An examination of the Systems and Procedures Exchange Center's (SPEC) file of 72 annual reports from Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member institutions found that administrators were using annual reports for several purposes: as communication links with library users, the university administration, and the general university community,…

This Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) kit on retrospective conversion, which replaces a 1975 kit on reclassification, is based on interviews with and documents from Association of Research Libraries (ARL) members participating in retrospective conversion (recon). (Reclassification is almost always conducted as a sub-project of…

In a March 1980 Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) survey on preservation activities in Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member institutions, 40 libraries reported having conducted a formal preservation study or needs assessment, 28 had adopted planning or policy documents, and 58 reported operating an active preservation program…

To check on the status of online cataloging developments in Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member institutions in 1983, a brief questionnaire was sent to ARL libraries that had indicated or reported some progress toward an online catalog. The sample was not intended to be representative of all ARL libraries, and it did not necessarily…

The Planning-Programing-Budgeting System (PPBS) uses techniques of systems analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and program budgeting in the administration of large, complex organizations. Some university administrators hope to improve their institutions' internal management through the PPBS approach. The basic program categories of the university are…

The future of college and research libraries is discussed in the context of the changing role of academic librarians, the assistance technology may give to libraries, the political activity required to achieve government aid for libraries, and the future of higher education. (Author/AWP)

The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has collected descriptive data from its members for the better part of the 20th century. This data shows that as libraries' environments change to reflect increased interest in accountability and institutional outcomes. To account for this, an ARL New Measures Initiative has been established to develop…

This interview with the president of Research Libraries Group who assumed his duties in January 1983 covers past experiences, perceptions of libraries and librarians, management and technical problems experienced by Research Libraries Information Network, financial situation, prospects for growth, new members, online catalogs, technological…

Provides descriptions of prominent libraries in Dublin, Ireland, including Trinity College Library, National Library of Ireland, Chester Beatty Library, Marsh's Library (first public library), Kings Inn Law School Library, Steevens Hospital Library, Royal Irish Academy Library, Royal Dublin Society Library, religious libraries (Franciscan,,…

Discusses the concepts of accountability and quality assessment in higher education. Topics include performance indicators in academic libraries, including international standards; factors affecting the reliability and validity of data, including consistency, ease versus utility, and values; and recommendations for research libraries. (LRW)

Discusses the need for organizational change in academic research libraries, based on a study of a small group of libraries that had experienced varying degrees of restructuring and had analyzed factors that energized change. Highlights include organizational flexibility, external or client-centered orientation, staff empowerment, and improving…

Describes the "Excellence in Academic Libraries" award in the university division from the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). Discusses the history of the award; results of the award; winning libraries as examples of excellence; cash award; and campus impact. (AEF)

Reports a survey of three top U.S. academic library holdings of the U.S. telecommunications periodical press. Shows a dramatic decrease in the proportion of telecommunications titles during a time when these publications were increasing in number and price. Suggests that the research library-centered information system is being bypassed. (SR)

Describes the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany, a resource on children's literature from all over the world which makes available to teachers and researchers books, texts, magazines, journals, essays, newsclippings, and special collections as well as a children's lending library of books in 12 languages. (SR)

Explores the use of "Journal Citation Reports" (JCR) for journal management in academic libraries. Outlines the advantages and disadvantages of using JCR citation data and researches the impact of journal self-citation on JCR rankings of library and information science and genetics journals. (Contains 41 references.) (Author/LRW)