**Apologies for cross posting**
     
     List members might like to know that reports based on research funded 
     by the Library and Information Commission are still emerging. Report 
     details will continue to be added to the LIC website until the 
     Resource website goes live. It is therefore worth checking the LIC 
     site periodically for new items.
     
     Following on from my earlier message you will find listed below some 
     more recent reports which I do not think have been announced before. 
     Unless noted otherwise the reports are available for £12.00 from the 
     British Thesis Service, The British Library Document Supply Centre, 
     Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7BQ tel: +44 (0) 1937 546229 
     fax: +44 (0)1937 546286 email: [log in to unmask] I 
     have also included a list of "new" forthcoming titles. 
     
     Simon Matty
     Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries
     
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     Web gateway for LIS research - feasibility study: report to the 
     Library and Information Commission and the British Library Research 
     and Innovation Centre September 1998
     by David Haynes and Noeleen Cookman
     LIC research report 56
     ISBN 1902394283
     
     One of the actions identified in Prospects, the research strategy 
     published by the LIC in 1998, was to develop "a web gateway site for 
     library and information research". This report describes the study 
     undertaken into the feasibility of setting up such a site. It details 
     the need for a web gateway and describes existing provision. The study 
     provides a list of the perceived website requirements and suggests 
     three options for website development. The report offers a number of 
     recommendations: establishment of a core web for LIS research; 
     co-ordination with other dissemination activities; co-operation with 
     other organisations; building on an existing site; further 
     developments. The report also includes an implementation plan and 
     costings for the recommended option. 
     
     --------------------------------------------------------------- 
     LIS research gateway: report on the web gateway/research portal 
     seminar held at the Library and Information Commission on 24th 
     February 2000 by David Haynes and Alan Gilchrist
     LIC research report 57
     ISBN 1902394291
     
     The report of a seminar organised by the Library and Information 
     Commission (LIC) following a study conducted in 1998 on the 
     feasibility of a website for LIS Research. The meeting centred on a 
     discussion of the issues surrounding the development of a web gateway 
     for LIS research. The following issues were covered: the need for a 
     web site; who the audience is; what the content should be; whether it 
     should be a portal or a gateway; hosting and funding issues; who has 
     editorial control. The meeting concluded with recommendations for 
     future action. 
     
     The report also includes as an annex a short paper exploring some of 
     the options available for developing a site. This paper updates the 
     original feasibility study report which is available separately as Web 
     gateway for LIS - feasibility study (LIC research report 56). 
     
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     Developing a national inter lending system for materials for visually 
     impaired people
     by Deborah Ryan and Pat Darter
     LIC research report 60
     ISBN 1902394321
     
     The report of a project undertaken by the North West Regional Library 
     System to establish a national inter-lending system bringing together 
     the library sector with the existing national agencies such as RNIB, 
     CALIBRE, TNAUK, National Library for the Blind and other relevant 
     agencies. This cross agency partnership aimed to enable visually 
     impaired users to access the resources available in the various 
     formats accessible through a single local gateway. 
     
     The report describes how the project contributed significantly to the 
     greater social inclusion of the visually impaired community through 
     the provision of more effective mainstream library services. Visually 
     impaired people have had too long to wait to enjoy the benefits of a 
     single seamless system for their reading and information needs as 
     enjoyed by sighted people.
     
     The report concludes with a list of recommendations.
     
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     Enhancing access to library based ICT services for visually impaired 
     people 2
     by HumanITy
     LIC research report 63
     STV/LIC programme report 2
     ISBN 1902394348
     
     The second in a series of four publications which present the nine 
     deliverables from the Library and Information Commission's Enhancing 
     access to library based ICT services for visually impaired people 
     initiative. This report contains deliverables one, three and four. 
     Deliverable one, by Helen Petrie and Anne-Marie O'Neill, is a 
     literature search on access by blind and visually impaired people to 
     information and communications technology, comprising general 
     principles and key references to particular technologies such as PC's 
     and associated keyboard/mouse devices, operating systems and software. 
     Deliverable three, by Kevin Carey, provides the principles for 
     defining optimisation in customised ICT systems. Deliverable four, by 
     Helen Petrie, Anne-Marie O'Neill and Chetz Colwell, focuses on access 
     to web-based OPAC's in the light of the Web Accessibility Initiative.
     
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     Enhancing access to library based ICT services for visually impaired 
     people 3
     by HumanITy
     LIC research report 64
     STV/LIC programme report 3
     ISBN 1902394356
     
     The third in a series of four publications which present the nine 
     deliverables from the Library and Information Commission's Enhancing 
     access to library based ICT services for visually impaired people 
     initiative. This report contains deliverable two. Deliverable two, by 
     John Ravenscroft and Tornado Labs Ltd, provides implementation advice 
     for satisfying the requirements of visually impaired people (VIPs) 
     using a national library computer network. The report considers 
     optimal customisation of the graphical user interface and identifies 
     what can be achieved currently and what outstanding recommendations 
     remain to be implemented. Decisions are made on the following broad 
     technical issues: operating system or systems most suitable for VIPs; 
     third-party software required to provide access for VIPs; 
     implementation of distributed storage for application settings; 
     hardware requirements; user identification schemes for network login 
     appropriate for VIPs; custom software required to be developed.
     
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     Enhancing access to library based ICT services for visually impaired 
     people 4
     by HumanITy
     LIC research report 65
     STV/LIC programme report 4
     ISBN 1902394364
     
     The fourth in a series of four publications which present the nine 
     deliverables from the Library and Information Commission's Enhancing 
     access to library based ICT services for visually impaired people 
     initiative. This report contains deliverables seven and eight. 
     Deliverable seven, by Mary Brennan, identifies the basic principles of 
     ICT accessibility for those who are deaf or have difficulty with 
     hearing. Deliverable eight, by Geoff Busby, identifies the basic 
     principles of ICT accessibility of those who have physical learning 
     disabilities.
     
     --------------------------------------------------- 
     People flows
     by Clare Nankivell, William Foster and Judith Elkin 
     BLR&I report 167
     ISBN 0712397493 
     
     A delayed British Library Research and Innovation Centre publication, 
     this report contains the findings of a research project into cross-use 
     of publicly-funded libraries (i.e. public, higher education (HE) and 
     further education (FE) libraries). The project had three main aims: 
     
     * to investigate the extent of cross-use of publicly-funded libraries 
     in Birmingham/Solihull and Sheffield and the reasons for cross-use 
     (including patterns of library use and reasons for library use)
     * to develop a policy, strategy and implementation plan for 
     co-operation and collaboration between publicly-funded libraries in 
     Birmingham/Solihull and Sheffield
     * to develop transferable models of co-operation and collaboration for 
     other regions in the UK, based on those developed for 
     Birmingham/Solihull and Sheffield 
     
     Recommendations are provided for policy and decision makers, for 
     research funders, for libraries in the People Flows regions and for 
     libraries nationally. 
     
     
     List of "new" forthcoming titles
     --------------------------------
     
     Please note that the LIC website has a complete list of research 
     reports published/to be published and that currently 69 reports are 
     identified. The following are "new" forthcoming additions.
     
     The Internet: its impact and evaluation (report 61)
     
     Enhancing access to library based ICT services for visually impaired 
     people 1 (report 62)
     
     Metamorphosis: transferring research into library and information, 
     museums and archives practice (report 66)
     
     The Library and Information Commission: an evaluation of its policy 
     work and underpinning research (report 67)
     
     COOL: creating opportunities for others via libraries (report 68)
     
     Mass observation of the public library (report 69)



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