A project demonstrated the feasibility of accessing library information (online public access catalogs, commercial online databases, Internet) from a distance using handheld personal digital assistants (PDAs) equipped with cellular communication capability. The study is described, and other uses of wireless communications in libraries and…

Discusses six ways to prevent the school media center from becoming a study hall recreation area: (1) schedule learning activities; (2) add technology to work areas; (3) share space with adults; (4) minimize rules; (5) provide alternative activities; and (6) change the school climate. (Author/AEF)

Considers the role of books and reading in undergraduate education. Highlights include the future of books in American colleges, including reader interaction and new communications formats challenging printed text; literacy and the undergraduate, including new information technologies; and the role of reading in a liberal education and in lifelong…

Discusses the evolution of GIS (geographic information systems) services and the roles that reference and public services professionals may play in providing this technology to users: developing collections to incorporate GIS; providing access to spatial information and software tools; and facilitating intellectual access to GIS concepts and…

Describes a study that evaluated the impact of information technology on the role of seven high school principals. Findings suggest that the introduction of a management information system into the school resulted in changes in the clerical, managerial control, and strategic aspects of the principal's role. (Author/JKP)

Focuses on individual library school graduates who are employed in nontraditional jobs. Topics covered include a definition of alternative careers; the importance of the M.L.S.; how to search for a job; why librarians leave; library skills useful in other areas; tips for career switching. (five references) (KRN)

Contains reprints of four articles showing that librarians foresaw the impact of technology on libraries: (1) "Copyright and the Future of Authorship" (Barbara Ringer); (2) "Inventions and Books--What of the Future?" (Ethel M. Fair); (3) "The Changes Ahead" (Lowell A. Martin); (4) "Trial by Computer" (Basil…

A consortium of 12 4-year, private liberal arts colleges has sought to address the promises and challenges of information technology for undergraduate education. The effort has involved identification of faculty using technology in teaching, then of their individual strategies and techniques, and the establishment of a home page on the World Wide…

The strategies and rationales used at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, to develop a policy framework for electronic information management are discussed. The framework articulates the electronic rights and responsibilities of the university community and the public. A copy of the current policy statement is appended. (Author/MSE)

Examines the pattern and distribution of secondary information systems and services in China. Topics include the role of government, government policies and relevant standards, distribution of discipline-oriented bibliographies and indexes, the change from printed materials to databases, and the transition to a market economy. (Author/LRW)

Discusses worldwide developments and trends in information technology. Highlights include online databases versus CD-ROMs; audiotex and voice processing; fax information delivery; networks and gateway services; possibilities in eastern Europe; national information policies; effects of the creation of a single European market; and the role of…

This annotated bibliography lists 101 U.S. federal depository documents received by libraries from mid-1991 to mid-1992 that address a wide range of topics, including education, dissemination of government information, health care, substance abuse, the environment, technology, and the military. (MES)

The Nigerian Institute of International Affairs Library began a small automation project when complete library automation was not possible. Despite limitations, the library has successfully integrated technology into its daily operations, including computer literacy programs for the staff, maintaining offline circulation records, and producing…

The Main Library at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (California) is actively challenging the traditional roles of libraries and information scientists. Innovative projects revolve around biomedical and environmental information services and envision new ways to serve information users. The library of the future will involve increased…

Considers issues raised by Ann Irving's article in this yearbook, including the changing roles of students, teachers, and librarians in elementary and secondary schools; differences in information technology in the United Kingdom and the United States; and information access, using whatever medium is appropriate. (LRW)