This book, first published in 1989, examines the problems and benefits of installing a ready-made computer system in a sci-tech library. These systems, usually known as turnkey systems, provide a means for obtaining the network for a lower cost than a new system designed by a consultant. These papers analyse the benefits and problems with turnkey systems in a variety of different situations.

Catch up with the many innovations now affecting sci/tech libraries! The twenty-four chapters in Innovations in Science and Technology Libraries discuss the creation of digital collections, e-repositories, personalized Web environments, and discipline-specific Web sites for students and researchers. The book also explores the use of new technologies to improve document delivery and service provision as well as demonstrations of leadership by science librarians who are willing to take risks, adapt to change, control costs, and collaborate with colleagues. Here is just a fraction of the fascinating cases and important concepts highlighted in Innovations in Science and Technology Libraries: the Drexel University Library’s transition from print to an electronic-only journal collection the benefits of adopting a just-in-time (purchase on demand) rather than a just-in-case acquisitions policy IntelliDoc—how it has raised the standard for document delivery worldwide and increased international recognition of CISTI how California State University, Sacramento, merged its science library into its central reference department—an examination of the two-year merging process the creation of branch libraries focused on electronic information—an engineering library at Kansas State University and an agriculture library at the University of Manitoba the impact of electronic information upon undergraduate science education literacy competencies in the sciences—and their implications for library instruction how the MIT libraries created and developed the Reference Vision system that now guides all of their new reference services the impact of learning communities upon library services recent additions that enhance the usefulness of the IEEE Xplore online delivery system Innovations in Science and Technology Libraries will bring you up-to-date on the latest developments, sharpen your awareness of new concepts and techniques in sci/tech librarianship, and help your library stay abreast of important changes in this ever-evolving field. Make it a part of your professional reference collection today!

“Advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” --Arthur C. Clarke This well-researched book makes sense of the new advances in electronic services and resources available to science and technology libraries. It will familiarize you with the latest collection development, reference service, and information service technologies. Inside you’ll find case studies, examples of successful implementations of emerging information technologies, helpful tables and figures, screen shots, and more! In addition to bringing you up to date on the latest trends in the area, Electronic Resources and Services in Sci-Tech Libraries will provide you with essential background information on these important technologies. With Electronic Resources and Services in Sci-Tech Libraries, you’ll learn: how the University of Arizona Libraries access remote electronic resources how journal articles containing complex mathematics are published on the Web--including the latest developments in MathML, PDF, OpenMath, and more how the e-resource registry approach can be integrated with existing custom Web-based services how to use user-centered criteria to evaluate electronic journals how to use e-prints (electronic preprints) to break the stranglehold that journal publishers have over science libraries how to get the most from electronic reserves-with tips and techniques for implementing an e-reserves service, negotiating copyright issues, and more how to implement a successful current awareness services program how the next generation of library portals will impact sci-tech libraries and much more!

Learn leadership skills from achievements at special libraries in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central America! Leadership and Management Principles in Libraries in Developing Countries is a compilation of success stories epitomizing management and leadership strategies from developing nations around the globe. This book focuses on library administrators from Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central America who have significantly transformed their library services in spite of limited funds and a lack of resources. You'll learn about their achievements, their techniques, and the strengths and skills they used—which can help you become a stronger leader at your own library. Leadership and Management Principles in Libraries in Developing Countries is a collection of selected entries to the Special Libraries Association Leadership and Management Division’s 2003 International Paper Competition for special librarians in developing countries. Each author describes the effective leadership and management that made their special library initiatives successful, providing references, tables, step-by-step instructions, and handy checklists for other librarians to use. In Leadership and Management Principles in Libraries in Developing Countries, library officials discuss the development of successful programs at special libraries such as: the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, India—where a team of people with diverse backgrounds worked together to digitally modernize their traditional library the Agricultural Libraries and Special Libraries in Tropical Biology located in Indonesia—where special librarians found innovative ways to access funding support and expertise from foreign institutions, international relief agencies, and library associations the Information Resource Centre at The Mildmay Centre in Kampala, Uganda—where the new Mobile Patient Library Services project provides information materials to patients with HIV/AIDS and their caregivers the American Cultural Center Library (now called the Rosa Parks Library) in Niamey, Niger—where the library was restructured from a simple reading room into a diverse cultural resource of exhibitions, seminars, and multilingual reference materials the Federal Ministry of Industry headquarters Library in Nigeria—where the library transformation was made possible through good leadership style, managerial expertise, and effective staff organization the University of Swaziland Libraries in Swaziland—where a strategic planning initiative helped the library widen Internet access, secure subscription funding for database access, and purchase updated equipment to enrich the instructional, research, and administrative functions of the library This book represents a body of practical experience, problems, lessons, and techniques that can be shared and tried by those who want to know more about or deal with the special needs and circumstances of librarians in developing countries. Leadership and Management Principles in Libraries in Developing Countries will show you how to improve both service and outreach to your local community by becoming a leader at your special library, whether you are the librarian, mid-level manager, director, or information consultant. Library science faculty and students will also find that this book illustrates the benefits of good leadership and management.

Required reading for any librarian who has been asked to identify standards and specifications, this unique new book highlights the importance of standards in many sci-tech libraries. Collections of standards in sci-tech libraries encompass a great variety--from the most narrow subject fields, to those covering many, and from collections of American standards only, to those with an international array. Role of Standards in Sci-Tech Libraries addresses the need for standards in libraries and provides crucial guidelines for developing standards collections. The first chapter describes the operation and collections of the ideal service that could be established to serve those needing stadards and to promote the use and collection of standards. A helpful list of foreign and domestic organizations that issue standards is included. Successive chapters explore the role of standards in different types of libraries--a public library’s science and technology department, a corporate library, an academic library, and the library of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The final chapter addresses the role of Information Handling Services (IHS), a commercial source of all types of standards, discusses the range of standards services, and explains how information is acquired.

Here is a unique volume on the relationship between sci-tech materials and trade literature, commonly called manufacturers’catalogs. Because very little has been published about the value and nature of trade literature in regard to sci-tech libraries, this volume will be important in informing librarians about a little-known segment of the larger picture of sci-tech information sources, thus adding to the value of their services to their clients. The Role of Trade Literature in Sci-Tech Libraries addresses the problems of handling sci-tech trade literature in a corporate technical library, a large public library, and a government library devoted to American history. Experts offer practical advice on selecting and organizing trade literature and on managing the growth and extent of a collection of trade literature. They discuss modern literature and older publications, which often have great historical value. Libraries that collect both old and new materials are identified, as are publishers of trade literature. The book also focuses on how a publisher of classic trade literature views its role. Of interest to any professional in the information science field, this practical volume will be particularly valuable to managers of corporate sci-tech libraries, managers of library collections in Americana, and beginning librarians who are learning about trade literature.

Most librarians working with sci-tech collections are fully aware of the importance of conference papers and proceedings, which has long played a major role in keeping professionals informed of the latest developments in their field. In this essential new book, responsible executives from several publishers of conference literature have joined with a number of sci-tech librarians to discuss the nature and value of conference literature in sci-tech libraries. A commercial publisher discusses the difficulties in editing a set of conference papers in a book, while producers of indexing/abstracting tools describe their selection methods, retrieval services, and general outlook on conference materials. In addition, sci-tech librarians address the problems of accessing, citing, and locating conference literature and explore the many aspects of the cataloging of conference publications.

Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in sci-tech librarianship! Information and the Professional Scientist and Engineer examines how electronic resources have affected the ways engineers and scientists seek, use, and communicate information vital to their research and development needs. Information specialists working in academic, corporate, government, and organization libraries discuss the changes in user behavior as academics in science and engineering fields rely more and more on the Internet and online journals. The book provides unique insight into the specific educational needs of college and university students as librarians and department faculty determine appropriate instruction for science and engineering classes. Information and the Professional Scientist and Engineer addresses the distinctions among various science and engineering fields, types of libraries, communities of users, and users within a field or discipline. Within these discussions, librarians also examine the differences between commercial and academic databases, and between personal or group subscriptions to database services, print, and online journals. The book also addresses Geographic Information Systems users through a study of the interconnection among disciplines associated with GIS. Information and the Professional Scientist and Engineer includes bibliographies that provide valuable information resources, reviews of pertinent web sites, tables, figures, and interviews while addressing: the information-seeking behavior of chemists, geologists, pharmacists, botanists, and zoologists the case for an engineering knowledge community online bibliographic sources in hydrology a practical guide to finding physical properties of chemicals new reference works in science and technology new age e-journals, indexes, and services Information and the Professional Scientist and Engineer is a unique resource for librarians and other information specialists, science and engineering faculty and students, and academic administrators.

Discover new techniques for researching patents and trademarks! Patent and Trademark Information: Uses and Perspectives addresses an essential yet undervalued and often underused class of scientific and technical information. Library staff, information specialists, corporation heads and administrators, inventors, school faculty, scientists, engineers, and engineering, science and library students will gain valuable insight on historical research, practical applications, and the availability and accessibility of patenting authorities. This book focuses on methods for searching international patents and trademark information for patrons of the library using the Internet, databases, and other sources. This book contains tips and nuts-and-bolts advice from experienced librarians who either practice in patent and trademark depository libraries or are experts in researching patents for library patrons. Their advice will help you navigate decision points and search paths for locating patent and trademark information from state, federal, and international sources. Special features include tables and figures, as well as bibliographies that provide extensive resources for locating additional information. The first half of the book is dedicated to issues involving patents, including: disseminating enemy technical information during World War II basic novelty patent searching in seven steps using patent information for historical genealogical research esp@cenet®Europe’s network of patent databases regional patent systemsa challenge for the international searcher patent data for technology assessmentapplications, patent databases, and retrieval methods The second half of Patent and Trademark Information guides you in searching out trademarks, company and owner names, and databases. An entire chapter is dedicated to searching for trademark and/or company names for each of the 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. Another chapter investigates five free international Web-based patent sites.