bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Depository Library Inspection Program
Authors: Watts Carol
Published: February 2008

The Government Printing Office (GPO) is authorized by law to act as the primary printer and distributor of U.S. government documents for the federal government. Among its mandates is the operation of the Federal Depository Library Program — one of America's oldest information networks — through which certain libraries across the country and its territories receive government publications. The majority of depositories are designated as official Congressional Depository Libraries by members of Congress for their respective districts or states. Some libraries enter under special legislation, such as most of the law school libraries, and are called “by law” depositories. All of these depositories work closely with GPO to ensure that the public will receive free access to federal publications.
Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians: From George Grove to the “New Grove”
Authors: Daub Peggy
Published: February 2008

The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians has been on the shelf for two years now, and the pride and excitement I felt when it first appeared, due to my small contributions to its content and completion, have not diminished. As a reference librarian, I use it constantly myself and with patrons to answer a wide spectrum of questions. As a cataloger, I turn to it for birth and death dates, help in establishing names and uniform titles, and for the date of composition for music (to be stored in field 045 of the MARC format). As a researcher, I delve into it time and time again for the opinions of respected scholars and for data in worklists and bibliographies.
Reference Sources in Biology
Authors: Davis Elisabeth B.
Published: February 2008

There have been several developments during the past year that will aid biologists in their constant battle to keep up with the scientific and technical literature. The Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) has introduced three new online services that are designed for current awareness and retrospective searches: ISI/CompuMath — access to pure and applied math literature; ISI/ISTP&B — index to scientific proceedings and books; and ISI/BIOMED — research front specialties in biomedicine.
American History Reference Sources
Authors: Barber Gary D. , Burroughs Carol
Published: February 2008

While few college students are majoring in history today, perhaps the field is not as close to extinction as some people fear. Professional historians continue to delve into various historical nooks and crannies and are busy planning future endeavors. A collection of articles in two 1981 issues of the Journal of Interdisciplinary History explores a variety of recent historiographical developments. These state‐of‐the‐art essays cover economic, intellectual and population history, the history of science, political history, family history, biography, and quantification. They are must reading for anyone interested in knowing where historical studies are headed during the remaining two decades of the 20th century.
Political Science Reference Sources
Authors: Herold Jean
Published: February 2008

According to statistical reports, most of the national electorate is not sufficiently interested in politics to bother voting for candidates for public office. This indifference is not shared by many authors. More than 50 book titles in the 1981–82 Books in Print (New York, Bowker, 1981) have the words “Politics of …” followed by the subject of the book. Some are concerned with the politics of large issues such as war, peace, energy, human rights, justice, oil, technology, the media, Euroeconomics, or international air transportation. Other authors deal with more personal concerns such as the politics of alcoholism, drugs, Medicare, mental health, motherhood, language development, self‐sufficiency, or education. These titles indicate the control exercised by government in many different areas of life. Until a law, statute, ordinance, ruling, or regulation effects an individual, there is relatively little interest or concern with the actions of elected officials, or the agencies implementing these decisions.
Government Publications
Authors: Myers Ramon H. , Ratcliffe John W.
Published: February 2008

[Documents librarians regularly alert patrons to the vagaries of the seemingly infinite variety of statistics available in the publications of international governmental agencies. Many documents experts even warm of the possible inaccuracies of international government statistics. Only the most skeptical, however, would portray the validity of government statistics in the manner that two international experts do in the following essays. The warnings they issue would be important at any time, but they are particularly relevant now that documents librarians are on the verge of having unparalleled access to these data via Congressional Information Service's Index to International Statistics (first issue due in January 1983). Considering the increasing use of international statistical publications, the contents of the following essays exemplify why it is imperative that librarians renew their skepticism regarding the limitations of international statistics.
Reference Serials
Authors: Quinlan Judith B. , Carrington Bessie , Veitch Carol J. , McBryde Mintz Mary , Coven Brenda , Swinton Cordelia W.
Published: February 2008

Serials constitute the largest portion of the reference collection budget. Rapidly increasing prices and new titles compound the problem of finding adequate funds. Many libraries can no longer afford to automatically order new editions of standard or “landmark” reference serials. Yet while the process of budgetary decision‐making is often distasteful, it can be beneficial. Critical discussions of titles can reveal forgotten features of serials or alternative sources of information.
Reference Serials
Authors: Quinlan Judith B. , Leonard Harriet V. , Gilbert Virginia , Veitch Carol J. , Lipkind Jack , Turner Patricia , Pilachowski David
Published: February 2008

One of the more popular exhibits at the ALA meeting in Philadelphia in July was the online demonstration of the Academic American Encyclopedia. Clusters of librarians gathered to watch and assess the performance of this reference source. Some greeted it with skepticism, others with enthusiasm; but it was quite evident that the day of the single format reference source has passed. Multiple format reference sources were discussed and demonstrated throughout the exhibition hall.
Libraries Online: Cooperative Database
Authors: Cady Susan , Roysdon Christine , Siegler Sharon L.
Published: February 2008

The advent of computerized literature searching of on‐line databases has convinced librarians that a significant increase in both the quantity and quality of reference service can be delivered to library users. As part of a technically‐oriented academic environment, the Lehigh University Libraries in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania were particularly anxious to demonstrate to faculty, students, and the community the benefits available through online database technology. Therefore, searching of online databases began at the University Libraries in early 1978 and by 1981 the services used included Lockheed/DIALOG, SDC/ORBIT, and BRS.
Bibliographic Instruction: Is It A Discipline?
Authors: Rader Hannelore B.
Published: February 2008

Only recently has the library literature included several publications concerned with a conceptual foundation for bibliographic instruction, thus demonstrating the beginnings of applying learning theory concepts to the bibliographic instruction process. Yet in order to help library users understand the research process under which librarians and scholars operate, bibliographic instruction should utilize the cognitive learning approach. This approach would indeed assure transferability of library research techniques from school situations to life‐long learning, from one discipline to another, and from one type of library to another. To teach students the nature of the research process involves teaching them the individual components of a research problem and appropriate search strategies.
Documents Lost: Or, The “List of Special Materials”
Authors: McGeachy John A.
Published: February 2008

As required by law, the U.S. Government Printing Office issues the Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications to serve as the “comprehensive index of public documents.” The Monthly Catalog was for many years an indispensable, but stodgy, source of bibliographic information about publications of the federal government. Since the mid‐1970s the Monthly Catalog has undergone a number of significant changes. In July 1976 it took on a new look when it first appeared with unit card format citations. The Monthly Catalog's indexing also changed: Library of Congress subject headings were introduced, and new index sections were added. With the adoption of computer techniques, the publication has been able to become more responsive to the demands placed upon it.
Canadian Almanacs and Statistical Compendia
Authors: Crouch Milton H.
Published: February 2008

The purpose of this presentation is to identify the most useful statistical publications concerning Canada that are published in Canada. Titles discussed are organized by broad subject categories: Bibliographies and Indexes, Almanacs and Yearbooks, Social Statistics, Economic Statistics, Historical Statistics. This arrangement should help readers unfamiliar with Canada's statistical compendia to select those titles needed in their libraries for their usefulness in answering specialized statistical queries. All the almanacs and statistical compendia mentioned here, official and non‐official, use figures gathered and distributed by Statistics Canada.
The Librarian As Entrepreneur Indexer
Authors: Fennie‐Collura Maureen
Published: February 2008

“Where HAS that book been reviewed?” This question seemed to arise daily during my work as Adult Services Consultant for an upstate New York library system. Since I was responsible for the selection of new titles for the system pool collection as well as preparing buying lists for member libraries, I felt the need to have some way of “pulling together” all the reviews for new titles as they appeared in the book review media. It seemed to me that the book review indexes currently being published were inadequate in several ways, especially in the timely listing of current reviews and in the fact that you usually had to know the author's name in order to find citations to the reviews. How did I progress from perceiving a need for a more current listing of citations to book reviews and actually publishing my own index, Title Index of Current Reviews? Initially, several seemingly unrelated events led me in the direction I was eventually to take.
Library Orientation and Instruction‐1982
Authors: Rader Hannelore B.
Published: February 2008

The following annotated list of materials on instructing users in library and information skills covers publications from 1982. A few items have not been annotated because the compiler was unable to secure copies of these items.
Approaches to Children's Literature: A Multi‐Purpose Collection
Authors: Erwin Clarissa
Published: February 2008

In the most recent edition of Children and Books, Susan Steinfirst points to a dilemma in children's literature, a conflict implied in the very name of the discipline. On one hand children's literature is the field of the child specialist, educator and psychologist; on the other, children's literature is the province of the English scholar and literary historian. As a dual discipline shared by both the social scientist and humanist, children's literature has always been subject to two divergent sets of research methods and goals. The purpose of this bibliography is to provide the librarian with selected tools for meeting the needs of both approaches.
Reference Management
Authors: Scheele Barbara
Published: February 2008

Reference services policies and procedures — we all have them. The question is, how are these policies recorded and organized for the use of the staff and the public we serve. Most reference departments have collections of memoranda, minutes, and individual policy statements, more or less organized in binders at the reference desk, and revised in a more or less systematic fashion. In exceptional cases there are detailed manuals of reference services policies and procedures which are periodically revised.
Cable Television and Libraries
Authors: Szudy Tom
Published: February 2008

The cable television industry began to expand greatly in the 1970s as a consequence of several court decisions forcing the Federal Communications Commission to lift its previous restraints. Originally, cable had been seen chiefly as a means to improve reception in isolated areas. Today, however, this same cable has revolutionized what we have come to see on television.
Counseling the Handicapped: An Annotated Bibliography for Children, Counselors, and Parents
Authors: Craver Kathleen W.
Published: February 2008

In the 1970s, the United States Congress enacted two statutes that have had dramatic and far‐reaching effects on the education of handicapped children by public schools. These two laws, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Education For All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (known as Public Law 94–142), have required local public school agencies to provide new eductional programs for thousands of handicapped children not previously served by the public schools. Counselors, principals, and teachers were quickly informed of the law's requirements and willingly began the task of main‐streaming and assimilating these children into various curricula. Their physical needs were attended to rapidly; their societal and emotional needs, unfortunately, lagged behind. Within the past seven years, there has been an increase in books, articles, and films specifically addressed to counseling the handicapped. Unlike past literature which focused only on the vocational aspect of rehabilitation counseling, current writing emphasizes personal counseling meant to assist a disabled child to participate fully in the problems and joys of daily living.
Data Base‐ics & Trends: The Future of the New York Times Online
Authors: Kesselman Martin
Published: February 2008

Deborah Silcox assured the audience that Mead resorted to no “under the table” deals to obtain NYTIS. Rather, the New York Times, deciding to get out of the online business, offered it to Mead with a seven‐year exclusive contract. Besides the New York Times, NEXIS now provides full text access to approximately 60 other publications, to which The Financial Times of London and Forbes are the newest additions. NEXIS also includes the full text of Encyclopedia Britannica and the Federal Register. In accessing the New York Times, NEXIS users have a choice of entering several files: the Infobank, to search the New York Times full text; the ABS file, to search abstracts and descriptors; the AMI file, the NYTIS advertising and marketing intelligence service; a combined file of ABS and AMI; DDWA, Deadline Data on World Affairs; and TODAY, which displays daily summaries from the New York Times. NEXIS, however, is only available through a special terminal provided by Mead for which users pay a $50.00 monthly maintenance and database access charge, and an initial $400.00 installation fee (this fee is waived for previous NYTIS subscribers signing up with Mead). An additional printer for offline printing costs another $150.00 monthly. Mead is currently reissuing the NYTIS thesaurus with some embellishments and offering it to NEXIS subscribers at no extra cost.
Alaska Newspaper Index: Microcomputers and Information Access Company
Authors: Hales David , Artman Brenda
Published: February 2008

No one working at a library reference desk needs to be convinced of the importance of indexes to local newspapers. With the tremendous interest in genealogy and local history, both public and academic librarians are inundated with questions easily answered if a local newspaper index is available.
Which Dog? Which Book? A Shaggy Dog Tale
Authors: Branstad Barbara
Published: February 2008

Why does a library need reference sources concerning the various breeds of dogs? What kinds of questions are likely to be encountered which could be answered by books of this type? Some of the questions I have been asked include: “What kind of a dog is a Puli?” “Do you have a picture of an Irish Setter I can copy?” “What breed of dog is good with children and can live in an apartment?” “Do Tibetan Terriers really come from Tibet?” “I saw this dog but I don't know what it is. Can you help me identify it?”
Reference Serials
Authors: Quinlan Judith B. , Pilachowski David , Dallas Larayne J. , Veitch Carol J. , Gerke Ray , Carrington Bessie
Published: February 2008

“What above all marks out a reference book from other works is the way it is arranged: it must be deliberately designed for ease of consultation rather than for continuous reading.” “Ease of consultation,” an essential component for reference books, as stated by Gavin Higgens in his book Printed Reference Material, is a criterion that reference librarians often consider as they use reference books to answer questions. Reference book publishers have long used various special features designed to speed access to information in these sources. Thumb indexes for dictionaries come to mind immediately when one thinks of this type of special feature. Some publishers include printed index tabs listing sections or subject categories, as in The National Directory of Addresses and Telephone Numbers, where the tabs are on a separate sheet of paper to be attached to the appropriate pages by the librarian. Margin or edge indexes in the Washington Information Directory or in the Government Reports Announcements & Index provide quick identification of sections to turn to, and are easy to use for both patrons and librarians. Color can also be used as a device to distinguish different sections of a reference tool. Literary Market Place and Magazine Industry Market Place, for example, use yellow pages to separate the main body from the quick reference directory of names and telephone numbers. Of course, these devices are not substitutions for indexes or tables of contents, but are helpful to librarians and users who want to be more self‐sufficient. The editor of this column would like reference book publishers to consider including more of these devices in their publications. Readers are invited to write to this editor with other examples of special features which promote “ease of consultation” of reference serials.
Canadian Reference Books; Or Benevolent Ignorance Dispelled
Authors: Jarvi Edith T. , Henderson Diane
Published: February 2008

“The best things in life are free” goes a popular song of the twenties. One of those “best things” for a librarian developing a collection of Canadian materials is Guide to Selecting Canadian Materials: Bibliography of Bibliographies, which evaluates the major useful current and retrospective bibliographies. The Canadian Book Information Centre will send a free copy in response to your postcard.
The Literary Elite: Titles for the Making of the Reference Librarian in Literature
Authors: Gleaves Edwin S.
Published: February 2008

The question being asked is: “If you were stranded on a desert island and had to create a reference/information service with only ten sources, which ten would you choose?” Frankly, I destest the prospect of being stranded on a desert island, or even a lush one. The heat, the sand, the bugs, and who knows what other critters — this is not my idea of an atmosphere conducive to study and reflection. And I bet that those ten reference books would deteriorate from the humidity faster than I could say “Robinson Crusoe.”
Who Was That Masked Librarian?
Authors: Conrad Ellen P.
Published: February 2008

The LC Science Tracer Bullet, one of the most underused reference sources in many government documents collections, provides access to a wealth of information on subjects from beekeeping and folk‐medicine to aeronautics and lasers. Each Tracer Bullet is devoted to a specific topic and is designed “to help a reader begin to locate published materials on a subject about which he or she has only a general knowledge.” Developed in the style of Library Pathfinders, each explores the resources available on its topic and lists texts, handbooks, encyclopedias, dictionaries, bibliographies, government documents, and journal articles. Other sources such as the addresses and telephone numbers of relevant organizations are included and appropriate Library of Congress subject headings to use in searching for additional material are suggested.
Confronting 1984: A Librarian's Survival Guide to the Orwell Term Paper Explosion
Authors: Karel Thomas A.
Published: February 2008

For the past twenty‐five years or so, the writings of George Orwell — especially his final novel 1984 — have been a popular topic for student research. From junior high through graduate school, interest in Orwell has been consistent. Book reports, term papers, and even seminars on Orwell are common‐place in the national curriculum. Now, as the year 1984 arrives, librarians at all levels — public, school, academic — must brace themselves for a year‐long onslaught of requests for biographical and critical material on Orwell.
Black and White on Film: The Afro‐American Experience and the Movies
Authors: D'Aniello Charles
Published: February 2008

A picture is worth a thousand words; a motion picture is probably worth even more. The black experience in America is reflected both in movies with black themes and in white or general commercial films in which black actors and actresses perform. These films continue to reflect and influence white as well as black racial attitudes and self‐images. The various cinematic genres have vividly frozen in time the perceptions and stereotypes of each period. Studied over time, they compose a kaleidoscope of changing images and themes.
The Crisis in Academic Reference Work
Authors: Rettig James
Published: February 2008

Wanted: Assistant Reference Librarian. Minimum of seven years experience in reference in academic libraries required. To provide general reference service to faculty, staff, and students. Other responsibilities include database searching, bibliographic instruction, and assistance with interlibrary loan. Some evening and weekend hours required. ALA‐accredited MLS required, second master's degree desirable.
Sources for a Judaica Reference Collection
Authors: Rudavsky Arnona
Published: February 2008

The compilation of a core collection for Jewish reference sources raises a number of questions which must be confronted and answered. Should a Jewish reference collection be a listing of sources for the study of Judaism primarily as a religion, or primarily as a cultural group? Should the sources be leaning toward Biblical and Rabbinic studies or towards history, art, and music? For the purposes of this bibliography, I have chosen to concentrate on the cultural aspects of Judaism and Jews as a group to be studied. As such I have elected, somewhat arbitrarily, to exclude the primary sources of the study of Judaism as a religion, these sources being a Jewish version of an English translation of the Bible, an English copy of the Talmud, liturgies, and all of the supplementary primary sources which would be necessary. It is hoped, instead, that those items would be found in the religion section of the reference collection. Nevertheless, this core collection will provide the tools for any interested person seeking to include such sources in their Judaic reference collection.
Offensive Epithets in Six Dictionaries
Authors: Pierson Robert
Published: February 2008

Are we living in an age of sensitivity, with an increased awareness of how words contribute to happy and unhappy feelings? Or are we living in an age of anxiety, in response to pathological prickliness? Or, are we living in an age of both? Regardless of what we name our historical context, we cannot fail to realize that epithets which are perceived as offensive‐by those who use them, by those to whom they are applied, or by third parties‐can give rise to all sorts of unpleasantness. And regardless of our individual feelings and opinions about groups likely to take offense at some epithets used to refer to them, we surely want to know how our language may be received. If we are to offend, let it be knowingly!
Hiking Guides to the Rocky Mountains
Authors: Ernest Douglas J.
Published: February 2008

Within the past 20 years hiking and backpacking have enjoyed rapid growth among Americans as favorite outdoor activities. From 1965 to 1977 the number of hikers almost tripled, from 9.9 million to 28.1 million, while national forest visitor days among hikers and mountaineers increased from 4 million in 1966 to 11 million in 1979. Accompanying this growth in interest has been a boom in books about the sport. These include both “how‐to‐do‐it” volumes and guides to specific geographical areas. Each year brings another spate of books, yet to this compiler's knowledge no bibliography of hiking guides to the Rocky Mountains, one of North America's premier outdoor regions, has yet been attempted. This bibliography is an effort to correct that situation.
Trivia: Mundane, Arcane or Inane
Authors: Yates Rochelle
Published: February 2008

What was the older daughter's name on Father Knows Best? Who hit the ball that Willy Mays miraculously caught in the 1954 World Series? Who was Goldwater's running mate in 1964? These questions are less than earth‐shattering; in fact they are labeled as ‘trivia.’ But that does not mean that they are unimportant. Ask any librarian who has ever spent a half‐hour cross‐checking lists to find the one performer who won the Oscar, Emmy, Tony, and Grammy.
Online Access to Tests: The ETSF and MMYD Databases
Authors: Klingberg Susan
Published: February 2008

In 1983, BRS of Latham, New York introduced two databases entirely devoted to information on tests. The new databases are the Educational Testing Service Test Collection (search label ETSF) and the Mental Measurements Yearbook (search label MM‐YD). BRS is at present the only vendor for both databases. The ETSF file is produced by the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ and is based on their collection. The database has over 5,000 test records with newly acquired instruments added through quarterly updates. Tests included measure or assess achievement, aptitude, attitudes, interests, personality, sensory‐motor skills, special populations, and vocational/occupational areas. Both commercially available tests and unpublished research instruments are included. Foreign language versions of tests are also included. The searchable paragraphs are accession number, title, author, year, decriptors, identifiers, grade level, target audience, notes, abstract, availability, resource type, update code, and subtests. A unique feature of this database is the ability to search within a test for subtests that assess specific skills or factors.
Field Guides for Insects
Authors: Chiang Katherine S.
Published: February 2008

Insects have been on the earth for 350 million years, 348 million years longer than man. With one to two million species, insects account for over three‐fourths of the animal species on earth. They are found in practically every terrestrial habitat.
The Computer and Library Instruction
Authors: Tobin Carol , Tippet Harriet , Culkin Patricia , Walker Elizabeth
Published: February 2008

The computer is every day looming larger on the professional horizon of every librarian. Instruction librarians, too, must confront the realities and potential of the computer in their efforts to bring the library into the pedagogical mainstream of their institutions. Reference Services Review takes this opportunity to offer three different perspectives on how the computer relates to library instruction. Carol Tobin, Princeton University, discusses the impact that access to online bibliographic databases has on the instructional program of a library; Harriet Tippet, Lawrence University, addresses word processing applications for producing instructional materials and the use of the computer as a management tool for library instruction data; and Patricia Culkin and Elizabeth Walker focus on computer assisted instruction.
Biotechnology Information Sources
Authors: Barnett Judith B. , Sieburth Janice F.
Published: February 2008

The relatively new and rapidly growing field of biotechnology encompasses several disciplines, including microbiology, biochemistry, and chemical engineering. The critical elements in biotechnology, which is not itself a discipline, are a biological organism or system, human intervention in the natural process, and the application of the results to an industrial process. One of the most dramatic and most basic examples of biotechnology is recombinant DNA technology, or genetic engineering, which involves the manipulation of genetic material. The production of genetically engineered organisms on a large scale for use in industrial processes combines the efforts of biologists and engineers. Microorganisms and other biological agents such as enzymes, whole cells, and cell components are used in industrial processes in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and food industries; and in energy production, agriculture, aquaculture, mining, waste disposal, and pollution control.
Sci‐Mate: A Review
Authors: Pisciotta Henry
Published: February 2008

Sci‐Mate consists of two components: the Universal Online Searcher, a gateway program for accessing online databases; and the Personal Data Manager, a database management system that facilitates the design and manipulation of databases on the microcomputer. In this article, Henry Pisciotta discusses the flexibility and limitations of Sci‐Mate.
Guide to Medieval History
Authors: Vincent Steven F.
Published: February 2008

In the past 50 years, numerous reference books have been written on the subjects of medieval history, art, literature, and philosophy. Steven F. Vincent provides a guide to selecting modern, as well as standard, sources of information on the Middle Ages.
How Responsive is Bibliographic Instruction to the Needs of Users?
Authors: Stanger Keith J.
Published: February 2008

Conducting research in an academic library requires more time and tenacity than many people have. Keith J. Stanger suggests ways to rectify this problem.
America's Last Frontier: Reference Books about Alaska
Authors: Hales David A.
Published: February 2008

Despite widespread interest in the resources and people of Alaska, few libraries outside of the state maintain extensive collections on these subjects. In this article, David A. Hales reviews a multifarious sample of informative materials.
Tracing German Ancestry
Authors: Wright Raymond S.
Published: February 2008

In recent years, many Americans have become curious about the identities and histories of their progenitors. Here, RSR's expert on genealogical research describes materials and agencies that will aid persons of German ancestry in their investigations.
Sources of Social Work and Social Welfare Statistics
Authors: Mendelsohn Henry N.
Published: February 2008

A major problem facing social work educators and students, as well as practitioners and policy formulators, is that of finding valid statistical data on social welfare and social work. As social work moves in the direction of becoming an empirically‐based profession, it will no doubt place a greater emphasis on the use of such data.
Sources of Etymological Reference in the English Language
Authors: Gray Richard A.
Published: February 2008

While granting Cowper the full poetic license he is entitled to, prosaically I must observe that it is not the syllables but rather the philogists who pant. They do indeed breathe rapidly in short gasps after they have established each successively deeper level of root connection in pursuit of the etymological purpose of delineating the origin and historical development of words, or of providing an account of any given word. Etymology as so defined I will designate analytic etymology and distinguish from another form of word study, which I shall call reconstructive etymology.
These Are a Few of Our Favorite Things: Reference Works for Genealogists
Authors: Shoiock Roff Sandra
Published: February 2008

Each year, more than eighteen thousand visitors make their way into the United States History, Local History, and Genealogy Division of the New York Public Library, which contains reference works from every part of the world. Actively collecting since 1847, the division has acquired a reputation as one of the most comprehensive collections of its kind in the nation.
Urban Planning Resources in Libraries
Authors: Carpenter Robert D. , Nixon Judith M.
Published: February 2008

Anyone doing research in urban planning soon realizes that it is an interdisciplinary field. Planners draw upon the research and publications of many fields, such as economics, engineering, architecture, and geography, to name only a few. This guide is compiled to help urban planners and researchers find their way through the many publications they will need. It will answer the often posed questions: What reference materials are available? Where are they located? How does one use them?
February: American History Month in Massachusetts
Authors: Jones Kenneth W.
Published: February 2008

As the field of history expands with each passing decade, so does the number of reference works on historical events. Many fine reference works have been released in recent years, and the following is an annotated list of some of those that librarians ought to consider purchasing. The materials included were published in the decade beginning with the American Bicentennial. The scope of the bibliography is also limited to certain subjects deemed appropriate by the author, and excludes a number of excellent works that were considered too limited (bibliographies of individuals, for example), even though they might well be proper purchases for a library's reference collection. Also excluded, generally, are those works that are revisions of earlier works. The range of subjects included within the larger context of “American history” is somewhat dependent on the materials actually published, and the author has attempted to select only those materials that have received favorable reviews.
August: Ostomy Awareness Month
Authors: Baker Vicki
Published: February 2008

Ostomy Awareness Month is an attempt to combat the lack of public knowledge about ostomies and provide forums for the discussion of ostomy‐related issues among families, patients, health care professionals, and others.
November: The History of Aviation Month
Authors: Bachman James R.
Published: February 2008

Although aviation is an indispensable part of modern transportation, it attracts less popular attention today than at any time during this century. Ironically, the very dominance of aviation, with its attendant “professionalization,” has stolen much of its romance.
National Women's History Week:First Week in March
Authors: Peregoy Marjorie , Rholes Julia M. , Tucker Sandra L.
Published: February 2008

This is a resource guide for librarians who wish to gather books and other materials to use in promoting National Women's History Week or, as it will be soon, National Women's History Month. The emphasis is on history rather than on current women's issues. Most of the materials cited have appeared within the past ten years, but a few important older works are included as well.
National Coin Week: Third Week in April
Authors: Peregoy Marjorie
Published: February 2008

Each year, National Coin Week, the third week in April, brings together coin enthusiasts in honor of one of the world's oldest and most popular pastimes. Numismatics, the study and collecting of coins, draws a large following with a variety of interests. Some have specific interests, such as primitive monies, error coins, counterfeits, or commemoratives. Others study coins for the insight they offer into art, royalty, military history, or politics and economics. Regardless of the reason, coin collectors have an important role. As precious metals disappear from coins, and coin usage decreases, the history represented by coins may become the province of the collector.
National Fire Prevention Week: Week of 9 October
Authors: Wiese William
Published: February 2008

Fire Prevention Week takes place during the week of 9 October, the date of the great Chicago fire. Fire prevention in the narrow sense refers to precautionary measures taken to prevent the outbreak of fires. In books, articles, and other materials on the subject, however, fire prevention often encompasses the broader terms of fire science, fire protection, and fire safety.
The Oregon Public Access Catalog Project
Authors: Tallmadge Alice J.
Published: February 2008

When former Assistant Oregon State Librarian (now Iowa State Librarian) Shirley George talked about the Oregon State Library's pioneering OPAC system, she began with a story about another Oregon State librarian, a spunky, turn‐of‐the‐century innovator named Cornelia Marvin. According to George, Cornelia was energetic, determined, and very much committed to getting information to the public using any means available.
The Oxford Companion to English Literature
Authors: Budd John
Published: February 2008

What hath Harvey wrought? In 1932 Sir Paul Harvey edited the first version of this “useful companion to ordinary everyday readers of English literature” (Harvey 1932, p.v). Harvey provided a guide to writers, some of their writings, some allusions, places, and some other information pertinent to an informed appreciation of English literature. Because of the nature of the work—the one‐volume companion—Harvey made the decision to eschew “Completeness in a moderate compass, and the equipment of a specialist at all points” (ibid.).
A Primer on Federal Income Tax Service
Authors: Kendrick Aubrey W.
Published: February 2008

A subject that often causes trouble for reference librarians is federal income tax research and the use of tax services. This article describes the sources of federal income tax law, sources used to interpret the tax laws, and the services that pull all of this information together for the researcher.
History—Periodicals—Directories
Authors: Everett David
Published: February 2008

According to the introduction, this five volume set is intended to update Eric H. Boehm and Lalit Adolphus's Historical Periodicals: An Annotated World List of Historical and Related Serial Publications (Santa Barbara, CA: Clio Press, 1961). That goal is met admirably. The editors have combed the standard periodical sources, as well as the periodical lists of relevant European indexing services, and produced a list of 8,900 periodicals in history and related fields. The coverage is worldwide. While the United States has the most entries, these entries represent only about fifteen percent of the total.
The National Archives and Electronic Data
Authors: Hedlin Edie , Harrison Donald F.
Published: February 2008

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), located in Washington, DC, is the final repository for records of the federal government. NARA's holdings span 200 years of American history and include an immense range of detail on the operations of federal agencies. The National Archives also contains a wealth of information about the actions and opinions of American society, individually and collectively, over time.
REFSIM: A Bimodal Knowledge‐based Reference Training and Consultation System
Authors: Parrott James R.
Published: February 2008

Reference departments across North America have been struggling in recent years with a “reference crisis.” This crisis is characterized by too much demand for service, too many low‐level and repetitive questions, not enough time to answer more challenging questions properly, too few staff to give service at all hours when it is needed, and so on. At the same time, there is a growing concern with the quality of reference service being provided. Reference departments are being exhorted to evaluate the quality of their reference service and to take measures, if necessary, to bring it up to an acceptable standard. But these two issues, the reference crisis and reference evaluation, are related. No amount of staff training or job rotation can improve the standard of reference if the problems associated with the reference crisis are not addressed as well.
SLIMMER—A UNIX™ System‐Based Information Retrieval System
Authors: Waldstein Robert K.
Published: February 2008

SLIMMER is a powerful information retrieval system running under the UNIX operating system. Its development was guided by the needs of the library network operated by Bell Laboratories (hereafter Library Network). These needs include the ability to create and maintain a variety of different but often interrelated databases, and to provide controlled access to these databases by both Library Network staff and the users of the Library Network. To meet these needs, SLIMMER has to be a quality information retrieval system with the additional attribute of considerable flexibility. This flexibility has proved especially necessary to meet the needs of a user community and company as diverse and as much in transition as is AT&T.
Contemporary issues bibliographies
Authors: Berman Joan
Published: February 2008

Serially published bibliographies raise a number of issues across all areas of library operations and generate a bewildering array of policies, procedures, and problems. Initially there is the question of collection development and acquisition: Are these titles to be identified and purchased individually for their specific subject coverage, or are they to be placed on standing order? The answer to this question may depend on whether the individual titles are to be classified together as a series or separately by subject. A library may choose to purchase such series selectively or comprehensively. Sometimes the format of the series is a factor. Are the individual volumes numbered or otherwise prominently identified as part of an ongoing series, or are they a little more separate in their identity? Their physical location within a given library's collections may also be a consideration: Will they be located in the reference collection, in the general book stacks, or in a special collection or branch? Ultimately, there is the question of their access and use. Will patrons be able to find these bibliographies through public catalogs and/or indexes and abstracts (in whatever their formats), or will reference librarians have to direct users to them? The answer to this question will very likely influence how the other questions are answered.
Lives of the Poets, Novelists, and Dramatists: The Wilson Authors Series
Authors: Ferguson Gary L.
Published: February 2008

Some reference books are not only useful but a pleasure to read. For anyone interested in literature, the outstanding example is the Wilson Authors Series, which, for over fifty years, has provided excellent summaries of the lives and works of critically acclaimed or popular writers known to English‐speaking readers. Through their coverage of minor writers and inclusion of the autobiographical statements of many twentieth‐century writers, these volumes have constituted a valuable record of the literary scene. Despite the proliferation of literary reference works in recent years, some covering more authors, others providing lengthier articles, the Wilson series has remained a cornerstone of the reference collections of libraries of all sizes and a model of concise biographical writing.
Proposition 48 and User Education for Athletes
Authors: Jesudason Melba
Published: February 2008

At the 1983 winter meeting of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Proposition 48 (P48) was enacted as an initial step in reforming the state of collegiate athletics. Proposition 48 has two components: P48 and P48B. The first component states that 1) incoming first‐year students must have attained at least a 2.0 grade point average in eleven “core” college preparatory courses, which must include three English courses, two math courses, two social science courses, and two natural or physical sciences courses (including one lab section); and 2) incoming first‐year students must score at least seven hundred on the SAT or fifteen on the ACT. P48B states that 1) first‐year students who do not meet the minimum grade requirements of P48 may still enroll in the university of their choice if accepted; 2) first‐year students who do not meet the minimum requirements of P48 are ineligible for athletics their first year; 3) they will have three years of eligibility remaining provided their academic progress is satisfactory during their ineligible year. The rulings, which stipulate that the nation's 277 Division I college and universities meet the requirements, became effective in August 1986. P48 has thus taken a small step in communicating to high school and college athletes that they must do well academically if they wish to receive athletic scholarships.
The Psychology of Adult Development and Aging: A Survey of Reference Sources
Authors: Havill Bingham Karen
Published: February 2008

The population of the United States is aging. Throughout most of the twentieth century, the older population of this country has grown far more rapidly than any other age group. During the past two decades alone, the population over sixty‐five years of age has grown fifty‐four percent, while the under sixty‐five age group has increased only twenty‐four percent.
A Selective Guide to Training Literature for the Reference Librarian/Trainer
Authors: Woodard Beth S.
Published: February 2008

Reference librarians in various library settings are often assigned responsibilities for training students, support staff, or other new professionals, a task for which they rarely have sufficient professional education. This bibliography recommends readings on topics that will assist reference librarians in understanding the philosophy of staff development. The readings listed here cover subjects such as: establishing an atmosphere that facilitates learning, assessing training needs, describing competent performance, writing clear and specific objectives, selecting appropriate training methods, maintaining skills and providing feedback, and evaluating the effectiveness of a training program.
INFOTRAC and WILSONDISC: A Comparison of New Technologies
Authors: Ernest Douglas J. , Lange Holley R.
Published: February 2008

With the introduction of optical disc technologies in the mid‐1980s, access to periodical literature has entered a new era. Although librarians perceive inadequacies with some of the new systems and the means by which they deliver information, users have embraced them enthusiastically.
Animal Rights: Selected Resources and Suggestions for Further Study
Authors: Davidoff Donald J.
Published: February 2008

Animal rights is a growing social justice movement opposed to all forms of animal exploitation and abuse. Animal rights is not animal welfare. It is not pet therapy, wildlife conservation, or the services of the local humane society. Although it shares concerns with other organizations interested in the welfare of animals, the animal rights movement is activist and progressive, rejecting the view that animals are resources to be used for human purposes.
Reference Advisory Systems (RAS): Some Practical Issues
Authors: Carande Robert
Published: February 2008

A reference advisory system (RAS) is a public access expert system that provides reference suggestions based on user information needs. It is designed to run without the presence of the “expert.” I use the acronym “RAS” to distinguish this kind of computerized reference tool from more sophisticated and elaborate expert systems such as REFSIM and Plexus. The hallmark of the RAS is ease of construction and update.