Presents preliminary results of a survey that explored public library roles in the use of Internet/NREN (National Research and Education Network) services. Key issues are identified, including risks and barriers to network use, access, suggested services, professional association role, and committing resources; and recommendations to facilitate…

Individuals from minority racial and ethnic backgrounds can have subtly variant communication styles that members of the dominant culture fail to recognize and often misunderstand. In an increasingly diverse world, librarians must become aware of these differences for more effective communication. (13 references) (EA)

The 15 papers in this collection include opening remarks, reports on core programs of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), and papers from a contributed papers session. Contents are: (1) "Opening Speech of the IFLA General Conference: Stockholm 1990" (Hans-Peter Geh), in German, with an English translation; (2)…

The revolutionary library signals a new era for schools and their students. Roles are continually being redefined and services and programs are continually restructured. This paper outlines some strategies for implementing change, and challenges and inspires the teacher-librarian profession to reinvent itself. At the present time in school…

This paper presents results from a 1992 survey of library media specialists in southeastern Kentucky, focusing on technological resources available in library media centers and the media specialists' perceptions of their roles and the future as affected by the Kentucky Educational Reform Act. Results indicated that the four most widely available…

Emphasizing the "people" context of the work of librarians in off-campus libraries, this paper argues that intelligent use of technology ought to drive librarians toward a more sophisticated approach to the existing strengths, learning goals, and living and learning style preferences of distance learners as they cope with the stresses of their…

Five of the six papers in this collection focus on public library services, collection development problems, and involvement in literacy campaigns in developing countries; the sixth paper is concerned with public library services in Norway. (1) In "Big Cities, Its Inhabitants and Public Libraries Systems," May Brooking Negrao examines…

The 16 reports in this collection were presented at an open forum on research libraries and meetings of three more specialized sections: (1) "Nature and Purpose of the Division of General Research Libraries" (Ernst Kohl); (2) "Objectives and Goals of the Section of Parliamentary Libraries" (Ernst Kohl); (3) "The IFLA…

This paper discusses the problems and difficulties faced by school libraries in the United Kingdom (UK), specifically England and Wales. These problems are lack of funding, lack of a central role in the curriculum, lack of a central role in the management structure, and inadequate staffing. Lack of library funding stems from overall under-funding…

This paper reports the findings of a comparative case study designed to describe how the implementation of whole language, an educational philosophy influencing many of today's elementary schools, evolved in four school libraries in Virginia. The study examined the impact of whole language in terms of its effect on the library program and the…