nonresearch libraries is reported. Brittle books held by fewer than five libraries were identified, supporting the model for preservation and cooperative collection…

Discusses collection development in research libraries and presents a model for organizing collection management that combines functional and team-based design principles. Traditional and new organization designs of university libraries are described, and collection development and management is defined in terms of reference and technical…

Describes research using students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that investigated the ways in which different levels of knowledge about a topic can affect search strategies in an online public access catalog. Previous research is reviewed, and implications for information intermediaries and designers of information retrieval…

Describes the use of the Conspectus method of collection evaluation in the University of California Campus Libraries and Stanford University Libraries in the area of psychology. Possibilities for resource sharing are discussed, recommendations for the future are suggested, and a subject listing is included that indicates commitment to collection…

Describes a study that compared roles and responsibilities of academic librarians and support staff within the University of California library system. Areas of overlap between professionals and paraprofessionals and discrepancies in satisfaction with specific job attributes are identified, and the implications for setting realistic expectations…

Describes the development of an expert system to help in the selection of materials for academic libraries. A model of selection criteria is explained, computerization of the model is discussed, user-defined criteria are considered, and machine learning of rules through the use of algorithms is described. (18 references) (LRW)