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The purpose of this paper is to validate a proposed framework of library value as the relationships between diverse stakeholders’ perceptions of valued effect of a library and of causes for the effect. It does so through adaptation of the “five whys” inquiry, a tool for uncovering root causes used extensively for process improvement. A “library value wheel” graphically illustrates a diverse set of stakeholders (i.e. faculty, students, university administrators, librarians, donors, and library employees) and their perceptions of the most valued effects of the library. To begin this exploration the researchers have selected faculty as the initial stakeholder to study because of their important influence in the academy. The following research questions guide the study: What effects of the library do faculty most value? What are perceived causes of these valued effects? What effects of the library do faculty perceive other stakeholders [e.g. students and administrators] most value? What variations among the causes faculty identify for valued effects emerge from use of the five why inquiry?

This qualitative study consists of a series of individual and group interviews with faculty members representing different academic disciplines and rank at one US university. Adapting the “five whys” inquiry, the researchers conducted sufficient individual interviews to reach data saturation (typically 15 to 30 interviews) to identify root causes that address perceptions about value the academic library provides to faculty. The interviews were audio taped and transcribed for data analysis; the results were sent to the interviewees for a member check. In addition, the results of the analysis were validated in a focus group session with faculty members of the library advisory group. Lastly, the identified valued library effects and their causes were compared to elements of value identified in the literature.

Several root causes of perceived value were identified, with caution to generalize; among these are: increase my productivity; expand student ability; do my job; save money; indulge intellectual curiosity; not feel frustrated; meet accreditation criteria; and change the University.

The study emphasizes that value involves the stakeholders in the identification of the valued effect of the library. The “five whys” inquiry delves deeply and arrives at a root cause of value that will allow librarians to take steps to maximize an institutional perception that of the value the library provides its community. It is often difficult for stakeholders to articulate why the library is or is not of value and this approach will help them do so. In addition to eliciting the perceived value of the library to the faculty, the study also gathered faculty perceptions of causes of valued library effect on students and administrators. The study also introduced the “library value wheel” which broadly defines the causes of valued effects on stakeholders of libraries. The study's empirical data will be integrated into this framework in subsequent studies. Since value is a political tool, involving the faculty and focusing on their perceptions will be important for advocating library support. This study will communicate to librarians reasons faculty perceive the library to be of value. In essence, this approach partners influential stakeholders with librarians to develop strategies for maximizing the value of the library.

Reports on Phase I of a two‐part project to identify and implement user‐based design criteria in World Wide Web pages. The purpose of the identification phase (Phase I) is to identify the criteria that influence a particular user community’s use of the Web and to analyze these within the context of the users’ overall information‐gathering behavior. Data were gathered through a questionnaire and electronic focus group session with nine faculty from four business schools. Participants identified 49 Web page features which clustered into eight broad categories of criteria having a significant positive or negative impact on their use of WWW pages. They also identified types of information normally used in work activities; methods of finding this information within the current information service environment; likely changes in behavior if the information became available via the Web, including willingness to pay.

This paper characterizes translation as a task and aims to identify how it influences professional translators' information needs and use of resources to meet those needs.

This research is exploratory and qualitative. Data are based on focus group sessions with 19 professional translators. Where appropriate, findings are related to several theories relating task characteristics and information behavior (IB).

The findings support some of Byström's findings about relationship between task and information use but also suggest new hypotheses or relationships among task, information need, and information use, including the notion of a zone of familiarity. Translators use a wide range of resources, both formal and informal, localized sources, including personal contacts with other translators, native speakers, and domain experts, to supplement their basic resources, which are different types of dictionaries. The study addresses translator problems created by the need to translate materials in less commonly taught languages.

Focus group sessions allow only for identifying concepts, relationships, and hypotheses, not for indicating the relative importance of variables or distribution across individuals. Translation does not cover literary translation.

The paper suggests content and features of workstations offering access to wide range of resources for professional translators.

Unlike other information behavior studies of professional translators, this article focuses on a broad range of resources, not just on dictionary use. It also identifies information problems associated not only with normal task activities, but also with translators' moving out of their zone of familiarity, i.e. their range of domain, language, and style expertise. The model of translator IB is potentially generalizable to other groups and both supports and expands other task‐related research.

To report on the 6th Virtual Reference Desk (VRD) 2004 Conference held in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 2004.

The VRD Conference is a two day meeting, organized annually by the Information Institute of Syracuse University, that focuses on the latest reference trends. The report is prepared by a library professional.

The conference was divided into the following tracks: Management, General, Evaluation/Standards, Technology, Resources, Research/Policy and Vendor Demonstrations. Generally there were six simultaneous sessions. The report includes sessions primarily from the Management and Evaluation/Standards tracks.

A brief conference report of interest to library and information management professionals.

This paper reports on Phase II of a two‐part project to identify and implement user‐based design criteria in World Wide Web sites. The test site is a Web page for the academic business community. As an alternative to existing, largely ad hoc design processes, the authors developed a user‐based design process, gathering user input at three different times in the process. Delineating this four‐stage process (information‐gathering; development; test and evaluation; and implementation) is a major focus of the paper. In addition to explaining the process in detail, the paper reports on the second stage of this process, which involves operationalizing definitions of the criteria and translating the criteria into Web page features and, to some extent, on the evaluation activities undertaken during Stage 3. Already reported are the results of Stage 1, which gathered user criteria for evaluating Web sites through a focus group session.

An analysis of reference questions received by the digital reference service of a medium‐sized academic library over a two‐year period showed that the service could handle the full range of simple to complex questions typically asked at a physical reference desk. Because broad or complex questions can be difficult to answer remotely, suggests a strategy for improving the process of answering such questions in the digital environment.

CD‐ROMs proliferate in libraries and replace paper copy. Much has been written on the capabilities of the new technology, little on the actual content offered by CD‐ROMs or on content comparison between that offered by paper and the new form. Reviews the MLA International Bibliography on CD‐ROM and compares its contents with alternative print sources. Considers coverage for selected authors and the conclusion reached that the MLA International CD‐ROM database is not comprehensive and may omit information which is available elsewhere, for instance in print paper form.

Considers the pluralistic cultures which exist within a nation and outlines the history of previous research into this field. Introduces the concept of embeddedness which means that the society within which a person lives will influence their behaviour. Discusses intracultural differences and presents some research strategies for looking at the ethnic consumer.

Since the first Volume of this Bibliography there has been an explosion of literature in all the main areas of business. The researcher and librarian have to be able to uncover specific articles devoted to certain topics. This Bibliography is designed to help. Volume III, in addition to the annotated list of articles as the two previous volumes, contains further features to help the reader. Each entry within has been indexed according to the Fifth Edition of the SCIMP/SCAMP Thesaurus and thus provides a full subject index to facilitate rapid information retrieval. Each article has its own unique number and this is used in both the subject and author index. The first Volume of the Bibliography covered seven journals published by MCB University Press. This Volume now indexes 25 journals, indicating the greater depth, coverage and expansion of the subject areas concerned.