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This article provides preliminary information about patterns of access and use of a collection of 35,000 electronic scholarly monographs in the humanities and social sciences provided by a commercial online library collection, Questia^SM. Search logs and page view logs were analyzed as to the characteristics of the search queries and browsing within titles. Major findings include patterns of simple search queries and significant access to a surprising breadth of titles.

Library professionals spend much of their budgeting time focused inward, allocating scarce resources among worthy competing priorities. Considerable time and skill is focused on the acquisition of the best print and electronic resources and in planning for computing infrastructure. And librarians are generous in sharing with others best practices for making budgetary decisions through articles in the library literature. However, less attention has been given in the literature on advice for those who wish to increase budgets for the services and programmatic offerings that are equally important for library clientele. This article attempts to address that gap. Summarizes the sage advice given in a presentation to a gathering of academic librarians during the June 1999 ALA to those who would better understand the budget process at research universities. Although the advice pertains primarily to budgeting practice in the USA, there are several nuggets of wisdom applicable in any situation.

In 1998 The University of Iowa Libraries was the recipient of a grant from the Library of Congress/Ameritech National Digital Library Competition in support of a project to digitise a portion of its unique and extensive Redpath Chautauqua Collection. Although the staff of the Information Arcade at The University of Iowa Libraries has extensive experience in instructional technology, this was the first opportunity for them to engage in the digitisation of a large text collection of rare materials. This article will describe the processes undertaken in the project as well as the challenges when the theory of how to approach a digitisation project of significant scope clashed with the realities faced by the project team.

Library technology centers have commonly received attention as locations with high‐end equipment and sophisticated software. However, the mere availability of resources is not sufficient to attract and build community with faculty who are not already committed to experimentation with technology. This article discusses the need for individualized interaction to build trust and social cohesion between faculty and library staff as a necessary part of promoting the dissemination of technology in a university setting.

Reports the conclusions of a study involving in‐depth interviews with 18 business leaders, focusing on the qualities and skills they felt to be essential for success in directing and guiding a large organization. These qualities include the ability to make sense of a complicated pattern of events and from this formulate clear goals for the organization; people and communication skills; integrity; drive and ambition. In selecting others, as potential future leaders and high‐flyers, this group of current leaders used the following criteria. There was high agreement that proven track record was vital, both as an indicator of future performance and to establish credibility. Another important characteristic is the ability to take an independent (even unpopular) line, and defend it. As could be predicted, interpersonal skills, team orientation, commitment and motivation were also seen as important.

At the invitation of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), this paper aims to examine advances in survey interviewer monitoring and make recommendations on minimizing the effect of interviewers on survey results.

The authors first provide an overview of the most recent literature on interviewer effects, quality assurance and quality control. Here, they draw upon recent publications such as the cross-cultural survey guidelines (www.ccsg.isr.umich.edu) and newly published or in-press material specifically addressing these issues in multicultural, multinational and multiregional (3MC) contexts.

The authors discuss trends and innovations in quality assurance and quality control in 3MC studies and draw upon examples from international surveys that are using cutting-edge and innovative approaches to monitor interviewer behavior and minimize interviewer effects.

With a view to continuous quality improvement, the authors conclude with concrete recommendations for PIAAC to consider for the next cycle. Many of the recommendations have general relevance for other large-scale cross-national surveys.

This paper describes the history of the University of California eScholarship program, a joint effort of the University of California Libraries in collaboration with the California Digital Library. It discusses the context that gave rise to the creation of the eScholarship Repository, the logistical issues involved in setting up a multi‐campus persistent repository for scholarly output, and future issues to be addressed in developing experimental reconfigurations of the components of scholarly communication in collaboration with communities of scholars.

Provides background information on the JISC Information Strategies Project and outlines the progress made to date within the pilot institutions. Explores the skills and knowledge required in developing an information strategy and show why librarians have a crucial role to play in this area. Then goes on to consider various models of co‐operation between computing services and libraries. In conclusion, looks at the role of what has been termed “The New Librarian” and shows how this can be an enhancement of the past experience and therefore that the development of an information strategy is something that all library staff should embrace enthusiastically as a means of career development and enhancement.