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To highlight content of interest to this journal’s readership that promotes current thinking and activities in Information Technology.

Selective conference report of the annual meeting of the American Library Association and pre‐conference.

The largest conference of librarians, the variety of programs, activities, exhibit halls, creates one of the best professional development opportunities for librarians. Attracting librarians from all sectors and work environments from around the globe, this conference is hard to describe in a brief way except to say it is an experience. The article documents relevant programs about information technology was the goal of this contribution.

Contains information of particular interest to readers who did not attend these sessions. Introducers them to presenters and important hot topics. Provides an alternative to not being present while gaining some information and coverage.

Charles Clement, editor, American Library Association, Chicago & London, 1986, 59 pages, ISBN 0–8389–3328–9 More Americans are searching for their ancestors than ever before in our history, a fact that is directly attributed to a number of reasons: the 1976 American Bicentennial, Alex Haley's novel Roots and its subsequent highly rated television series, the increasing number of people of all ages, especially retirees, who have the leisure to engage in such a pursuit, and the growing pride in one's ethnic origins. Add to this the enormous popularity of computers and the expanding number of owners of PC's and you have an unbeatable combination. Not only are people anxious to find their ancestors, they are turning to technical means to assist them in their search. The field is wide open for good tools that can really help both the beginner and those who have been ancestor‐hunting for years.

Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Tenn. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are available through normal trade sources. Mrs. Cheney, being a member of the editorial board of Pierian Press, will not review Pierian Press reference books in this column. Descriptions of Pierian Press reference books will be included elsewhere in this publication.

The purpose of this paper is to show how understanding of human resource (HR) management practices which have been adopted in the emerging markets such as that in China is particularly interesting to academia and management practitioners. The purpose of this study is to shed some light on the implementation of innovative HR practices among 74 Chinese small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) and to explain how the HR practices influence their firm performance.

Cluster analysis is used to group Chinese SMEs according to their adoption of innovative human resource (HR) practices and examine how the practices are associated with HR outcomes and firm performance.

It is found that the membership of clusters is influenced by several factors, including ownership, age and size of firms. These characteristics have influenced the motivation, capacity and ability of firms in the sample to adopt high performance human resource practices. The extent to which firms have adopted innovative human resource practices is shown to be closely associated with human resource outcomes and firm performance.

The key implication is that SMEs, especially those rapidly developing domestic and collectively owned small firms, as well as those state‐owned enterprises in China, may see clearly the benefits of devoting greater attention to HR practices to achieve their future growth potential.