The article examines some of the non-routine challenges that an academic library director can expect to deal with during his or her career. Each challenge is discussed in a paragraph or two, beginning by characterizing the challenge as an animal that serves as a metaphor for unusual but nonetheless important conditions that can, sooner or later,…

Through the power of easily accessible and engaging new digital media technologies, family and oral histories can give voice to the unknown and overlooked stories of immigrants and their families--stories that often never make it beyond the children or the grandchildren. The academic library can be a natural focal point for this interaction and…

This article describes a library renovation project in a community college that involved using existing space and reorganizing it to support the way students learn both individually and collaboratively. The article also looks at the importance of the academic library as place.

This paper discusses the LaGuardia Community College Library's launch of a fully-online one-credit research class. The authors discuss the process for creating the class, from the technical specifications to the pedagogical approach to the course content and delivery. The authors also discuss the challenges of providing a fully online class to…

This 1983 salary survey by the State University of New York (SUNY) Librarians Association includes data on SUNY state-operated, statutory, and community college libraries. A survey mailed to library directors asked for salary and personnel information on all full-time, part-time, and temporary library staff including librarians, non-librarian…

This biennial salary survey by the State University of New York (SUNY) Librarians Association includes data on SUNY state-operated, statutory, and community college libraries. A survey mailed to library directors asked for salary and personnel information on all library staff including librarians, non-librarian professional staff,…

Many libraries have noise problems that can't be fixed with ceiling and carpet treatments, physical arrangement, or sound barriers. This study at Henderson Community College (Henderson KY) attempted to confirm results from an earlier study suggesting that reducing light levels led to reduced noise. The data showed mixed results, but overall the…

Intended to provide a comprehensive system for the evaluation of a media specialist's total job performance, this three-part evaluation form is based on the St. Louis Community College's Faculty Evaluation System: Instructional Resources Faculty, August 1981. Designed for peer evaluation of media specialists, the first form includes a rating scale…

This manual presents guidelines for providing reference service of the highest possible quality consistent with available resources. The manual is designed for orienting new staff users and serves as a source of information for librarians about departmental policy. The major goals of the reference department of the University of Nebraska (Kearney)…

Much significance is attached to college degrees in modern society. The fact that many individuals have become victims of fraudulent institutions that award degrees without the rigorous courses of study prescribed by legitimate institutions, suggests that there may be too much emphasis upon the form rather than the substance of higher education.…

This book is designed to educate campus administrators on the issues facing their libraries, and the role that a library should have on the campus. Chapters are: (1) "The Academic Library: Its Place and Role in the Institution" (Joanne R. Euster); (2) "What Community Colleges Need from Their Libraries" (David R. Dowell & Jack A. Scott); (3)…

National samples of the general public (n=1,001) and community opinion leaders (n=300) were asked to evaluate the importance to their communities of 10 different roles of the public library. Respondents evaluated each role in terms of its importance to their communities. Survey results indicate that the public library's roles to support the…

Intended for use by librarians in Alaska, this manual provides general guidelines for the maximum utilization of library resources through interlibrary loan service. The first of four major sections describes the Alaska Library Network (ALN), which provides protocols and procedures to libraries for resource sharing; points out that new protocols…

This guide provides samples of college libraries' copyright policies and materials as a reference for library and learning resources personnel who need to create formal copyright policies, procedures, and publications and for those who are reviewing and updating their existing copyright materials. A survey of 310 members of the Community and…