The current president of the American Society for Information Science shares his observations about the information industry, identifying positive and negative trends, and discusses the role ASIS can play in the continuing growth of the industry. (Author/CLB)

Describes the Tacoma Public Library's experience with "BIP Plus," the CD-ROM version of Books in Print. Memory requirements, search capabilities, automatic ordering, and the library staff's response are discussed. Keyword searching is explained as the system's most used feature, and price the area of most serious concern. (EM)

Discusses issues which will have an impact on database searching for the next five years: (1) quality control; (2) more inhouse databases; (3) changes in database visuals; (4) pricing policies; and (5) market changes. A number of favorable and unfavorable changes unlikely to occur within five years are also noted. (MES)

Describes the experiences of the American Society for Training and Development library with the CD-ROM version of ERIC. The following topics are discussed: (1) installation of the CD-ROM system; (2) CD-ROM vs. online searching; (3) cost/benefit of CD-ROM; (4) patron response; and (5) future plans. (1 reference) (MES)

Describes and compares three versions of the ERIC database that are available on optical data disks: (1) DIALOG OnDisc ERIC; (2) OCLC Search CD450; and (3) SilverPlatter ERIC. The database contents, software and search commands, hardware requirements, notable features, and costs of each version are discussed. (CLB)

Briefly describes DIALOG OnDisc and gives an example of an actual search of the ERIC database using this system. The screen displays and search commands are used to illustrate the differences between the easy menu search method provided for novice users and the command search method provided for experienced users. (CLB)

Discusses the George Washington University Library's experiences as a test site for Silver Platter/Psychlit. Advantages of the CD-ROM concept, including visibility, accessibility, costs, and sophistication, are noted; crucial issues in deciding whether to acquire a CD-ROM product are considered; and CD-ROM is described as a means for integrating…

Discusses the use of optical disk technology in online searching and compares three versions of the ERIC database currently available on optical disk in terms of hardware requirements, ease of installation, scope and cost of the system, search procedures, displaying and printing results, and documentation and user support. (CLB)

This series of ten articles exploring users' reactions to optical data disk technologies, focuses on comparisons with online retrieval systems. The opinions of users and vendors on cost effectiveness, searchability, equipment requirements and performance, effectiveness, and efficiency are presented and discussed. (CLB)

Outlines the evaluation criteria used by the reference department at the Williams Library at the University of Mississippi in selecting databases and hardware used in CD-ROM workstations. The factors discussed include database coverage, costs, and security. (CLB)

Reports the results of a survey of library schools that examined the current use of microcomputers and computer-assisted instruction in the teaching of online searching. The need for a methodology to test the effectiveness of these instructional methods is discussed. (9 references) (CLB)

Describes compact disk technology in general and possible library applications, including cataloging, online bibliographic searching, and full text searching, and compares the purchase of optical disk packages to traditional online services. Guidelines are provided for evaluating optical disks which focus on the size of the database, updating…

Describes and evaluates a project which examined the feasibility of converting the University of Illinois' ILLINET Online Union Catalog to optical format, allowing users across the state to search the database using microcomputers. The evaluation focused on the impact on interlibrary loans and on the reactions of librarians and users. (CLB)

Describes the experiences of high school students using microcomputers to access an electronic version of an encyclopedia in the school's media center. The topics discussed include hardware and software requirements of the CD-ROM format, information seeking strategies and problems observed, student satisfaction with the system, and recommendations…