The three papers presented discuss the components of the pricing structure for online service vendors (Roger Summit); describe an information system designed to provide agricultural weather data to farmers (Lehnert and Scott); and explore the impact of information delivery systems for the home (Mark Plakias). (FM)

Briefly describes the functions of the national library network in Bangladesh. (FM)

Urges librarians involved in library user instruction to meet the challenges preented by the growing role of computers in bibliographic systems. (FM)

Provides step-by-step instructions for ordering documents online through DIALOG and ORBIT, including some helpful hints. Tables show database or independent document suppliers; list ordering commands, with examples; and explain optional commands, for the two retrieval systems. (SW)

Shares some of the experiences of the University of Florida Libraries' Census Access Program, which has provided print and machine-readable census products to users since 1971. Article anticipates the demand for the new data products of the 1980 census. (Author/JD)

Discusses the role librarians have assumed in the implementation of AACR 2/catalog closing at the Library of Congress (LC), speculates on how AACR 2 will affect public service librarians in patron interactions, and describes LC's plans to inform/instruct/train staff and the public regarding the changes. (Author)

Examines the theory and application of zero base budgeting (ZBB) and presents an example of ZBB in an academic library reference department, illustrating the preparation of a budget proposal and demonstrating the different approaches to staffing for reference services and varying funding levels. (FM)

Discusses results of an empirical study of the library reference assistance process that indicate the need to incorporate a select strategy that librarians use in the choice of appropriate information sources. The reference process is examined, a model is presented, and the survey instruments and examples of reference transactions are appended.…

Although some patent questions should be left to professionals, others can be answered using Internet-based patent databases. Provides an overview of Internet sites, including addresses, descriptions, costs, and evaluations of free and fee-based sites and guidelines for when do-it-yourself online patent searching is and is not appropriate. (PEN)

Librarians often have communication "accidents" with reference questions as initially presented. This article presents linguistic analysis of query categories, including: simple failures of hearing, accidents involving pronunciation or homophones, accidents where users repeat earlier misinterpretations to librarians, and accidents where…

Describes an analysis of the search engine logs of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale's library to determine how patrons used the site search. Discusses results that showed patrons did not understand the function of the search and explains improvements that were made in the Web site and in online reference services. (Author/LRW)

Describes differences between print and online reference sources in terms of the structure of the sources and the process of searching. Factors that affect the decision of which type of source to use are identified and grouped into seven categories: availability; cost; convenience; bibliographic; subject specification; inaccessibility through…

Focuses on concordances from the language learner's point of view, and discusses how concordances might be integrated into a word processor as a step toward a fully integrated word processing environment with a range of on-line word-based resources. (Author/VWL)

Reviews common law contract and tort bases for malpractice liability and their applicability to reference librarians, special librarians, and information brokers. The discussion covers the legal bases for professional malpractice liability, the librarian-patron relationship, the likelihood of lawsuits, and the need for personal liability…

Traces the development of reference service in American libraries during the second half of the nineteenth century and examines the evolution of reference service in the Providence Public Library. The article focuses on how the distinctive features of reference service were conceived and merged into the current concept of reference service. (43…