This book, first published in 1983, is devoted to a consideration of the contributions monographs make to all types of sci-tech libraries as well as their probable role in the future. Several related topics are also included, such as sources for obtaining monographs, tools used for selecting them and the attitude of publishers towards their creation.

Maps, charts and related items present special problems to libraries, for example a less organised bibliographic control mechanism, more difficult means of acquisitions, and problems of storage and preservation. This book, first published in 1985, deals with these problems and presents practical solutions for maps in library collections.

This book, first published in 1990, illustrates the nature and use of sci-tech information in relation to the environment. Sci-tech librarians, government researchers, and compilers and editors of noted indexing/abstracting services describe the efforts of their organizations to compile, maintain, and disseminate the large body of sci-tech information devoted to environmental concerns. It includes informative chapters on: a description of the Environmental Protection Agency's network of 25 libraries throughout the country, including details of the services offered by the network and the collections of the ten regional libraries and 15 specialized or scientific libraries; a review of the growth of the non-profit, non-advocacy Center for Environmental Information, Inc., with a look at its library and its programs such as the Acid Rain Information Clearinghouse; an examination of the American Chemical Society's journals, books, newsletters, meeting abstracts, and other publications devoted to environmental matters; a look at the Adirondack Research Center and its contributions to furthering the efforts of researchers who study conservation topics as they relate to this important area; and an acknowledgement of the important role played by commercial bibliographies and databases in the quest to rapidly disseminate new information on environmental issues.

This book, first published in 1990, examines the relationship between sci-tech materials and trade literature, commonly called manufacturers' catalogues. Because very little has been published about the value and nature of trade literature in regard to sci-tech libraries, this volume is important in informing librarians about a little-known segment of the larger picture of sci-tech information sources, thus adding to the value of their services to their clients. It addresses the problems of handling sci-tech trade literature in a corporate technical library, a large public library, and a government library devoted to American history. Experts offer practical advice on selecting and organizing trade literature and on managing the growth and extent of a collection of trade literature. They discuss modern literature and older publications, which often have great historical value. Libraries that collect both old and new materials are identified, as are publishers of trade literature. The book also focuses on how a publisher of classic trade literature views its role.

This book, first published in 1984, analyses the various ways in which sci-tech libraries are meeting the needs of end-users in an era of fast-growing technical literature and increasingly complex tools and products used for the retrieval of information.

Most librarians working with sci-tech collections are fully aware of the importance of conference papers and proceedings, which has long played a major role in keeping professionals informed of the latest developments in their field. In this book, first published in 1989, responsible executives from several publishers of conference literature have joined with a number of sci-tech librarians to discuss the nature and value of conference literature in sci-tech libraries. A commercial publisher discusses the difficulties in editing a set of conference papers in a book, while producers of indexing/abstracting tools describe their selection methods, retrieval services, and general outlook on conference materials. In addition, sci-tech librarians address the problems of accessing, citing, and locating conference literature and explore the many aspects of the cataloguing of conference publications.

This book, first published in 1983, examines translation sources and their activities, as well as ways in which librarians can become aware of what has been translated, and obtain copies. The sci-tech literature of the world reflects the international nature of its sources, and is published in many languages. There are many avenues available for obtaining translations of such materials, and this book is devoted to a review of these sources and their activities.

As automation and competitiveness between companies and countries grows, the need for the speedy research and delivery of information is becoming greater than ever before. Defining technology transfer as 'the process of getting technical knowledge, ideas, services, inventions, and products from their origin to wherever they can be put to practical use', this book, first published in 1991, explores the role of the information specialist in the technology transfer process. It brings together discussions from information mediaries associated with federal information centres, academic research institutions, and a large metropolitan public library. Agencies and organizations at the federal, state, and local level that are involved in and responsible for technology transfer programs are described in a who's who section of the volume, and the system for the distribution of information at NASA is covered in detail, this being considered by some to be the birthplace of the technology transfer concept. The various regional NASA Industrial Application Centers are also identified, and the numerous print and online services available are noted as well. Other topics covered include the use of technology transfer in agricultural programs to improve U.S. competitiveness in the global marketplace and how the large public library can promote technology transfer by acting as important centres for information transfer and research.

This book, first published in 1990, analyses the variety of ways in which libraries extend their resources to users beyond the physical walls of their organization. Librarians discuss the concept of the library as more than just a place - since its holdings can now appear on the screen of users' computers in the same city or in a city hundreds of miles away - but rather as a force that electronically links users directly with both local and remote sources of information. Six informative chapters examine electronic information systems and document delivery from the local collection to the workplace, between system libraries and from non-library sources. Readers can look first hand at some of the most sophisticated and widespread systems in the country, including four academic libraries that promote electronic services to remote users and two special libraries offering innovative services. The authoritative contributing authors also forecast new systems and services.

What will future sci-tech libraries be like? Who will be the key players? In this insightful volume, first published in 1992, leaders in sci-tech librarianship reflect on their years in the profession and predict how the sci-tech library will look in ten years. It takes a close look at the revolution in the communication of scientific information and how technology has transformed the process of knowledge delivery and acquisitions. It prepares libraries to react to new channels of scholarly communication that in the future may challenge the viability of the research library. Most importantly, it emphasizes how the rapid pace of change in science, communication, and computers has pushed libraries to aggressively seek to become central to the knowledge formation and transfer process - just to survive. These provocative chapters reveal how sci-tech librarians need to work with scientists and engineers to understand their changing information needs and to participate in the planning and development of new information systems. This book examines all areas of the scientific process that will be affected by change: the way research is conducted, communicated, transferred, stored, and delivered. The changes discussed in this book encompass researchers, librarians, information managers, publishers, and users. Some of the important topics discussed include an in-depth analysis of the information needs of science and engineering and how to best develop the electronic means to meet them; leadership challenges in the future electronic, computer, or virtual library; concern over the quality of information services for scientists delivered by non-scientist librarians; a ten-year prediction for sci-tech librarians and sci-tech publishers; the science library building of the future; the impact of increasingly interdisciplinary scientific research; and the effect of federal policy on sci-tech libraries.

This book, first published in 1989, introduces readers to expert systems applications in many areas of library and information science, and presents design and implementation issues encountered by librarians who have developed early systems to address the library reference function. Systems for ready reference, online database access, and enhancement of subject searching in online catalogues are all explored. Theoretical issues related to expert systems are balanced with descriptions of actual systems currently operating or under development. Reference librarians interested in computing and automation, library managers and administrators, as well as teachers and students in library schools, will be fascinated by this account of how expert systems are helping to make the expertise of the reference librarian available in a more consistent and timely fashion and reduce the burden of repetitive, predictable questions for the professional.

In this comprehensive volume on the reference process in archives, first published in 1986, experts offer a wealth of ideas on making both the reference archivist's and the user's tasks more exciting and enjoyable.

The contradictory yet complementary relationship between libraries and information brokers is examined in this volume, first published in 1988. Since its escalation in the 1960s, information brokering has challenged the role of the library in society. Librarians discuss their concerns about information brokers - the impact of brokers on reference services, the competence of brokers, abuse of library services by brokers, and whether libraries should provide competing fee-based services. Brokers share their own view as 'entrepreneurs', providing background, offering advice, and explaining the risks involved in their business. This lively, often controversial discussion offers suggestions for improving relations between libraries and information brokers, while continuing to serve the public well.

This book, first published in 1987, provides important information on reference publishing, including valuable guidelines on evaluating publications and sources. The articles contained here are all written by leading experts in the field.

This book, first published in 1988, looks at the relationship between public policy and information and reports ways in which libraries respond to the need for public policy information. Chapters provide perspectives from a variety of library settings with different user groups who, in turn, have different information needs. This volume will stimulate you to examine the adequacy of your own reference services and to a greater appreciation of the dynamic relationship between public policy and information services.

This book, first published in 1986, discusses reference personnel concerns and problems and offers suggestions to administration and management for improving reference personnel performance and staff development.

This book, first published in 1985, examines issues such as the discussion of goals and rationales for charging for online searches, conflicts between reference and other library departments, how to provide quality service and who is best suited to provide it.

The library budget, a topic of primary importance to the reference librarian, is thoroughly examined in this book, first published in 1988. Experts offer insightful suggestions for reference librarians to understand and take responsibility for budget issues, directly and indirectly. They address the ability to explain the budget - which actually entails explaining the collection, the services, and the process in place for managing the fiscal resources - a necessary skill for any reference librarian faced with looming budget cuts. Providing quality services on a limited budget is also explored. The contributors provide helpful essays on convincing the parent agency to provide adequate support, setting goals and priorities, generating revenue, and more.

This book, first published in 1991, explores the changing roles of reference services and offers advice and practical ideas to guide librarians through the increasingly tangled maze of duties being thrust upon the reference staff. Although the everyday work of the reference librarian is often taken for granted, these insightful chapters illuminate the essential service performed by the reference librarians as they facilitate access to information for a wide variety of users. Furthermore, this book helps reference librarians face the future by examining the technological and service developments that will challenge their profession. It addresses unique reference problems such as making use of the telephone as an information gathering tool, selecting reference material for the interdisciplinary field of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER), and helping non-law students with legal research. Topics related to information systems are examined such as the limitations of end-user online services, and an evaluation of the Library of Congress Information system. Authoritative contributors make recommendations on how to design services to coordinate with the new technology and how to change librarians' roles so they can assist people in using these systems.

This book, first published in 1990, addresses the concerns of librarians that they must be informed and educated in order to excel in their work. It focuses on specific types of training for librarians. Authorities explain pioneering programs in California and Maryland which deal with teaching basic reference tools to beginning librarians and paraprofessionals. They also discuss the role of multitype networks in continuing education as the most cost and time efficient means available today, and the use of self-directed contract learning as a method that requires long-term planning and rewards in contrast to the immediate results of a short-term plan of education. The management perspective of continuing education is also included. Working library directors offer their observations on sound, inspirational approaches to continuing education. They also examine the critical role department heads play as mentor to beginning reference librarians.

This book, first published in 1986, provides a comprehensive and detailed look at online biomedical database searching by end users. Experts fully assess the numerous implications of end user searching and synthesize a wide variety of views and successful practices. By examining the types of users, institutional settings, products used, and applications, this important volume probes the specific variations among programs and provides a solid overview of end user searching in the health science field. The volume includes informative chapters on determining content and structure of online educational materials, training the end user, the issues in implementing end user search systems, and much more.

This book, first published in 1988, discusses the use and handling of newspapers in libraries and information centres. Although newspapers are recognized as an important source of information about current history and local events, they have been largely ignored by information specialists. Individuals who work with newspapers on a daily basis - as tools in research or as an ingredient in a larger process - have contributed valuable chapters on bibliographical and physical control of newspapers, working with newspapers in a variety of settings, and international, educational, and technical aspects of using and handling newspapers.

This book, first published in 1955, deals in detail with history, planning, furnishing, staffing, book stocks, patents and trade marks, administration and methods used to collect and present information to commercial houses and producing firms.

This book, first published in 1939, deals with the elements of classification and cataloguing from the school library point of view. The Dewey, Cheltenham and Bliss schemes are fully examined and there is a chapter on the practical application of classification in the library. There are simplified rules for Author and Title catalogues, while the different kinds of subject catalogues are compared, and instructions given for their compilation. Many practical examples of cataloguing entries are shown.

This book, first published in 1937, examines the principles and practicalities of inter-library loans of books - making available to readers elsewhere otherwise idle books. Initially done on an ad-hoc basis, modern ideas and developments have led to a modern generation of librarians whose first aim is to see that their readers get the books they need.