New technologies for generating, storing, and transmitting information will radically change information flow on college campuses and in society at large. University librarians will need to design environments for storing and retrieving these new types of information that will continue to nurture the life of the mind and support scholarship.…

ARL is the bimonthly report on research library issues and actions from ARL (Association of Research Libraries), CNI (Coalition of Networked Information), and SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition). ARL reports on current issues of interest to academic and research library administrators, staff, and users; higher education…

This report assesses the current stage of program development in the branch libraries of the Saint Lucia Public Library and Information System (PLIS), based on data collected during September-December 1997 using a branch library questionnaire, site visits, and informal surveys of library users. The vision and philosophical statements used to frame…

This document presents standards for Utah public libraries. The benefits of standards for public libraries and for the state library are listed, and responsibilities, benefits, and characteristics of three types of public libraries (i.e., volunteer, transitional, and certified public libraries) are summarized. Specific standards in the following…

Offers predictions for the future regarding the impact of the digital age on library collections and cooperation. Highlights include distance education and online resources; scholarly communication; MARC format; technical services; preservation; library buildings; consortia; library services and the Internet; commercial sector; public policy…

Discusses results of a national survey of school library media specialists and children's librarians in public libraries about reactions to their library facilities. Complaints are addressed, including lack of space, poor design, and shelving; the most heavily used areas are ranked; accommodations for technology are examined; and further research…

Describes an effort to quantify annual collection expansion and shelf space capacities with a computer spreadsheet program. Methods used to quantify the space taken at the beginning of the project; to estimate annual rate of collection growth; and to plot stack space and usage, volume equivalents and usage, and growth capacity are covered.…

Summarizes the findings and recommendations of a 1991 survey of higher education libraries in Papua New Guinea. Topics discussed include the role of the National Library; funding; development of the Papua New Guinea Library and Information Network (PNGLINET); buildings and storage facilities; staffing and training; statistics; and library skills…

Describes programs at the Redwood City Public Library (California), winner of the Library of the Year Award from Gale Research Inc. and "Library Journal." Highlights include a newly renovated building; a mission statement that reflects the library's role; staff development; increases in circulation and reference; children's services; and…

Discusses ergonomic design considerations for library media centers. Specific design variables, including temperature and humidity, noise, illumination, color, and windows are discussed; and computer workstation design requirements are presented that address furniture and keyboard design, monitor and display features, software issues, and…

Notebook computers of increasing power and portability offer unique advantages to library users. Connecting easily to a campus data network, they are small silent work stations capable of drawing information from a variety of sources. Designers of new library buildings may assume that users in growing numbers will carry these multipurpose…

Includes seven articles that discuss research on libraries; numbers of libraries in the United States and Canada; library acquisition expenditures; price indexes for academic and school libraries; expenditures in school library media centers; state rankings of public library data; and library building construction. (LRW)

This special section on local area networks includes three articles: (1) a description of migration at Joyner Library, East Carolina University (North Carolina) to a new network server; (2) a discussion of factors to consider for network planning in school libraries; and (3) a directory of companies supplying cable, hardware, software, and…

A focus group study of 29 Queens College/CUNY (City University of New York) undergraduates, born and educated outside the United States, determined that most described needs related to course work rather than language or culture. Participants commented on library hours, physical surroundings, research tools, personnel, collections, and copy…

Academic libraries must integrate technology and traditional library service. Online catalogs, high-tech campus information networks, and accelerated resource sharing present opportunities for building comprehensive information centers. However, the interiors of most existing libraries were not designed to accommodate extensive high-tech equipment…