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The rapid changes in the Greek Library scene in the last decade and the need for librarians to work in a more complex and demanding environment create responsibilities for library schools to design and implement new programmes, adopting a new learning theory. A literature review indicated constructivism as a theory that could be used to create a new educational environment that will allow student‐centered and collaborative learning, and facilitate interaction. In order to identify the competencies and skills required of library managers as perceived by practitioners, the authors conducted a survey. The population of the survey was the staff of Greek libraries, the data collection method was a census and the instrument was a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, as well as ANOVA one‐way, Pearson’s parametric correlation and multiple regression were run to determine the present and needed managerial competencies and skills of Greek librarians.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on searches made by the patrons of the Library of the ATEI of Thessaloniki using its online catalogue during the spring semester of the academic year 2007/2008. A previous study had revealed that patrons experienced difficulties while searching the OPAC and did not make the most of the system's capabilities. As a result, the library re‐examined specific aspects of its services and its user education programnes, and updated its software. The present research was undertaken in order to assess the impact of these changes and to study whether the searching behaviour of its patrons has improved, or whether serious system limitations still persisted.

The data, collected from the transaction logs kept by the system's software, were processed and analysed statistically by using multivariate techniques.

The changes seem to have had a positive effect on patrons and their search attitude. Almost twice as many searches/sessions were carried out during the period of the present study compared with that of the previous one.

The research is based on the analysis of data gathered from a single university library, but the techniques used can easily be transferred.

Not only were areas for improvement identified and implemented, but also the results highlighted the shift towards, and the need to support, research‐based education.

The paper demonstrates simple techniques using transaction logging to identify areas for improvement in OPAC systems.

Reviews Douglas Anderson’s contribution to the development of research in the School of Librarianship and Information Studies, later renamed the School of Information and Media, at the Robert Gordon University. Against an explanatory background to the Scottish Higher Education system, it outlines Anderson’s work in information and image retrieval, his concern for the role of public libraries in serving the disadvantaged, and his commitment to enthusing students and others about progressive developments in the field.