1. Public, school, and academic libraries are being urged to install filtering software on their public terminals to block access to objectionable materials on the World Wide Web. Discuss the pros and cons of this measure, considering such factors as institutional mission, access to information, and collection development.

2. The spring 1997 summit on volunteerism brought national attention to the contribution of volunteers. However, for the library profession the use of volunteers can be a two-edged sword. Describe the benefits and drawbacks of using volunteers to provide library/information center staffing. In addition, discuss the elements of a successful library/information center volunteer program.

3. Information professionals are in a better position to assess and address the needs of users when factors that influence information-seeking behavior are understood. Discuss factors which influence users' information-seeking behavior, and how an understanding of these factors may affect the provision of reference services and the creation of tools that facilitate access to information.

4. MARC, TEI, and SGML are standards that have been developed for information management. Describe the historical development and the nature of two of these standards. In addition, discuss efforts that have been made to use these standards fully.

5. Several professional organizations have identified skills and competencies for librarians of the 21st century. Draw on these lists, as well as the professional literature, to specify areas that are critically important to the preparation of future librarians. Discuss why these skills and competencies are important and how they serve to define the role of future librarians.

6. Currently many institutions and professions are involved in information services. Discuss ways in which libraries and librarians can both compete and cooperate with other information-related organizations.

7. Assume that a regional library of a large county public library system has received a bequest of $75,000 for a video collection. Up to this time, this library has not had videos in its collection. You have been given the responsibility for using this gift in a "timely and equitable manner" for acquiring videos "of cultural interest to the community." Discuss how you would build and promote the new video collection.

8. A recent study published by the Benton Foundation reported that the public surveyed preferred that libraries not be innovators in the use of information technology. It also found that young people are losing interest in libraries as a source of information. Discuss the implications of these findings for the services, collections, programs, and advocacy activities of libraries and librarians.

9. In Soergal's Organizing Information: Principles of Data Base and Retrieval Systems the author states that "hierarchy serves many functions." Use examples to discuss how an understanding of hierarchy is helpful in searching print and electronic sources.

10. It has been suggested that the Internet is not a library and never will be. Discuss the validity of this statement, including the similarities and differences between the Internet and a library.

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