Journal of Librarianship and Information Science

The rapid pace of OPAC implementation in this country is providing a fruitful environment for research, with a wide range of projects currently being undertaken, including a number concerned with the application of advanced information retrieval techniques to OPAC systems This article reviews the current situation and describes some of the more important research projects being undertaken, particularly those funded by the British Library Research and Development Department A brief description of the British Library's own OPAC project is also provided The article concludes with an examination of the value of OPAC research and a look at where further research effort might best be concentrated.

Public libraries in Nigena have failed to meet the needs of the majority of the population. This article examines the reasons why, and sets out a programme for the development of community information centres, serving both the urban and rural populations and integrated into multi purpose community libraries. The central public library service needs to support community- based libraries with services and provide a link to the worldwide network of information Changes necessary to the curricula of library schools to train community information workers are outlined. This article is based on a paper given at the 25th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Library Association, Abeokuta, March 1987.

The article discusses options for cooperative document supply which formed part of a large research project in the East Midlands. Modelling was carried out, based on collected data, to establish the cost-effectiveness of various forms of document supply It was concluded that only if British Library Document Supply Centre (BLDSC) charges were to rise substantially would a local system become worthy of senous consideration as a potential cost saver figures were suggested at which it would be cost-effective to consider local schemes if BLDSC moved towards full cost recovery The possibility of contracting out was also considered.

A pyramidal model is put forward to explain why library and information research (LIS) is at least an order of magnitude less in quantity than that in science and technology The effect of the growing information industry on this model is discussed Current Research for the Information Profession is sampled and a scientometric review provided A recent review of LIS academic research in the UK is commented on Half-life data are used to criticize the rather tardy publication of a recent conference proceedings