The growth of the Internet and the availability of enormous volumes of data in digital form has necessitated intense interest in techniques for assisting the user in locating data of interest. The Internet has over 350 million pages of data and is expected to reach over one billion pages by the year 2000. Buried on the Internet are both valuable nuggets for answering questions as well as large quantities of information the average person does not care about. The Digital Library effort is also progressing, with the goal of migrating from the traditional book environment to a digital library environment. Information Retrieval Systems: Theory and Implementation provides a theoretical and practical explanation of the latest advancements in information retrieval and their application to existing systems. It takes a system approach, discussing all aspects of an Information Retrieval System. The importance of the Internet and its associated hypertext-linked structure is put into perspective as a new type of information retrieval data structure. The total system approach also includes discussion of the human interface and the importance of information visualization for identification of relevant information. The theoretical metrics used to describe information systems are expanded to discuss their practical application in the uncontrolled environment of real world systems. Information Retrieval Systems: Theory and Implementation is suitable as a textbook for a graduate-level course on information retrieval, and as a reference for researchers and practitioners in industry.

The Intelligent Nation proposes a systemic and radical transformation of the organisation, management, ownership and performance of the services of the state by capitalising on the potential offered by contemporary information capability and fulfilling the rights and obligations both to and of citizens. In this book, John Beckford shows how, by adopting the principles of an Intelligent Organisation, the state can thrive and meet the needs of its citizens. He proposes a complete rethink of the state as the enabler or provider of public services. In particular, he points to the failure of the public sector to significantly emulate the massive gains in productivity and customer focus experienced in both manufacturing and services (e.g. finance, retailing, insurance). Governance and all public services must be redesigned to align to the contemporary needs of the citizen and exploit the power of information to enable a transformation of their effectiveness, redefine efficiency and support human-based services in crucial areas. Each chapter provides the key learning points, a discussion of the problem in theory and practice, integrated case studies, and discussion points. Written in an accessible style, the book provides thought-provoking supplemental reading for masters and undergraduate students reading organisation theory, organisation development, political science, public administration, healthcare, information systems and business and management science.

While academic libraries have much to offer the data science (DS) landscape emerging at academic research institutions, they are often overlooked in terms of partnerships beyond providing space for data science activities. The editors conducted a broad environmental scan of over 60 institutions, collecting information from publicly available online sources to identify trends and establish familiarity with baseline services offered to support campus DS efforts. Although some academic libraries are collaborating in specific ways at a small subset of institutions, based on the environmental scan, it was clear how much untapped potential there is for developing partnerships. The authors also conducted a series of interviews with library counterparts at six exemplar institutions to gain insight in how these institutions are building connections between library staff and data science efforts across campus. As Library and Information Science roles continue to evolve to be more data-centric and interdisciplinary and research using a variety of data types continues to proliferate, it is imperative to further explore the dynamics between libraries and the data science ecosystems in which they are a part. This book provides both a foundational base of knowledge around data science and explore numerous ways academicians can reskill their staff, engage in the research enterprise, contribute to curriculum development, and help build a stronger ecosystem where libraries are part and parcel of data science. This book is a valuable resource for academic library institutions who are currently engaged or are formulating their strategy for engaging in data science. From Schools of Library & Information Science to library systems, this book will address how to reskill information professionals, integrate information science expertise in digital humanities, engage in curriculum design/integration, and will highlight international efforts in the evolving area of data science. Library and Information Science (LIS) schools can use this book as a text in helping students understand how the evolving area of data science intersects with LIS and how libraries which are central to the teaching and research mission of academic institutions, afford numerous opportunities for graduates and practitioners to research, work with, and partner on data science initiatives.

Improve the delivery of library services by implementing total quality management (TQM), a system of continuous improvement employing participative management and centered on the needs of customers. Although TQM was originally designed for and successfully applied in business and manufacturing settings, this groundbreaking volume introduces strategies for translating TQM principles from the profit-based manufacturing sector to the library setting. Integrating Total Quality Management in a Library Setting shows librarians how to improve library services by implementing strategies such as employee involvement and training, problem-solving teams, statistical methods, long-term goals and thinking, and an overall recognition that the system (not the staff) is responsible for most inefficiencies.Total Quality Management in a Library Setting describes the principles of TQM, its origins, and the potential benefits and barriers to be expected when adopting quality management approaches in libraries. Chapters provide guidelines for planning and implementation to help libraries use total quality management to break down interdepartmental barriers and work on continuously improving library services. The contributors, who have begun to think about using or who are already using TQM in a library setting, present specific planning and implementation issues that can be put to immediate use in libraries. With this innovative book, library managers will learn that by working together on problem solving teams to address specific operational questions, and by developing a shared knowledge of problem-solving tools and techniques, staff members grow personally and gain a larger sense of organizational purpose. Other TQM methods introduced in this book include the concept of the internal customer, which teaches staff to recognize how other staff members use the results of their work, and the principle of continuous improvement, which enables libraries to set measurable goals based on quantitative performance indicators, and to monitor progress toward those goals.

American Music Librarianship is a biographical and historical review of the musical situation in American libraries from its roots in the late 19th century to the 1980s. Beginning with the period from 1854-55 when the Boston Public Library began to buy music for its collections, Bradley tracks the development of the Music Division in the Library of Congress under the guidance of chief librarian Oscar Senneck.

The opening section examines the professional careers of America's first music librarians and the subsequent development of music libraries, taken from information provided in their papers; documentation in their libraries; and from oral interviews with the librarians, their spouses and their successors. In the second and third sections, Bradley covers the librarians involved in the formulation of classification schemes and rules for cataloguing. The fourth section covers the colleagues of these pioneer librarians who are noteworthy for their own efforts on behalf of music in American libraries. The Music Library Association is reviewed in the final section, from its inception in 1931 through the activities of its professionals, to current goals. The book's appendices include tables and plates illustrative of various aspects discussed in the body of the book. A detailed index comprehends personal names, names of libraries, titles of publications, concepts and subjects. This book is a source book for all music libraries and librarians, school libraries, and music research collections.

This is an original and scholarly study of the role of books and libraries in British prisons during the period of penal reforms between 1700 and 1911. Janet Fyfe discusses the role of groups and individuals who advanced the ideology of reform as well as those who were actively engaged in bringing reading material into the jails and prisons of Great Britain. Perhaps Fyfe's most valuable contribution to the field is her rich bibliography of primary sources; these include a wealth of official reports, government publications, books and pamphlets spanning the two centuries covered in her investigation of prison libraries. She examines the extent that different penal institutions and systems--including not only local jails and national prisons but also convict settlements and the hulks--came to adopt the use of books and libraries and their rationales for doing so. The author documents in detail how prison library services were organized, how they were administered and funded, how books were selected, and what consideration was given to the preference of inmates.

This book tells the story of how information evolved since the mid-nineteenth century. It argues that information increased in quantity, became more specialized by discipline (e.g., mathematics, science, political science), and more organized. Information increased in volume due to a series of innovations, such as the electrification of communications and the development of computers, but also due to the organization of facts and knowledge by discipline, making it easier to manage and access. I do this by looking at what major disciplines have done to shape the nature of modern information, devoting chapters to the most obvious ones. I argue that understanding how some features of information evolved is useful for those who work in subjects that deal with their very construct and application, such as computer scientists and those exploring social media and, most recently, history. The book continues my more than twenty years of studying how information became a central feature of modern society, building on prior books I have written, most notably as a sequel to All the Facts: A History of Information in the United States since 1870 (OUP, 2016) and Building Blocks of Society: History, Information Ecosystems, and Infrastructures (R&L, 2021).

Dictionary & Thesaurus of Environment, Health & Safety is the first and only dictionary/thesaurus to focus on the usage and structure of environment, health, and safety terminology. Containing nearly 600 pages, this book features thousands of terms that may be hard to find in any other reference source. Thesaurus terms are presented under broad subject categories, and all acronyms found in the thesaurus are listed with their reciprocal phrases. A separate section features a mini-thesaurus for Department of Energy vocabulary. ANSI standards were used to construct the thesaurus, and definitions are included for most terms, with acronyms indicating the source(s) of the definitions.
Dictionary & Thesaurus of Environment, Health & Safety provides a semantic structure for environment, health, and safety terminology and will prove invaluable for anyone involved in the management of programs and information systems that use these terms.

Retrospective Conversion is an essential guide for library catalogers and technical services managers in the process of converting manual catalog records to machine readable form. It clearly illustrates the advantages and disadvantages of the three conversion methods--converting in-house, contracting to a vendor, and a combination of the two--and covers the areas of cost, staff, time, and record quality for each. Catalogers will learn how to make a bigger investment in advance planning to achieve better end results. Helpful chapters emphasize the need for planning, quality control, and authority control in the creation of a complete catalog in a machine readable form. Also included are case studies that illustrate specific methods in action and provide a wealth of general, usable information.This unique reference covers a variety of valuable topics for catalogers involved in converting manual catalog records. It includes an in-depth bibliography and review of the retrospective conversion literature, including over 200 items addressing general considerations, special formats, and international issues. Specific examples of retrospective conversion are analyzed including projects in medium and large size institutions, non-serials and serials cataloging, music scores, and the Library of Congress's conversion of the PREMARC file. Specific techniques are explained such as the development of a PC workstation interface to facilitate the conversion process, the use of sampling techniques in project cost analysis, how to determine what quality standards are needed and at what cost, and authority control in both manual and online catalogs.

Provides an annotated listing of recommended reading material for students in grades seven through nine.

Everything you need to know in order to start, maintain, and provide service for a business collection, and to research virtually any business topic. Now in its fifth edition, The Basic Business Library is a modern sourcebook of core resources for the business library and the business information consumers and researchers it serves. This up-to-date guide also discusses strategies for acquiring and building the business collection in a Web 2.0/3.0 world and recommended approaches to providing reference service for business research. This text includes numerous real-world examples that cover market research, investment, economics, management and marketing. This is a single-volume guide to doing business research and managing business resources and services in a multitude of library environments. Readers will gain an understanding of the nature and breadth of providers of business information; learn the types and formats of information available; become familiar with key resources and providers in major categories such as marketing, financial information, and investment; and understand how to collect, use, and provide access to business information resources. Includes hundreds of topical chapters that cover key resources in-depth Provides a core list of the most essential library business resources Contains contributions from an all-star cast of experienced business librarians Bibliographic information regarding key resources is woven throughout the book

Hafter examines the increasingly accepted assumption that the development of a huge online catalog, accessible by telecommunications to all member institutions, will only result in a vast saving of catalogers' time without the dilution of quality inherent in most mass production activities. She describes comparative changes in actual library and network practice and shows how the new realities of library performance, standards, and evaluation practice have impacted prevailing theories and beliefs about the work of library and information professional and their management of technological change. Her research is based on sixty-eight in-depth interviews with affected catalogers, administrators, and network personnel at six West Coast academic libraries.

Why and how can records serve as evidence of human rights violations, in particular crimes against humanity, and help the fight against impunity? Archives and Human Rights shows the close relationship between archives and human rights and discusses the emergence, at the international level, of the principles of the right to truth, justice and reparation. Through a historical overview and topical case studies from different regions of the world the book discusses how records can concretely support these principles. The current examples also demonstrate how the perception of the role of the archivist has undergone a metamorphosis in recent decades, towards the idea that archivists can and must play an active role in defending basic human rights, first and foremost by enabling access to documentation on human rights violations. Confronting painful memories of the past is a way to make the ghosts disappear and begin building a brighter, more serene future. The establishment of international justice mechanisms and the creation of truth commissions are important elements of this process. The healing begins with the acknowledgment that painful chapters are essential parts of history; archives then play a crucial role by providing evidence. This book is both a tool and an inspiration to use archives in defence of human rights. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/ISBN, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Cataloging for School Librarians, Second Edition presents the theory and practice of cataloging and classification to students and practitioners needing a clear sequential process to help them overcome cataloging anxiety. By following the instructions in this book, the new cataloger will become proficient at creating bibliographic records that meet current national standards, and make library materials accessible to students and faculty. This new edition fully integrates RDA while referencing its antecedent, AACR2. FRBR, Sears, the Dewey Decimal Classification and the implications of Web-Scale Discovery services are covered. It presents numerous examples of how to catalog books, non-print and electronic library materials using the MARC format. To reinforce learning, each chapter concludes with a revised review quiz and critical thinking questions. Cataloging for School Librarians, Second Edition includes sample full MARC records, a glossary and an index.

Here is an in-depth book on the process of evaluating your acquisitions and collection management programs. No project, no matter how ingenious or innovative, will be granted support by a funding agency without a solid evaluation plan. Evaluating Acquisitions and Collection Management discusses the reasons evaluation is held in such high regard by administrators. The authors describe a variety of evaluation activities that cover both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The first section of the book covers current trends and the impact on collection development and acquisitions, and how the evaluation of collections can reveal patterns of program support that can then be compared between peer institutions. Other topics include the process of assigning relative value to acquisitions activities, performance appraisal, and methods for improving procedures of acquiring materials. Acquisitions librarians and administrators will find this book extremely helpful in streamlining their acquisitions and collection management programs.

This inspiring book addresses a topic that is far too often ignored or disregarded by sci-tech librarians: Exactly how do scientists and engineers really discover, select, and use the countless information and communications resources available to them when conducting research? The answer to this question should be a major influence on the way information specialists develop information systems in their libraries. Unfortunately, many librarians are not as familiar with the work, information needs, and communicating behavior of the research worker. Information Seeking and Communications Behavior of Scientists and Engineers looks at this question from several perspectives to give an overall view of how to best serve the needs of the scientific community.This book is an encouragement and a challenge to sci-tech librarians to make an ever greater effort to understand the work of their users, the differing information channels and sources they employ, and thus tailor the library's systems and services to best support their information-seeking behavior.

Records and Information Management: Fundamentals of Professional Practice, Fourth Edition presents principles and practices for systematic management of recorded information. It is anauthoritative resource for newly appointed records managers and information governance specialists as well as for experienced records management and information governance professionals who want a review of specific topics. It is also a textbook for undergraduate and graduate students of records management or allied disciplines-such as library science, archives management, information systems, and office administration-that are concerned with the storage, organization, retrieval, retention, or protection of recorded information. The fourth edition has been thoroughly updated and expanded to: Set the professional discipline of RIM in the context of information governance, risk mitigation, and compliance andindicate how it contributes to those initiatives in government agencies, businesses, and not-for-profit organizations Provide a global perspective, with international examples and a discussion of the differences in records management issuesin different parts of the world. Its seven chapters are practical, rather than theoretical, and reflect the scope andresponsibilities of RIM programs in all types of organizations. Emphasize best practices and relevant standards. The book is organized into seven chapters that reflect the scope and responsibilities of records and information management programs in companies, government agencies, universities, cultural and philanthropic institutions, professional services firms, and other organizations. Topics covered include the conceptual foundations of systematic records management, the role of records management as a business discipline, fundamentals of record retention, management of active and inactive paper records, document imaging technologies and methods, concepts and technologies for organization and retrieval of digital documents, and protection ofmission-critical records. In every chapter, the treatment is practical rather than theoretical. Drawing on the author's extensiveexperience supplemented by insights from records management publications, the book emphasizes key concepts and proven methods that readers can use to manage electronic and physical records.

Critically acclaimed since its inception, "Advances in Librarianship" continues to be the essential reference source for developments in the field of libraries and library science. Articles published in the Series have won national prizes, such as the recent Blackwell North America Scholarship Award for the outstanding 1994 monograph, article, or original paper in the field of acquisitions, collection, development, and related areas of resource development. All areas of public, college, university, primary and secondary schools, and special libraries are given up-to-date, critical analysis by experts engaged in the practice of librarianship, in teaching, and in research. It is authoritative, in-depth, and concise. It is your single best source for keeping up-to-date on key issues. It is written by professionals for professionals to find solutions to vexing questions.

Here is an essential introductory guide on all aspects of law librarianship written especially for non-law librarians, library school students, and beginning law librarians. Although there are several excellent practical handbooks and numerous articles on specific topics of law librarianship for practicing law librarians, Basics of Law Librarianship is the only resource that addresses the information needs of the student or new law librarian. Author Deborah Panella, managing librarian of a large, prominent New York law firm, explores the major areas of law librarianship. She covers vital topics such as the legal clientele, collection development, research tools, technical services, impact of technology, and management issues, and describes what makes law libraries different from other special libraries. She has written a clear, readable volume without excessive detail or the use of special terminology. The bibliography of law library literature and the index add enormously to the book's value as a major reference.

Here is unique volume offering practical advice on weeding and maintaining reference collections. It covers different types of libraries--academic, corporate, public--and problems, and librarians describe in detail methods and criteria used by their libraries in weeding their reference collections. Dr. Pierce has organized the topics of her book into relevant chapters. These chapters, bound to appeal to a variety of needs, address and discuss the problems and management of growing reference collections. As many librarians find weeding reference books a difficult task, most reference departments suffer from a lack of space as a result. Collection growth reduces shelf and seating space, and both books and people are lost in the clutter. In reading this essential book, reference supervisors will come to understand the importance of allowing reference area growth combined with effective weeding to promote an attractive and well-stocked reference area. Heads of reference will find Weeding and Maintenance of Reference Collections full of useful information, from the specific criteria and detailed methods contributed by several librarians who have found success in weeding their reference collections, to the practical hints on planning and evaluating collection contents and organization. Students and faculty of library schools and information studies will gain insight into successful management of increasing amounts of reference material as the Information Age gathers momentum into the 1990s.

This pioneering volume of essays explores the destruction of great libraries since ancient times and examines the intellectual, political and cultural consequences of loss. Fourteen original contributions, introduced by a major re-evaluative history of lost libraries, offer the first ever comparative discussion of the greatest catastrophes in book history from Mesopotamia and Alexandria to the dispersal of monastic and monarchical book collections, the Nazi destruction of Jewish libraries, and the recent horrifying pillage and burning of books in Tibet, Bosnia and Iraq.