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The article focuses on the instruction a la carte menu for instruction librarians and professors to make them understand how much time is needed to be spent on each library topic. The team will assign a price to each commonly requested topic. If the total cost exceeds the class session, they can cut topics or buy two instruction sessions. The team hoped that the menu would communicate to the professors the limitations of a single 50-minute session. The distribution of the menu's URL in e-mail sent to faculty is the most effective strategy. Professors will click on the link and can learn about the variety instruction choices and can fill-up online request form.

This article includes perspectives in readers advisory from long-time librarians as well as new librarians. There are practices through which librarians can become a better readers advisor. These practices include writing a reading list regularly, listening to audio books, challenging one's self to read several books on a particularly genre, visiting book fairs and events, connecting with book authors and library patrons, and volunteering in readers advisory classes. It also entails browsing exhibitions and bookstore, skimming newspapers for book reviews, remembering the literary style of authors and encouraging the library staff to attend readers advisory training. There are also resources which can be used by librarians to improve readers advisory. Such resources include web sites like Fiction archives and book lists, Webrary and What Do I Read Next?. These electronic databases give up-to-date reading lists and suggest books to read. S. N. Ranganathan's five laws of library science also apply to readers advisory. These are: books are for use; every book its reader; every reader his book; save the time of the reader; and, the library is a growing organism. All in all, a librarian would find that readers advisory is fun and with the right planning, this task can be most rewarding in itself.

The article reports that in 1996, administrative scientist Karl Weick published a particularly interesting article addressing change and the need to know when to "drop the tools," of one's profession if they become ineffective. Although Weick was writing at the time specifically to the field of administrative science, his points are pertinent to other professions as well. Weick tells the story of forest firefighters in two different situations where their failure to drop heavy firefighting tools slowed them down in the face of dramatic, exploding wildfires, to the degree that they were unable to outrun and thus survive the fires. Weick explores the inability of the fire-fighters to drop their tools when confronted with situations of rapid change and suggests that an analysis of the incidents can serve as a framework for professions as they face issues of change. Weick uses a broad definition of tools and includes such tools as professional practices and patterns of thinking. Thus, from Weick's analysis, "drop your tools" becomes a powerful metaphor that has value in a variety of settings, among them the field of library and information science. Weick's metaphor of tool dropping provides an excellent backdrop for analyzing the flexibility and adaptability of the information profession.

Presents information on the American Library Association (ALA). ALA staff directory; ALA offices; Electronic communication with ALA.

Focuses on the 'ALA Handbook of Organization' from the American Library Association (ALA). Tips on how to use the handbook; Information about ALA.

This article provides information on the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) meeting, held from August 18-24, 1990 in Stockholm, Sweden. Institution meetings allegedly feature tours, library visits and receptions. Most attendees schedule time for pure tourism. Armed with maps and guidebooks, attendees fanned throughout the city and came back amazed of the absence of poverty and the cost of living in the country. Librarianship, complex bureaucratic cartography, and acronymic dyslexia allegedly represent the similarities between IFLA and the American Library Association. U.S. attendees in Stockholm seemed to fall into two groups, namely IFLA devotees and IFLA skeptics. The devotees spoke passionately about windows on the library world and global society. The skeptics, on the other hand, questioned the institution's clubbiness, elitism, sexism, old boyism, and failure to confront ethical, social and political issues such as equality of access to information. One skeptic, a university librarian, described IFLA as the quintessential old boys club, a small group not eager to give up power. The skeptics' views were brought home by two demonstrations, one of which allegedly turned violent. INSET: Random quotes, notes on IFLA and Stockholm..

Presents news briefs on events and issues related to the American Library Association (ALA) as of June, 1989. Staffing announcements at the ALA headquarters, such as the appointment of Beverly Thymes as systems coordinator for production; Creation of student chapters of the ALA, including the first one at the University of Michigan/Ann Arbor; Seek for help on projects currently being dealt with by the ALA.

Presents news briefs on events and issues in regards to the American Library Association as of May, 1989. Support to facilitate traveling "Seeds" exhibit by the National Endowment for the Humanities; Naming of Charles Harmon as new Headquarters librarian of the American Library Association; Approval of four programs by the American Libraries Committee on Accreditation; Other news briefs.

Presents a perspective on the arrival of electronic technology to library science. Potential of libraries for tremendous yield from reasonable investment in novel approaches to the information transaction; First uses of new technology; Call for active librarianship; Different view of the librarian as a component of library service; Vision of an 'electronic information society.'

The article reveals the possible shortage of librarians in the U.S. from 2000-2012. It is observed that librarians are retiring on average at age 62 and that the numbers of librarians working past 65 has decreased dramatically. The primary factor that has led to the aging workforce is a decline in young people choosing library and information science as a career during the past two decades.

This article talks about the duties of a reference librarian at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Research Library. The popular concept of the duties of a reference librarian answering questions at a reference desk or at his or her own desk does constitute an important part of Nancy Allmang's job. In addition to identifying information, she also analyzes, packages, and delivers it to the scientists and management. It is one thing to solicit feedback, another to have the support to respond. Allmang gave this example, which may seem small, but has proved a big boon to researchers.

This article offers advice on how to break the language barrier between librarians and students in the library by reducing the use of library jargons and educating students on the terminology that they need to know. Furthermore, this article puts a heavy emphasis on the need to explain library collections and systems to students while minimizing the use of library jargons so as to establish a better line of communication between librarians and students.

Announces that Alaska librarian June Pinnell-Stephens and the Texas advocacy group Mainstream Montgomery County (MMC) as recipients of the 2003 Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award. Identification of the institution that gave the awards; Involvement of Pinnell-Stephens in intellectual freedom activities with various library associations; Contribution of MMC in removing two award-winning sex-education books from the shelves of the Texas library system.

Offers the author's thoughts on libraries. The work of information science; The library degree; What it means to be a librarian.

Presents news briefs related to events and issues regarding information and library science. Discovery at the Multnomah County, Oregon Library by officials that the builders of the building never installed steel support beams in some non-load-bearing walls; Effect that the discovery will have on the budget; Donation by United States Senator George A. Smathers to the University of Florida libraries; Retirement of associate librarian for collection services at the Library of Congress, Henriette D. Avram; Background of Avram.

Provides answers by the editor and readers to questions concerning library and information services. Use of computer-aided design programs for library space planning; Acquisition of inexpensive titles on the martial arts; Use of closed-access systems to circulate compact discs; Other answers to questions.

Comments on different publications on library science and information science in the U.S. Impact on the library profession; Range of issues and subject matter explored by the publications; Theoretical significance.

Examines how librarians responded in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. Role of librarians in delivering information and interacting with patrons; Why libraries are about communities; How librarians saw their service as a direct response to the attacks; Librarians as listeners; Focus on sharing.

Discusses stereotypes related to librarians and library science. Opinion of the author that as a reference librarian, he is often praised for possessing abilities which in his estimation are trivial and commonplace; How public perception affects the insecurity of librarians; Suggestion that the phrase 'library science' is an inaccurate description of a librarian's expertise.

Presents updates to events and issues concerning information and library science. Order by the Sacramento city council members for the Sacramento Public Library to open all five floors of the city's new central public library when it opens next July. Amount of the current city deficit; Amount that the library says it needs immediately; Cost cutting moves, such as disbanding a 14-person telephone reference service; New job for former dean of the University of Wisconsin library system, D. Kaye Gapen, as the director of the university library at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU); Details of conflict-of-interest charges leveled against her at Wisconsin.

Discusses the establishment of the Inter Association Task Force on the Enhancement of the Image of the Librarian/Information Professional by Special Libraries Association President Joe Ann Clifton. Reasons for creating the task force, such as assessing the stereotypes of librarians; Process of how the task force was created, such as the survey of corporate executives and other professionals; Plans to hold an essay contest for library school students; Members on the task force.

Discusses referendum efforts of various community and library groups to keep and improve library services. Park Forest Public Library tax reform efforts in Park Forest, Illinois; Three-year renewal of the library millage in Grosse Point, Michigan; Approval of an annexation of the Oakwood Township Public Library District Services in Oakwood Township, Illinois; Other town library referendums.

Offers tips to librarians on how to better their library services. Posted published papers of school professors to build school pride; Slogans as an effective tool to advertise books and reading; Ideas for how to deal with unruly children.

Presents quotes from people in the information and library science fields. Quote in the "Saturday Evening Post" about librarians being taken for granted; Impact of supercomputers on the quality of a university from "Online Libraries and Microcomputers" newsletter; Quotes from "Outlook '89 and Beyond" on the future of book publishing; Other quotes.