Published simultaneously as Science and Technology Libraries; v.17, no.2, 1998. Seven contributions discuss the changing nature of scientific and technical librarianship (a personal perspective over 40 years), the Internet and science and technology reference instruction, and education for librarianship in engineering, chemistry, the health sciences, and geoscience. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This book, first published in 1988, celebrates the development of sci-tech libraries in honour of the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the first library school in the United States. The expert contributors provide a survey of the development of sci-tech libraries as well as some thoughts about their future. This comprehensive volume covers several types of sci-tech libraries, information retrieval, and library education. Library professionals will be fascinated but the journey of progress detailed in these well-written chapters.

Since the 1950s there has been a persistent shortage of sci-tech librarians, and as more librarians retire or change positions, the prospect looms that the profession will only depopulate further. Tackling this difficult challenge, Recruiting, Training, and Retention of Science and Technology Librarians gathers together into one source the perspectives of top library administrators and managers as well as front-line librarians who present the latest research and practical strategies to find, train, and keep those valuable specialized professionals. This book explores in depth timely issues and presents creative perspectives and innovative solutions to this persistent problem in subject-specialized libraries. As the baby-boom generation of science and technology librarians begins to retire, training and keeping sci-tech librarians will become even more crucial. Recruiting, Training, and Retention of Science and Technology Librarians discusses the “replacement gap” problem in libraries, including who should be recruited, how they should be trained, and how to retain them once hired. Several authors address the field’s long-standing specialist vs. generalist debate, bringing new data and experience-driven perspectives to this challenging issue. Topics in Recruiting, Training, and Retention of Science and Technology Librarians include: updating the cultural image of librarians to make the profession more appealing a comprehensive literature review how to cultivate candidates who are dedicated to service and love research and learning practical approaches to improve the visibility and attractiveness of science librarianship the skills and support needed to become a successful science librarian an innovative program to recruit undergraduates an in-depth survey of practicing science and technology librarians the challenges of science librarianship in Africa library and information science educators as recruiters for sci-tech librarians creative strategies to recruit and retain librarians adapting aspects of first-year student retention programs as a model for library retention programs how professional competencies can be used for recruitment, training, and retention and more Recruiting, Training, and Retention of Science and Technology Librarians is a timely, important resource for college and university administrators, and public, special, academic, and government librarians.

This book, first published in 1981, is a crucial overview of the current and future issues in the training of science and engineering librarians as well as instruction for users of these libraries.

“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!

This book, first published in 1990, analyses how to train end-users to search with both natural language and controlled vocabularies in the sciences, describes a planning assessment for implementing end-user searching in a sci-tech organization, examines how the scientists at a major industrial research organization have begun to do more online searching with the encouragement of the information center, and explores the proactive role that medical libraries have taken in training health care professionals to search MEDLINE.

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.

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!