Explores the future of reference librarianship within the context of the enabling technologies that will chart library development in the 21st century. The article types libraries into categories of "traditional,""automated,""hybrid," and "digital." The typology delineates shifts in human/machine…

The current decade has witnessed an unprecedented relationship, in character and impact, between technological innovation and social and economic organization. A new information society has been born, in which services offered by technologies support human activities. This represents both revolution and occupational opportunity. The ability to…

Argues that without reform and adaptation to contemporary technology, paper libraries will become little more than book museums. Outlines four major problems with contemporary library practice. Discusses benefits of database-management systems for organization of libraries' paper resources. Lists requirements libraries should demand of any new…

Suggests that digital resources and telecommunications give librarians the best chance in decades to reexamine and achieve many of their fundamental goals. Discusses the goals of providing the right information in appropriate formats, keeping the intellectual record, providing personalized information services, and serving as educators, and cites…

Focuses on the "real" e-books. Discusses Stephen King's novella released exclusively for electronic publication, and discusses experiences of another author writing on a specialized subject. Presents a brief background of e-books. Examines the differences between Portable Document Format (PDF) technology and the new Open eBook (OEB)…

Reports on an investigation of information and communications technology (ICT) skills and knowledge needs of teachers working in Scotland that indicated relatively low use of ICT and a number of key issues which have implications for teacher training and development. Suggests that a more holistic approach is required that includes appropriate…

Describes student teachers' roles and how they affect the kinds of support that student teachers provide teachers for using information technology in the classroom. A continuum of roles, from teacher to student, is presented along with various supportive activities in which student teachers engage. Data are based on an ethnographic case study of…

The purpose of this paper is to examine the future of electronic communications in science. The analysis concludes that communicative plurality and communicative heterogeneity are durable features of the scholarly landscape, and that field differences in the use of and meaning ascribed to communications forums are likely to persist, even as…

The community of specialists in scientific information and communication must begin to give more vigorous attention to its expectations for ethical conduct by authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers in the realm of electronic publishing, and to consider how those expectations may differ from the standards applied in a print-based environment.…

Suggests that in digital library services assessment, anthropology can provide the initial understanding, the intellectual basis, on which informed choices about sample population, survey design, or focus group selection can reasonably be made. Analyzes the National Gallery of the Spoken Word (NGSW). Includes brief descriptions of nine NGSW…

Discussion of information technology and course redesign focuses on readiness criteria that can help identify which courses are successful redesign candidates. Examines impact on the curriculum; capitol-for-labor substitution; collective decision making; faculty attitudes; curricular materials; requisite skills for participants; learning outcomes;…

Explores the relationship between scholarly communication, an established research area receiving renewed interest, and digital libraries, a relatively new area of research. Stakeholders agree that the relationship structure inherent in scholarship has become unbalanced with the advent of electronic publishing, digital libraries, computer…

Explores the concepts of interaction and interactivity presented in different theoretical models in the fields of human-computer interaction (HCI) and information-seeking/searching behavior, and relates these to information retrieval (IR) research. Suggests that interaction in HCI is primarily concerned with establishing a user/system dialogue at…

Information and communication technologies, especially the Internet, have vastly increased access to information and educational opportunities. Steadily increasing consumer demand is driving the development of online educational materials. The end result may be a "fragmentation" of learning involving multiple learning providers and delivery modes,…

The education programs of Quebec have a social constructivist focus characterized by project teaching, learner autonomy, cooperation, and metacognition. However, important technological and pedagogical hurdles must be overcome before these new practices can be implemented. (Author/SV)