Describes the background, goals, methods, and results of a needs assessment study at the New York Public Library. This structured, phased self-examination was designed to form a consensus about the institution's long term needs and priorities. (CLB)

Examines changes in emphasis on collection development and conservation in both library and archival materials in recent years, and outlines evaluative criteria and priorities to be used in formulating collection management policy. (CLB)

This group of documents presents material on collection development and a list of collection intensity indicators from the Research Libraries Group (RLG), as well as examples of collection assessment techniques from seven members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). ARL member documents cover the assessment of art periodical,…

This Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) kit draws on materials related to preservation activities that have evolved over the past six years. In addition, information obtained from 97 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries that responded to a 1984/85 pilot preservation survey conducted by the ARL Microform Project, as…

Based on information and data from 113 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) members that were gathered and updated between March and August 1986, this publication was generated from a database developed by ARL to provide timely, comparable information about the extent and nature of automation within the ARL community. Trends in automation are…

Focused on the development of definitions and guidelines for management statistics, this Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) kit is based on the responses of 91 academic members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) to a survey investigating their internal uses of statistics, external statistics reporting, and tools for…

This inventory provides profiles, tables, and listings of automated library activities at 115 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions. The library profile covers 18 functions: (1) acquisitions; (2) serials check/claim; (3) serials/union list; (4) authority control; (5) cataloging/utility; (6) cataloging/local; (7) circulation; (8)…

This document contains the results of a 1994 survey on the use of user surveys by ARL (Association of Research Libraries) members. Of the responding libraries, 68% had conducted user surveys in the last 5 years. A number of these libraries (20%) reported conducting surveys at regular intervals ranging from every year to every five years. The…

This paper is a report to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences on the changing state of the Harvard College Library and the larger information environment of which it is a part. It is also a call for faculty participation in a strategic planning process designed to reposition the Library to serve an information age university in the twenty-first…

Presents a conceptual model of the information activities of the research library of the future. The future boundary conditions that will affect the library are discussed, including premises about the university, the information industry, technological developments, and governmental priorities. Steps for turning the model into reality are…

This SPEC (Systems and Procedures Exchange Center) kit provides a sample of excerpts from technical and planning documents contributed by 40 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries that are planning to install or have already implemented optical disc technology. Selected to represent a variety of media and applications, the…

This report presents the findings of a survey of New York State Library System administrators and governors designed to provide an empirical benchmark of opinion within the New York State library system and to aid in discussion, evaluation, and planning at the library systems conference. Survey data were collected by means of telephone interviews…

This task force report discusses preservation practices in the University of Wyoming Library and presents recommendations for developing a more cohesive library material preservation program with a timeline for implementation. Recommendations deal with the specific areas of staffing the conservation program; condition of library materials;…

Identifies and discusses the eight principal functions necessary for effective collection management in academic research libraries. Six organizational models for collection management are described, and then evaluated according to how well each may facilitate those eight functions of effective management. (Author/CLB)

This report of the task force charged with defining and researching the issues related to access and ownership of materials at the University of Arizona library presents 23 short-and long-term recommendations in the following areas: (1) organization, including the establishment of separate staff units for access services and collection management…