Describes the design plans for San Francisco Public Library's new Main Library. Highlights include administrative issues, including the role of branch libraries; funding; technology, both for the building itself and for the collections; accessibility for the physically impaired; special collections; and future plans, including an integrated…

Describes a survey of academic libraries that explored serials collection assessment. Highlights include serials budget allocations; serials cancellation projects; changes in ratio of allocation by subject area; use of computers for serials collection assessment; use of vendors, especially for statistics; and future plans for collection…

Describes remote access to the Norwich University (Vermont) online library catalog. Promotion of this service and impact on library attendance, circulation, and interlibrary loan are addressed. Sample screen displays and tables presenting attendance and circulation statistics are included. (five references) (MES)

Describes the design and development of the Mercury Electronic Library Project at Carnegie Mellon University that resulted in a library information system that provides access to the library's online catalog as well as to other databases. The distributed architecture of the system is explained, and future plans are discussed. (two references) (LRW)

Discusses the concept of a virtual library. Current systems are described, as well as pilot projects; administrative concerns are addressed, including cooperative collection development and networking; work of the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) is discussed; and the National Research and Education Network (NREN) is described. (17…

Reports on a study that examined the impact of national information networks, particularly the Internet and the emerging NREN (National Research and Education Network) on academic libraries. Topics addressed include academic computer services; costs; and academic library services, including electronic journals, electronic collection development,…

Contains part of a speech given at the workshop "Student Access to New Information Technology in the Library Media Center." Suggestions for technological change are offered, including carrying out existing functions more effectively, changing work roles and organizational structure, developing new functions, and goals; and implications…

Discusses the impact of technology on the profession of librarianship and suggests changes that are necessary for librarians to adapt to their changing role. Topics addressed include focusing on the mission of librarianship, i.e., providing access to information; librarians' sense of self-worth; educational requirements; and technological…

Describes the technical, economic, social, and cultural challenges to building a national digital library system. Selecting and filtering information, building and scaling distributed digital library networks, invoicing, payment, authorizing access, the locus of planning leadership, and the information poor are discussed. (Contains three…

Examines the role of the online catalog in school libraries. Addresses the evolution of the online catalog, discussing connectivity, integration of technical and public services, networked hardware and software, user interface, and searching the catalog. Discusses the dual role of the library media specialist, of managing the catalog and offering…

The "Electronic School," a supplement to "The American School Board Journal," provides network news and contains six articles about closing the gap between technology haves and have-nots, library automation, putting Title 1 funds to use for technology purchases, funding from education foundations, using e-mail for board business, and cooperation…

This discussion of the increasing use of computers in colleges and universities focuses on changes that are occurring as a result of such use. Highlights include library automation, the effects of microcomputers, the growth of networks, changes in software, budget considerations, administrative staffing patterns, and outlooks for the future. (LRW)

College and university libraries, it is suggested, must cooperate as budgets dwindle and the need for more new periodicals escalates. A national periodical center modeled after the British National Lending Library is suggested, along with library automation at central storage libraries. (Author/MLW)

Identifies library values affected by technology, including respect for and privacy of the individual, equality of user needs, and freedom of purpose and access. Fundamental changes that may result from technology are predicted in the areas of the library role, functions of staff, fees for services and document delivery, and costs of local and…

Three articles present responses to Summers' predictions of fundamental changes in libraries caused by the use of technology. The discussions cover the role of children's librarians in shaping future users and perceptions of libraries, the positive effects of technology on services to children and young adults, and the need to base library…