Describes the activities of the federal government, state governments, and library associations in generating statistics on U.S. libraries, and discusses the problems that arise from a lack of coordination. Issues discussed include standardized definitions, scope and coverage, data collection and aggregation, data analysis and interpretation,…

Discusses ways for child care center providers and directors to educate businesses about child care issues, and thus garner employer support for child care. (BB)

Presents a systematic approach for small colleges to plan effectively for the acquisition of information resources, i.e., computers and telecommunications, based on five recommendations: (1) assign task force to assess needs; (2) establish institutional goals; (3) identify the technology required to meet the goals; (4) determine financial…

Discusses issues that must be addressed to determine if a library's cataloging needs are best met with an online system, an optical data disk system, or some combination of the two. The experiences of academic and public libraries in Nevada are used to illustrate issues related to vendors, databases, and system features. (10 references) (CLB)

Preliminary data were collected on suggestions for reaching White, Black and Hispanic unmarried adolescent fathers. Results suggest that reaching out to these young fathers may be complicated because their needs vary within and across their culture. The data suggest that these fathers need diverse information, practical help, and counseling.…

Reviews patterns of library resource sharing and discusses how academic libraries can increase the capacity and effectiveness of future resource sharing and shared collection development programs. A strategic model based on a Research Libraries Group study is presented, with special emphasis on winning the support of faculty. (eight references)…

Task analysis, needs analysis, curriculum design, and evaluation for training programs for on-the-job training teachers are discussed. Outlines, worksheets, and evaluation sheets are provided. (CW)

Describes some of the problems that have been identified in federal research funding, administration, and support of research initiatives and training concerning child abuse and neglect. Remedies for these difficulties are outlined, research priorities are identified, and ways to rejuvenate the federal government's role in this area are suggested.…

Explains some of the significant provisions and recent case law developments in special education for the disabled in England. (78 footnotes) (MLF)

This article proposes that combining home visits with service coordination could be an effective method of determining what services are needed by families of young children with disabilities and at the same time providing intervention in the home setting. Competencies needed for this dual position of service coordinator and home visitor are…

Describes a quick, economical community needs assessment conducted by Gainesville College, focusing on methodology and use of findings. Explains respondent selection and data collection methods for three groups: community leaders, who were interviewed in small groups using a community reconnaissance method; high school principals; and counselors,…

Examines the past and present state of school libraries in Namibia, with an overview of the effect of apartheid on education; and discusses present and future needs for training and equipping of libraries. Statistics, provided in seven figures, show the uneven distribution of materials to schools. (Author/AEF)

The development of a survey to assess women's sports interests at the University of Wyoming is described as an approach universities may use to respond to Title IX inquiries from the Office of Civil Rights regarding women's sports equity. Survey results can help assess student needs and interests. (SLD)

Quantifies a sample of Spanish teachers' and students' perceptions of the students' reading wants and needs in English. The results show that often the teachers do not credit their students with much interest in English. The article concludes with a discussion of the results with respect to needs analysis in course design. (seven references)…

Parents (n=121) of children with emotional/behavioral disorders were surveyed to obtain their perceptions of contacts with service agencies and views on design and implementation of comprehensive services. Overall, parents viewed the services favorably. Concerns focused on obtaining information about community services, finding recreational…