Presents eight responses from individuals reacting to Suprenant's and Perry-Holmes's article entitled "Reference Librarian of the Future" (RQ, Winter, 1985). Topics covered in the responses include the information poor, information consultants, information interpretation, library education, the human element, revitalizing reference…

Presents a critical overview of education librarianship and English-speaking nations throughout the world. Describes exemplary library service practices in two German teacher training institutions. Focuses on collection development, instruction in library use, and reference and information services. (JHZ)

The library's role in helping the social or behavioral scientist find bibliographic material is explained, and methods for the retrieval of bibliographic information are given. A table giving titles of relevant abstracts and indexes also provides time spans covered, frequencies of publication, disciplines for which each is useful. (Author/MLW)

This paper discusses reference services in the digital library. The introduction provides definitions of a digital library, and the first section summarizes the purposes of a digital library system, as well as key roles for information professionals. The second section provides examples of mediated and unmediated digital reference. The third…

Places the cost considerations associated with public library automation in a framework of public finance comfortable to most administrators, discusses the importance of experience with use patterns in the electronic library in opening up new and innovative financing methods, and stresses the role of the library in the information industry. (JL)

Describes the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economics and Statistics System, a joint venture between the Alfred R. Mann Library at Cornell University and three USDA economic agencies which is available via the World Wide Web. Library support for remote users is highlighted, including acquisitions, cataloging, reference, and technical…

Presents an overview of 15 studies conducted in or about North Carolina related to school library media programs. Highlights include the roles of programs and media specialists as perceived by principals, students, and peers; stress sources; reading interests of teenagers; professional roles in reference services, information skills instruction,…

The future role, scope, and nature of bibliographic instruction (BI) and reference services at academic libraries is unresolved. Both have felt internal pressures and challenges during the past decade. It is suggested that BI and reference share tasks and become a single service. (92 references) (Author/DGM)

Discusses the changing role of health sciences librarians in academic medical centers, based on experiences at the Johns Hopkins University (Maryland) medical library. Highlights include library services to meet the information needs of users; management perceptions of libraries; and competitive strategies for libraries, including integration into…

Social and economic issues affecting the vitality of public libraries in California are discussed. A 1993 study by the California State Library identified diminishing reference skills and reference collections, reduced funding which impacted staffing, increased demand, technology change, and language/culture issues as contributing factors to…

Argues that librarians should respond to the growing demand for medical information by expanding their role. The development of medical information reference, issues of accountability, legal responsibility, and user characteristics are discussed. Seven steps toward accountability, including in-depth reference interviewing, referral, training, and…

Discusses serving library-patron needs in terms of customer service and quality control. Highlights include tools for measuring the quality of service (e.g., the SERVQUAL survey), advisory boards or focus groups, library "service statements," changing patron needs, new information formats, and justifying depository library services. (JAK)

Librarians cannot distribute their collections electronically until the problems of intellectual property and free-and-equal access are resolved. Libraries must overcome restrictions of "virtual libraries" thereby making copyrighted texts freely available. Libraries must be promoted as places where readers freely consult both copyrighted…

Distance education strategies offer the potential to overcome barriers of time and distance. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries have been providing an array of services to distant learners enrolled in UNL graduate degree programs. This paper reviews the services that the UNL Libraries have developed, describes current objectives, and…

This manual presents guidelines for providing reference service of the highest possible quality consistent with available resources. The manual is designed for orienting new staff users and serves as a source of information for librarians about departmental policy. The major goals of the reference department of the University of Nebraska (Kearney)…