Argues that unless issues of machine help and human help are given explicit attention by the library profession, the disappearance of human help in patron assistance without input is likely. Discusses convergent commercial- and academic-sector trends, implications for the profession, and three policy alternatives. Presents a patron self-help…

The university and its library are signs of advancement, yet they can also project an alien, elitist, and forbidden goal to minorities. Libraries should insure that collection policies reflect minority presence. Increasing staff diversity and developing the potential for minorities to excel within this key traditional symbol of the university…

How do academic libraries set about creating a body of knowledge and begin to convert traditional print collections to a digital format in order to satisfy what today's researchers want? This article examines previous methods of selection and collection building, and applies those supporting principles to today's collection-building efforts for…

Examines the impact of electronic technology on libraries and scholarship. Focuses on some of the challenges of using electronic resources in research libraries, which include cost of acquiring electronic formats and the effect such expenditures have on other library services and collection development practices. Explores how electronic resources…