This project is being conducted as an effort to vary traditional patterns of library education and thus to influence and help reshape professional public library practice which must be broadened to reach the disadvantaged non-user public with a meaningful, viable library and information program. The first phase of the program consisted of the…

Skills necessary for students in grades K-12 to have and use in the library are the topic of this curriculum guide. Behavioral objectives are presented in the following categories: orientation in the use of the library media center, care of materials, materials selection, circulation procedures, library media terminology, nonbook materials and…

The library instruction program conducted at the University of Colorado consisted of classroom contact with students in the history and economics departments, and production of a slide tape. Evaluation instruments were developed for discovering present student and faculty library use and faculty attitudes toward the library, with the idea of…

The purpose of this study is to consider methods for providing adequate library and information services for U. S. international education programs. The state of U.S. library resources for the following eight world-area programs was reviewed to determine common library needs and problems: Africa, East Asia, Latin America, Middle East, South Asia,…

A general methodology for cost effectiveness analysis was developed and applied to the Colorado State University library loan desk. The cost effectiveness of the existing semi-automated circulation system was compared with that of a fully manual one, based on the existing manual subsystem. Faculty users' time and computer operating costs were…

This collection of papers is based on projects done in conjunction with a senior level/graduate course, "Applications of Operations Research Techniques in Systems Engineering." These seven papers describe research studies which utilized user surveys and/or statistical methods to analyze various library operations. The papers are…

This discussion of the measurement of performance criteria and desired or acceptable level of achievement focuses on the performance criteria used for the evaluation of interlibrary services (success rate, turnaround time, cost, and impact of service). Document delivery, communication, and interlibrary loan research are covered. Fifty references…

This Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) Kit reports on eight Association of Research Libraries (ARL) members that were interviewed in July and August 1997 about how they have addressed the results of user surveys conducted between 1992 and 1995. Although libraries have recognized the importance of user surveys, sometimes the surveys get…

Discusses results of four surveys sent to members of the Association of Research Libraries to investigate changes in academic library reference services due to new and rapidly evolving technologies. Highlights include digital reference options; local databases; CD-ROMs; intermediary online searching; end-user online search services; and the…

Describes a survey of 213 day care centers and public libraries designed to show the extent of library programs for day care children and workers and whether they are meeting audience needs. Discussion includes rate of library use, type of services offered and used, and a comparison between services offered and services requested. (15 references)…

Describes the Public Library Effectiveness Study (PLES), which was designed to apply models and methods of organizational effectiveness research to public libraries. Indicators of public library effectiveness are described, factor analysis results are presented, implications for evaluating library performance are discussed, and further research is…

Describes a study of the Tel Aviv library system that examined the factors influencing the service range distances of branch libraries and the differences among them in amount of library use. The literature of spatial aspects of public services is reviewed, the geostatistical methodology is explained, and socioeconomic factors are discussed. (19…

Offers suggestions to make high school libraries more appealing to students, based on results of a student survey. Highlights include comfortable furniture; decorated walls; community information; limiting rules, including the amount of noise allowed; friendly staff; longer hours; more varied programs, including outside speakers; orientation…

Glasgow Caledonian University Library (Scotland) conducted a pilot study to design a set of user chosen performance measures which can be used in British academic libraries for data collection. Members of 8 stakeholder groups were identified and given an 103-question survey, with each question to be rated on a 1-5 scale of importance. Stakeholder…

In 1962, Harvard sociologist Daniel Bell began distributing and discussing a draft paper in which he introduced the concept of the "post-industrial" or "information" society. This idea has been the subject of intense and often insightful analysis by proponents and critics from a vast range of disciplinary sites. Until now, the…