In the past, citizens could take it for granted that California communities would provide public libraries for their citizens. However, due to new fiscal circumstances and a generational shift in how California voters view the role of government, libraries must increasingly take their case for...

Contends that today’s multicultural realities are inescapable and that together with the realities of the information age, they hold tremendous implications for public library development and mission. Proposes that public libraries build on their traditional role as agents of acculturation by...

Using data from The 1997 National Survey of US Public Libraries and the Internet , listserv postings, and the author’s own research and consulting experiences, explores the current financing of US public library Internet connectivity and services. Asserts that analyzing the costs of Internet...

The California State University System (CSU) utilizes a cooperative buying program to provide a wide range of electronic resources at the lowest negotiable prices. The System’s Electronic Access to Information Committee (EAR) surveys campus needs, identifies and reviews resources, and makes...

Gives the background to, and describes, the suit filed against Microsoft by the US Department of Justice in October 1997. For those such as librarians, dealing with the requirements of information technology, argues that this case is important because it demonstrates the high stakes inherent in...

Describes how outsourcing cataloging functions in public libraries enhanced the availability of materials, control costs, and helped to meet deadlines. In the state of South Carolina, ten public library systems have used outsourcing cataloging functions for the following reasons: opening day...