Every year, leading librarians, scholars, and administrators from the United States are invited to give papers on important library-related topics at the Kanazawa Institute of Technology's Roundtable. From 1995 to 1999, some aspect of digital library development was the theme of the symposium, and the essays in this collection are all devoted to that topic.

In these essays, some of the most innovative thinkers and practitioners discuss how digital libraries have been conceived and implemented in the United States. Insight into the policy, legal, and technical frameworks of digital libraries is given, while honest views of problems encountered in trying to integrate digital and traditional libraries are given. Finally, some of the essays explore how users are affected by digital library services.

Although urban historians point to the creation of the American public library as one response to the chaos experienced by big cities at the end of the 19th century, this study shows that the library developed in the rural community of Hagerstown, Maryland, resembled its urban counterparts. Business elites, concerned about the image of the town, created a library as the first cultural institution in Hagerstown. This book traces the societal changes in Hagerstown from 1878 to 1920, examines the motivations of the businessmen for creating the library, and explores the changes in attitude of the librarian who spent her career there. By using the experience of Hagerstown as a case study, the author makes a valuable contribution to the history of rural librarianship and the place of the library in American cultural history.

An essential collection of essays for librarians looking to support E-science programs and capabilities to their institutions. From the frontiers of contemporary information science research comes this helpful and timely volume for libraries preparing for the deluge of data that E-science can deliver to their patrons and institutions. The Data Deluge: Can Libraries Cope with E-Science? brings together nine of the world's foremost authorities on the capabilities and requirements of E-science, offering their perspectives to librarians hoping to develop similar programs for their own institutions. The essays contained in The Data Deluge were adapted from papers first delivered at the prestigious annual Library Round Table at the Kanazawa Institute of Technology, where E-science has been the theme from the past two annual conferences. Now this groundbreaking work is available in convenient printed format for the first time. The essays are divided into three parts: an overview of E-science challenges for libraries; perspectives on E-science; and perspectives from individual research libraries. Comprises essays from nine expert contributors-each an innovator who has successfully integrated E-science programs at their institutions Includes bibliographies to additional readings and resources about E-science

An international cadre of leading thinkers and experimenters provide their considered opinions concerning the influence of digital technology on teaching and learning in general, and the role of the library in the educational enterprise in particular. Topic treatments include envisioning the future, facing major challenges, creating projects and programs, and developing digital libraries. A must-read for anyone involved in higher education. The Kanazawa Institute of Technology is Japan's largest institution of higher education specializing in engineering and technology. It is a world leader and collaborator in electronic initiatives, often on the forefront of systems design and telecommunications advancement. It is also the site of an annual symposium series on digital library development. Marcum and George have pulled together an international cadre of leading thinkers and experimenters, all of whom have participated in these symposia, to provide their considered opinions concerning the influence of digital technology on teaching and learning in general, and the role of the library in the educational enterprise in particular. Their contributions have, in turn, been arranged into four thematic groupings, which range from envisioning the future, and facing major challenges, to creating projects and programs, and developing digital libraries. An informative read for anyone involved in higher education.