Presents a possible solution to the problems of cataloging and retrieval which arise when teachers wish to assemble relatively large collections of structured resource materials, to enable their students to choose widely divergent routes, as they plan their studies with the ultimate goal of satisfying fixed criterion tests. (Author/VT)

A relational database management system, Query-by-Example, was installed on an IBM 4331 system and tested in 10 schools in the Angle Park School district over a 1-year period to determine whether this system would provide the schools with the means for effectively processing the information essential for running the individual schools and…

A brief introduction by Frank H. Spaulding, president of the Special Libraries Association, is followed by highlights of the findings of the appointed presidential task force on the value of the information professional and an executive summary of task force activities and reports. In addition, an introduction by Allen B. Veaner provides…

A survey of 430 users of online catalog at Ohio State University Libraries found that most users are undergraduate students (68 percent) and that majority (95 percent) choose online catalog as first source of information. Fewer performed known-item searches and success rates were generally higher than reported in earlier studies. (8 references)…

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)

Recognizing that the proliferation of personal computers and microcomputers has made it possible for individuals to access information and library resources electronically, a user study was undertaken by an academic library to determine if these "invisible" individuals accessed information differently than more traditional library users.…

In the fall of 1990, the Computer Services Section of the Department of Public Instruction in North Carolina began a project to study how the use of an online catalog in the media center would influence student academic achievement and provide a vehicle for students to gain the skills needed to access information. For a year, the media…

Arguing that the development of interactive communication systems with microcomputers and computer terminals has created new challenges for public services in academic libraries, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign conducted a needs assessment survey to determine if users of computer-based systems have different needs and expectations…

Presents summaries of research studies related to instructional computer use: three compare word processed and handwritten text of students with and without learning disabilities; one compares student retrieval skills using print and electronic encyclopedias; and one examines computer use by math and science teachers via data from a U.S. national…