Peter Hernon

Information needs and gathering patterns of academic social scientists, with special emphasis given to historians and their use of U.S. Government publications☆

Abstract This paper addresses the information needs and gathering behavior of historians and other members of the academic social science community. In addition, it looks at the competitive information environment and views libraries as one of many providers. The existing research is fragmentary and, by far, too incomplete to be useful to librarians in developing collections and services to meet the information needs of historians and to accommodate their preferences for information gathering. The paper suggests the need for further research, identifies factors to take into account in formulating appropriate research designs, and offers research models worthy of replication or further exploration. Without a more extensive research base, a number of library and information programs and services may well be based on a misunderstanding of the current and future information needs and gathering strategies of possible client groups.

The Quality of Academic and Public Library Reference Service Provided for NTIS Products and Services: Unobtrusive Test Results.

Abstract This article reports on the use of unobtrusive testing to gather data on a performance measure— correct answer fill rate . Personnel from 12 academic and public libraries participating in the U.S. Government Printing Offices depository program were asked 5 pretested questions and the accuracy and efficiency of their search outcome were measured. Although the article reports a pilot project, the findings and discussion of study results should have broad interest. They document the inability of a number of staff members to negotiate successfully reference questions pertaining to NTIS and technical report literature. Clearly, the study merits replication on a broader scale and library staff should review their search skills with the test questions appended to this article.

Bernard Mitchell Fry: a distinguished librarian and educator

Abstract This essay, prepared by one of Bernard M. Frys former doctoral students, honors the man and identifies selected contributions which he has made to library and information science. The insights reported have been gathered from personal recollections, correspondence with several other graduates of the doctoral program, and recent conversations with the former library school dean.