Small organizations have been forming in many European countries which provide direct links between university researchers and the general public. These organizations, which focus on research on social problems, have gained political and financial support. The development, operation, and activities of these organizations are discussed. (JN)

Virtual Reference Canada (VRC) is a digital reference service using World Wide Web technology. It was initiated by the National Library of Canada (NLC) in spring 2001 and went into test mode at the start of 2002. It draws on the contribution of a wide range of Canadian libraries and allied institutions. The development of VRC owes a great deal to…

Assesses the current state of reference structures in online public access catalogs (OPACs) in a framework defined by stagnation, progress, and future challenges. Outlines six areas for reference structure development. Twenty figures provide illustrations. (AEF)

Key architecture reference sites are highlighted and discussed and grouped into the following areas: directory and biographical information, bibliographical databases, architectural education, product information, databases of buildings, and search engines. (Author)

Discusses library Web sites and explains some of the benefits when libraries make their sites into reference portals, linking them to other useful Web sites. Topics include print versus Web information sources; limitations of search engines; what Web sites to include, including criteria for inclusions; and organizing the sites. (LRW)

Describes the World Wide Web "work page" of the Saginaw Valley State University Library (Michigan). Discusses the work page's goals: provide reference librarians with quick Internet access, reflect particular Internet uses, and contain the most-often-used search tools and resources all on one screen. Examines advantages of the work…

Suggests that librarians are uniquely qualified to review information sources on the Internet. A structure comparable to traditional reference reviewing is needed to replace trivial and ambiguous rating systems. Discusses the Infofilter Project, run by reference librarians and designed to apply some measure of bibliographic control to the World…

Guides librarians on how to assist users studying environmental public policy, and discusses sources under three main headings: environmental interest groups, business and labor, and government. Also examines social science indexes relevant to environmental public policy. A list of sources is appended. (Author/LRW)

Discusses information entrepreneurs, or information brokers, and information intrapreneurship, or the establishment of fee-based information services within a library. Annotations are provided for 56 information sources that include general materials, research in these areas, and relationships with traditional reference services. (four references)…

Describes World Geography, a commercial Web subscription geographic information source. Discusses its use as a reference source, including content, navigation, and links; the teaching module; integrating technology into the curriculum; pricing; and vendor information. (LRW)

An information services organization based on individual constituent groups, instead of defined physical collections and technologies, encourages a broader, more effective, and innovative use of varying information and technology services for academic libraries. Such a model also provides more focused and clearly defined positions and procedures…

This article compares "Current Index to Journals in Education" (CIJE) with "Education Index" by article type and reveals pronounced differences in indexing practices. Implications for educational and interdisciplinary research, reference services, index selection, and library instruction are discussed. (Author)

The challenges faced by reference and collection development staff have become increasingly complex in recent years, as more and more materials--in a variety of formats--have become available. This book shows reference and collection development librarians how to use the Internet to share information through online conversations and online…

The purpose of this paper is to show the growing use of the World Wide Web to answer questions in the public library from the perspective of a librarian at the Parsippany Public Library in Morris County, New Jersey. Discussion includes the following: information on Parsippany and Morris County; a brief history of the World Wide Web; uses of a…

Designed to introduce the student to some of the bibliographic tools used to locate information on music in the Fogler Library at the University of Maine, this guide begins by listing examples of relevant Library of Congress subject headings and providing brief explanations of call numbers and classification systems (Library of Congress and Dewey…