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This article comments on an article on the role of academic libraries in achieving information literacy on U.S. colleges. While the author concurs that the academic library should play central role in developing more information-literate students, the author does not believe that mandated instruction is the solution. The collection development, reference, and research assistant are not passive functions. These are all collaborative activities when done well and are ways for librarians to introduce faculty to the instructional role of librarians. It does a disservice to the profession when librarians lament about the lack of respect teaching faculty have for librarians. This negativism only marginalizes librarians and continues the perception that librarians are on the peripheral, taking a backseat to faculty when it comes to instructional issues. Additionally, librarians have a long history of serving as members of the university committee approving curricular changes, as well as on subcommittees responsible for major curricular initiatives such as the freshman seminar requirement, the implementation of writing intensive courses, and the major restructuring of general education courses to include elements such as active learning, critical thinking, and information literacy.

The article discusses the Resource Description and Access (RDA) library cataloging code, providing information particularly for librarians not familiar with cataloging. It focuses on the development of RDA as well as the significance of RDA for library science and library information. Differences between RDA and its predecessor, the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, second edition (AACR2), are examined. Other topics discussed include the history of 19th- and 20th-century cataloging codes, the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) conceptual model, and the advantages of RDA.

Mentoring is an important socializing process for the library profession. Although mentoring may involve ad hoc arrangements between individuals, professional associations play an important role in facilitating mentoring. This article reports on mentoring programs (formal and informal) in professional library associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author explores some of the theme covered by the journal "Reference & User Services Quarterly" from the 1980s and 1990s. She mentions the Reference & User Services Association and its attempts to develop online catalogs. She cites a number of articles related to reference services. She reflects on the lessons she learned from the journal.

The article reflects on the things learned from the Reference and User Services Association and from the profession of reference and public services librarianship by examining volumes of the "Reference & User Services Quarterly" journal from the 1960s and 1970s. Since its beginning the association has been concerned with the development of standards. Throughout the 1960s the journal reported on statewide efforts in the U.S. to implement regional reference systems. Jesse Shera wrote an article on the impact of mechanization on reference librarianship.

The article presents reference sources and public services for caregivers of elderly persons in the U.S. These include Eldercare 911: The Caregiver's Complete Handbook for Making Decisions, by Susan Beerman and Judith Rappaport-Musson, Women in the Middle: Their Parent Care Years, 2nd ed., by Elaine M. Brody, eldercare.gov, nia.nih.gov, abanet.org, alzforum.org, diabetes.niddk.nih.gov, How to Avoid Falling: A Guide for Active Aging and Independence, by Eric Fredrikson and Another Country: Navigating the Emotional Terrain of Our Elders, by Mary Pipher.

The article introduces Sikhism and suggests strategies and specific resources for building a basic library collection on Sikh religion and culture. Sikhism was founded by guru Nanak Dev hundreds of years ago in Punjab, India. Followers of the Sikh religion are called Sikhs, which means disciple or learner. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion; its followers believe that there is one single, all-powerful, and loving God who has no gender or form. Some popular works on Sikh faith, philosophy, culture, art, history and the Sikh Diaspora include "Sikh Art and Literature," edited by Kerry Brown, and "Being and Becoming a Sikh," by I. J. Singh.

The article discusses factors driving change, strategies for predicting future trends in reference and public services librarianship and the role of the Reference & Users Services Association (RUSA). The four broad factors driving change include shrinking budgets, the millennial generation, technology and big box bookstores. For libraries to identify factors and predict trends that will drive change, they should employ environmental scanning, which is also sometimes referred to as external assessment. For its part, RUSA is employing technology to deliver news about the association.

This article explores recent trends in reference and public services librarianship. According to statistics, reference transactions began to decline in 1998 and have decreased every subsequent year. The nature of reference queries has changed, due to the increased use of the Internet and email. Some approaches to changing reference patterns are presented. Trends in reference libraries include consolidation of service points and libraries, increased integration of public and technical services, partnership between libraries and an increase in the marketing of library services to the public.

This article acts as an introduction to digital collections that can be used to locate images relating to American history. A discussion of the use of search engines, image databases, subscription services, local online catalogs, and print indexes to images is presented. Technology has changed the way in which historians view and search for historical images from the past. Several features of search engines are compared. Summaries of databases that provide access to historical images are listed. Some institutions have shared their information in an effort to decentralize collections of historical images. Some strategies are suggested for locating images in print resources. Also included is contact information for visual organizations and discussion groups.

This article looks at the writings of several young feminists. Works of young feminists was launched throughout the 1990s and has rapidly proliferated in the early 2000s. Several books published in the early 1990s by women who proclaimed themselves feminists tapped into this ambivalence by demonizing the feminist movement and setting themselves up as the new arbiters of fun and power: Katie Roiphe's The Morning After: Sex, Fear and Feminism on Campus; Naomi Wolf's Fire with Fire: The New Female Power and How It Will Change the Twenty-First Century; and Camille Paglia's Sex, Art, and American Culture. These three books claimed that contemporary feminism had devolved into what they called victim feminism, in which women derived all of their rhetorical power from claiming to be victims, particularly of sexual violence. The celebration of the power and possibilities of contradiction is a central tenet of third-wave feminism. Leslie Heywood and Jennifer Drake, in their introduction to Third Wave Agenda, Being Feminist, Doing Feminism, root this phenomenon in the sociohistorical moment at which young feminists came of age. The predominant third-wave vision of past feminist success is that its main function has been to allow women today to make whatever choices they want, choices they did not have the freedom to make in the past. Comedienne Aisha Tyler provides a vivid description of this point of view in her book Swerve: Reckless Observations of a Postmodern Girl.

This article explores some of the free online assistance available to public or academic reference librarians faced with music reference questions. It will also discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of using Internet tools, examines some of the inadequacies of the free Internet when faced with questions on copyrighted music, and provides examples of some resources to be found online. Musical information on the Internet, as well as in more traditional library information formats, can be difficult to find, especially for those without musical training. Luckily for libraries,the Internet has become the favored information outlet for more than just the garage band; universities, composers, scholars, publishers, associations, and organizations are all putting important knowledge and information online. Many people are working to make it easier for specialists and nonspecialists alike to locate music information through subject directories and catalogs. Databases and other kinds of online information retrieval systems also show a lot of potential. The Internet will only become more useful and important as it develops over time. It may take awhile to make finding music information online simple, but as music is a fundamental aspect of all human cultures, many will keep working to make it available and accessible.

The article presents print and electronic information resources about meditation research. The book, The Relaxation Response by Herbert Benson, The Relaxation Response was a bestseller and was subsequently published in various countries, languages, formats and editions. This book is controversial among those who believe that the spiritual elements of meditation are necessary to reap its benefits; that is why it is an important part of any meditation collection. In print; also available in large print, VHS videotape and audiotape. The book, Scientific Research on the Transcendental Meditation Program Collected Papers edited by David W. Orme-Johnson and John T. Farrow, is the complete official collection of research papers on Transcendental Meditation (TM) published by the TM organization. This edition is the compilation of the reports of the 508 research studies on the TM method and TM-Sidhi Program, a program for advanced practitioners, with some that are not included in the first edition of the papers. TM is a method of meditation originating in India and taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi throughout the world beginning in the late 1950s. The article, An Analysis of Recent Meditation Research and Suggestions for Future Directions by Shauna L. Shapiro and Roger Walsh, reviews the recent literature of meditation research, including the most well designed studies on meditation. The authors discuss the psychological, physiological, and transpersonal aspects, dividing meditation into two basic types: concentration and awareness. The site, Health Emotions Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, provides descriptions of state-of-the-art research facilities and descriptions of current research projects, including a recent study of mindfulness meditation.

This article explores the role of libraries in supporting volunteers in their effort against obesity, through the provision of reliable information from health science journals, and presents a case study of an obese library user who was motivated by reading health references. Librarians need a two-part policy that respects obese library users. The first part of the policy is to state that their customers have a right to decide what to do or not do, with their weight, without any unsolicited, intrusive actions on the part of their librarians. The second part is that librarians should recognize the right of their customers to have reliable information that would enable them to manage their individual problems of weight loss when and if they decide to do so and then prepare for their needs with heightened awareness of good sources.

This article seeks to suggest titles that both create a core collection of road bicycling books and offer selections to create a deeper collection as well. Any road-cycling collection needs to have books on the great races. Unfortunately, there are precious few books on the Spring Classics, and most are either long out of print or in a foreign language. Marguerite Lazell's book Tour de France: The Illustrated History, follows a year-by-year format as it covers the tour from 1903 to 2002. James Startt's Tour de France--Tour de Force: A Visual History of the World's Greatest Bicycle Race, was released to celebrate the centennial of the race and includes an introduction by Greg LeMond and a preface by Samuel Abt. The Official Tour de France Centennial 1903-2003, is the only centennial work endorsed by the Tour de France organization. Les Woodland's The Unknown Tour de France: The Many Faces of the World's Biggest Bicycle Race, covers the history of the Tour. He uses anecdotes to show how the Tour has developed since its inception in 1903 and expands upon the people who created the Tour. There is more to the cycling canon than books on riders and riding. A whole host of books are available that range from nonfiction armchair travel to novels that are classics in their field.

Provides information resources about alternative medicine. Books on energetic techniques; Examples of popularized approaches; Web sites about complementary and alternative medicines.

Presents Web sites for hospitality and tourism industries in the U.S. Services provided by the hospitality industry; Content of the Hospitality Net site; Resources offered through the Web site of the American Gaming Association; Information on using the National Restaurant Association Web site; Example of the online information provided by the American Society of Travel Agents.

Focuses on the significance of the ability to track trends in science and technology, particularly on the potential for studies relating to protein science for libraries. Discussion on proteomics as a model for collection development; Details on the traits and behaviors of next big thing in science; Identification of journals that repeatedly report on proteomics.

Provides information on the core sources treating the history of U.S. colonies. Description of events which happened in the 17th century; Books covering migration and settlement; Resources on social, cultural, and literary history.

Focuses on the introduction of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) resources for business applications. Applications of GIS in business; Review of the development of GIS in the United States; Challenges that have direct implications for the use of GIS by business; Steps in incorporating business geographics into business reference service; List of resources on GIS.

Provides tips on proper tax planning. History of the United States income tax; Legal terminology; Books that offer information on tax planning.

Provides information on reference sources about Islam. `Encyclopedia of Islam' software; `A Popular Dictionary of Islam,' edited by Ian Richard Netton; `The Oxford History of Islam,' edited by John L. Esposito.

Presents a collection of reference materials on vampire myths. `Treatise on Vampires and Revenants: The Phantom World,' by Dom Augustin Calmet and translated by Henry Christmas; `The Vampire: His Kith and Kin,' by Montague Summers; `The Natural History of the Vampire,' by Anthony Masters.

Provides an overview of common business resources that can help searchers conduct preliminary screenings of potential trademarks. Several certification marks in the United States; Special considerations for trademark screening; Trademark registration and databases; General business and association directories.

Provides a definition and history of the food guide pyramid. Importance on the variations on the pyramid; Criteria for the selection of healthy eating resources; List of Internet and print resources on the topic.

Describes some print and electronic resources for baby boomers. `The Virtues of Aging,' Jimmy Carter; `Ernst & Young's Retirement Planning Guide'; `Dave Barry Turns Fifty,' by Dave Barry; `Fifty Fabulous Planned Retirement Communities for Active Adults,' by Robert Greenwald.

Presents information on marketing processes and some of the best print and electronic resources for market researchers. Primary goal of market research; Methods used by companies in marketing their products; Sites to consider in issues of marketing.

The essay discusses customer service in libraries, and offers the author's opinion that insufficient focus is given to customer service and satisfaction in most libraries. She argues that serving patrons is an essential function of all libraries, and states that librarians should continually work to improve the service they offer to their users.

The article discusses a program at Johnson and Wales University (JWU) in Charlotte, North Carolina that implemented an informationist role in the duties of academic librarians. The focus of this position was to search information resources and provide context after consulting with information consumers rather than leave this task to faculty. The authors discuss how librarians consulted professors looking for assistance working on research projects. Research methods used by librarians to present faculty with a research summary report included website searching, researching proprietary databases, and using library catalogs. According to the article, this new position benefited faculty research, advanced faculty teaching and learning, and increased awareness of library services.

The article discusses ways in which librarians can harness their contact with patrons to inform them about copyright issues that have arisen as a result of open access initiatives. The author comments on the reluctance of librarians to navigate the legalities of copyright found in the 2010 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) report titled "Fair Use Challenges in Academic and Research Libraries." Topics include the reuse of copyrighted materials in academic library course reserves, the responsibility for large amounts of digital content that libraries generate, and the use of the Creative Commons license which encourages reuse of copyrighted material.

An essay is presented on the author's experience as a reference librarian having to train herself to work in the archived special collections on Franco-American life at the University of Southern Maine. She discusses how she attained the position when the coordinator for the collection was lost, and the challenges it presented.

The article examines the response of the Chicago Public Library to the financial challenges faced during the Great Depression in the U.S. during the 1930s. The effects of increased unemployment on library use, demands on library hours, and library staffing are discussed and the effect of budget cuts on library priorities is explored. The impact of reduced book budgets on circulation, appeals to the public for financial support, and dependence on state aid are also discussed. Comparisons between the effect of the Depression and the global financial crisis of 2008-2009 on U.S. public libraries are explored.

The article presents information gathered from members of the Academic Business Library Directors (ABLD) Association regarding business library trends in 2008-2009. Business library initiatives, organizational changes, and physical library space are discussed. Issues connected with collection development and vendors, business school concerns, and effects of the 2008 global financial crisis are also examined. Particular focus is given to library budget issues, library technology, and the use of social network and Web 2.0 technologies in libraries.

The article discusses various reports published within the issue including one that focuses on the job stress that is experienced by reference librarians.

A preface to volume 47, issue 4 of "Reference & User Services Quarterly," is presented.

An interview with 2006-2007 Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) President Connie Van Fleet is presented. When asked about library school application rates, Van Fleet comments that enrollment at American Library Association (ALA) accredited library schools has increased steadily since 1999. She discusses the demographic profiles of library students and the selection of librarianship as a second career. Van Fleet also discusses the graying of the library profession.

The author ponders on the future of reference services. She comments on the presentation of Maria Radford, an associate professor in the Rutgers University School of Communication, at a two-day Penn State University Libraries reference retreat regarding reference services. She emphasizes the importance of training in managing reference services. She describes the reference environment at Penn State University Libraries.

This section presents an introduction to the articles featured in the June 2007 issue of the "Reference & User Services Quarterly," including one by Lori Mestre on diverse learning styles in an online environment and another by Craig Gibson on information literacy.

The article presents the author's perspectives on writing for peer-reviewed journals in general and "Reference & User Services Quarterly" in particular. The author discusses some general trends she had observed in manuscript writing. As a manuscript reviewer, she claims that authors are writing about the same topic, and fewer articles are published per year relating to access services than library instruction. Guidelines to consider on how to avoid common problems in the submission of manuscripts such as topicality and appropriateness to readership are provided.

The article presents the author's reflection on the mission of the Reference and User Services Association and its official publication, "Reference and User Services Quarterly." The journal plays a significant role in meeting the continuing-education needs of the members of the association. A readership survey conducted in 2005 revealed the topics and ideas that the journal must discuss or address. Several changes will be made to the journal in response to the results of the survey.

Explores the international business etiquette and intercultural communication issues in globalization. Importance of developing international business etiquette and communication skills for companies; Origin of issues relating to international business etiquette; Anecdote of miscommunication across cultures; Role of cross-cultural communication in organizations.

An introduction is presented in which the editor thanks those who have contributed to the issue, announces that the journal will only be available in digital format as of fall 2011, and reveals that volume 51 will be the final volume she will be editing.

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor offers thanks to those involved with the publication of the journal including the editorial advisory board, column editors, and book review editors, as well as members of the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) of the American Library Association (ALA) who contributed to the journal.

In this guest editorial the author reinforces the importance of first impressions formed by library users. The author states that when a library user asks a librarian a question it is an opportunity for that librarian to create a positive experience for that user. The author believes that library desk staff affect visitors' first impressions.

An interview with virtual services reference librarian Bill Pardue is presented. When asked about his grassroots campaign, Slam the Boards, Pardue discusses the opportunities available to librarians who contribute to online answer boards such as Yahoo! Answers. He comments on the response of librarians to Slam the Boards, on the amount of participation, and on the event's success. Pardue also discusses opportunities for teaching information literacy through online answer boards.

A foreword to the "Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship" is presented.

The article summarizes changes made to the periodical "Reference & User Services Quarterly (RUSQ)" in 2006 and lists features articles that have been accepted for publication as of December 2006.

Evaluates the Web site of the International Trade Administration under the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The article announces the retirement of the journal's editor, and reports that Barry Trott will take over as editor on July 1 2012.