This user survey was part of a three-part diagnostic study that sought to obtain information on how public libraries operate in Latin America (Argentina, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Venezuela) and the Caribbean (Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, and Surinam) and the social role performed by this type of service in the region.…

This investigation of a methodology for evaluating the reference effectiveness of academic libraries in New South Wales tests the answering of questions with a set of 10 questions seeking general background information on a range of topics. Student volunteers pose the questions by unobtrusive methods to reference staff at three college libraries.…

This paper describes the experimental implementation of BIROS (Bibliographical Information Retrieval Online Service) in the Lancashire Public Library. The project is designed to provide information on the potential use of an online service for the general public, with particular regard to professional and technical users; the implications for…

This document analyzes the social and demographic characteristics of Pitkin County, Colorado (population 12,000) and the Pitkin County Library located in Aspen (24,000 volumes). The report contains statistics gathered from the 1978 Mid-Term U.S. Bureau Census of Pitkin County, as well as other statistics from local, state, and federal sources; the…

The development of a checklist was the principal activity of the third part of a 3-phase study examining the potential of cooperative ventures and combination libraries for improving school and public library services in Florida. This report includes the checklist, which was designed for use by community members working with professional library…

Eight public libraries participated in a two-year experiment to investigate the potential of the public library as a "linking agent" between the public and the many machine-readable data bases currently accessible using on line computer terminals. The investigation covered users of the service, impact on the library, conditions for…

Explores issues surrounding efforts to introduce online catalogs to users and presents relevant research results from Northwestern University's "Educating the Online Catalog User" project. Highlights include attitudes and preconceptions about online catalogs and instruction, research on online catalog use, suggestions for online catalog teaching,…

Develops a conceptual model which places public library use in the context of a series of interrelated decisions made by consumer about allocating time to various activities based on relative costs and benefits, and tests the model against available data on the characteristics of public library users. Seventeen references are included. (EJS)

This review, undertaken on behalf of the Australian School Library Association (ASLA), was conducted over a 4-week period in November-December 2002 with the purpose of: reporting on the nature and extent of the evidence that has linked school libraries to student achievement since 1990, identifying the strengths and gaps in existing data as it…

A two-week library unit of an introductory history course is profiled. The purpose of the unit is to familiarize the students with both the general and specialized resources available to them. (DH)

The subjects of these metropolitan public library study summaries include: book-selection and purchasing, commercial libraries, library research in developing countries; international understanding through literature, international school for library services, statistics, staffing formulas, and facilities and service of selected libraries.…

Identifies and summarizes the findings of almost 60 research studies, both before and after 1970, of public library service to children and young adults pertaining to administration, public library use, and services and programs. Current trends and research needs are also discussed, and 63 references and a bibliography are included. (RBF)

Discusses the British Library's role, identity, and expectations, and comments on successes, charges, and copyright problems of the Lending Division, the current image of the Reference Division, controversial areas within the Bibliographic Services Division, and criticism of library research associated with the Research and Development Department.…

Reviews doctoral dissertation research dealing specifically with school library media programs and resources. A comprehensive set of recommendations for future research is made and a 160-item reference list accompanies the text. (JL)

Using a multi-method approach--student and faculty surveys and a comparison of bibliographies from senior nursing students--to evaluate the Information Literacy Skills Program at the University of Botswana, this study found that information about the impact of instruction can be discovered through more open-ended questions; the ALA's…