Purpose: While educators and students alike are increasingly moving to use on-line technologies, there is still much to be learned about how these tools influence student learning. The purpose of this paper is to present a comparative investigation of the online use of one undergraduate (UG) and two postgraduate (PG) student cohorts undertaking…

Reports the results of a study which examined the need for and use of both academic and professional materials in library collections for professional education. The measures used included proportions of materials in an existing business collection, and comparisons of patron use and obsolescence rates of academic and professional materials. (CLB)

Based on a study of the book collection of Columbia-Greene Community College Library (New York) carried out in the summer of 1987, this report investigates the relationship of age and previous use to the future use of books. An examination of the acquisition year and circulation records of 10% of the library's book collection (approximately 4,000…

The first article describes SPORT, a database providing international coverage of athletics and physical education, and compares it to other online services in terms of coverage, thesauri, possible search strategies, and actual usage. The second article reviews available online information on sports medicine. (CLB)

Comparison of the use in libraries of open systems--a configuration of software and hardware components from separate vendors linked by interfaces--and integrated systems considers selection of services; reliability; relationships with vendors; time needed to implement systems; and overall effectiveness of both approaches. (CLB)

A national survey was conducted to determine land use practices among a random sample of 192 two-year colleges and to compare findings with results from a 1978 study. The survey solicited a description of the institution; a description of all campus land together with estimates of acreage directly dedicated for educational programs, acreage…

A survey of 75 small academic libraries reveals that most hold reasonably current editions of four or five different general encyclopedias with considerable agreement on most popular titles. Encyclopedias are used primarily for ready reference and general introductions to research topics; new editions are purchased at least every five years. (EJS)

A study at the Emory University School of Business Administration library compared the effectiveness of faculty members and librarians as book selectors. Effectiveness was measured by comparing selected titles with the Baker list published by the Harvard Business School and with business periodical reviews, and by examining circulation records.…

Reports results of a survey of online catalog users in an academic library in Saudi Arabia that examined search patterns, levels of satisfaction, and user attitudes toward the online catalog. The special problems encountered when searching in a foreign language are discussed, and systems improvements are suggested. (CLB)

This review of the research on the use of card catalogs and online catalogs highlights research methodologies and significant findings. Discussion of the results focuses on user needs and satisfaction, and the need to separate bibliographic practices that are universally sound from those that are an adaptation to the medium. (CLB)

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)

The University of Wyoming (UW), the state's only 4-year institution, offers extended degree programs throughout the state and has as many students enrolled in credit courses off campus as on. This research was undertaken to gather data about student perceptions of library services and to establish baseline data on the characteristics of…

This study conducted at Texas A&M University compares two types of training approaches using ERIC SilverPlatter (ERIC SP). Education students received either: (1) a one hour training session on basic search commands and strategies, or (2) a four page instructional handout that described basic search commands, Boolean logic, and special…

This report describes a three-stage catalog use study conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Stout from 1982 through 1986 to determine the types of searches conducted and search success rates for both the card and online catalogs during the library's transition to the DataPhase Automated Library Information System (ALIS). Phase I, conducted…

Reports the rationale, design, implementation, and results of an examination of the impact of online subject catalogs on users by comparing their behaviors before and after catalog installation. Evaluation criteria included volume of use, types of searches, use of other catalogs, search time, user satisfaction, and need for assistance. (CLB)