[in Japanese]

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The number of libraries that have installed IC tag systems has increased rapidly in the past couple of years. Their major purpose is the reduction of processing and as a consequence the reduction of costs. It is getting popular for such libraries to install self-checkout systems, with which the library patrons can borrow the books by themselves. On the other hand, digital library services started with the digitization of rare books and put them in public view as Web data. Now, it is changing to provide more advanced services such as “My Library.” In this paper, I provide some ideas that utilize the IC tag system and provide useful new patron services.

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[in Japanese]

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With the educational reform of medical treatment system, the library also needs to change. So far, a few attempts are carried out such as providing information service for local residents in cooperation with the public library. The improvement of librarians' expertise and professional skill is indispensable for providing various users with good information service. It was suggested that most of the current university librarians evaluate their skill as a professional librarian insufficient according to the investigation conducted on members of university library in Hokkaido. Relation between the organization and each member should be more important so that they may adequately offer special information to citizens.

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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The effectiveness of library pathfinders as a tool for bibliographic instruction, in the field of health sciences, was examined. The participants in the survey have found pathfinders to be an effective tool in searching for and in retrieving relevant information. High quality pathfinders created overseas are good sources, if not, pointers to helpful references. In preparing a pathfinder, the use of thesauruses and subject headings are highly recommended, as they are helpful tools for pinpointing the subject areas covered, and also for improving subject searches. The process involved in the creation of pathfinders, in itself, will help enforce better subject searches and the quality of bibliographic instructions in Japanese libraries.

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[in Japanese]

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