What one can accomplish via technology seems to grow faster than the amount of time library professionals have available to explore and understand emerging resources. The author's introduction to podcasting came at BOSKONE 43, the science fiction and fantasy conference held annually in Boston. Writers in a workshop on innovative marketing were…

Virtual library? Electronic library? Digital library? Online information network? These all apply to the growing number of Web-based resource collections managed by consortiums of state library entities. Some, like "INFOhio" and "KYVL" ("Kentucky Virtual Library"), have been available for a few years, but others are just starting. Searching for…

Oregon State University (OSU) researchers surveyed 3,227 undergraduate students to identify how many students use or do not use the physical and virtual OSU libraries. Most importantly, we wanted to determine the alternatives to the library that students choose for typical library activities, such as studying, research, and research assistance,…

The Internet keeps growing at lightning speed. Now, "tribal college" students have a tool to assist them in locating accurate information quickly: the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) Virtual Library. The AIHEC Virtual Library provides a focused entryway into the Internet research field. Librarians report that it supplements…

In these days of distance learners, virtual libraries, and electronic information, no library can be without some way of providing remote access to affiliated users, whether they are distance students, online students, or local students and faculty members working from home. Libraries subscribe to any number of electronic resources and journals,…

As more users access library services remotely, it has become increasingly important for librarians to reach out to their user communities and promote the value of libraries. Convincing the faculty and students in the sciences of the value of libraries and librarians can be a particularly "hard sell" as more and more of their primary…

This article examines the public services component of digital and virtual libraries, focusing on the end-user experience. As the number and types of "places" where library users access library collections and services continue to expand (now including cell phones, iPods, and three-dimensional virtual reality environments populated by avatars),…

Discusses components of the emerging virtual library. Highlights include adopting technology to enhance library services; navigation problems; shared resources and services; costs; implementation challenges, including library instruction programs; control over intellectual content; technical design issues; and a brief overview of current virtual…

Describes a study in which online behavior of high school and undergraduate students using GALILEO (Georgia Library Learning Online), a virtual library, were observed. Topics include cognitive demands; technology literacy; domain knowledge; search strategies; relevance; evaluation of information; information literacy standards; and suggestions to…

In spring 2005, a task force of Oregon State University librarians investigated whether undergraduates would gravitate toward subject portals tentatively named "virtual college libraries." A literature review and Web site inventory shaped our definition of a virtual college library. A preliminary needs assessment consisting of an online…

This book addresses many of the practical issues involved in developing the virtual library. Seven presentations from the Eighth Annual Computers in Libraries Conference are included in this book in augmented form. The papers are supplemented by "The Evolving Virtual Library: An Overview" (Laverna M. Saunders and Maurice Mitchell), a…

With virtual library services increasing, public services librarians may find themselves with questions such as: What instant messaging services (IM) are available? Which IM service would best suit my patrons' needs? Which IM service best suits my library's technology profile? This column describes the features and functionality of major instant…

Considers the role of librarians in a virtual library environment. Highlights include providing intellectual access to information in any format; evaluating available sources of information; organizing information; ensuring the preservation of information; providing specialized staff to help meet information needs; and the economic impact of…

Purpose: This study aimed to understand how parents and librarians describe their lived experiences in a modern children's library that aims to create a triad bond through the organization of multiliteracy events and activities. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a phenomenological case study approach using two semistructured interviews,…

Reviews the literature on changes in academic library organizations and describes the results of a survey of library directors that investigated concepts of a virtual library, both as digital technology and as a new organizational concept. Discusses models of virtual libraries and library networking, and includes a copy of the questionnaire.…