Reports information gathered from eight vendors on the preparation of bibliographic data for CD-ROM public access catalogs: (1) sources of bibliographic records; (2) duplicate record handling; (3) holdings and location information; (4) maintaining the database; (5) authority control; (7) record corrections; (7) extraction of subsets; (8)…

This introduction to the characteristics of software for CD-ROM describes programs used to format and create data stored on the disk, as well as retrieval programs. Criteria that need to be considered when evaluating CD-ROM software are discussed, including retrieval strategies (browsing vs. keyword searching), interfaces, index and file…

Reviews the best and worst in databases on disk, CD-ROM, and online, and offers judgments and observations on database characteristics. Two databases are praised and three are criticized. (Author/JMV)

Outlines the steps involved in the development of a CD-ROM product. Areas discussed include user requirements definition, delivery systems definition, database design, application design and development, data capture, data conversion program design and development, data conversion and enhancement, data indexing, system integration and evaluation,…

Describes variations in current bibliographic databases in such areas as database organization, contents, authority control, and uses. The discussion covers the implications of these factors, optical disk technologies, and the Linked Systems Project for the future of national bibliographic databases. (nine references) (CLB)

Describes features of the Western Library Network's database, including the database structure, authority control, contents, quality control, and distribution methods. The discussion covers changes in distribution necessitated by increasing telecommunications costs and the development of optical data disk products. (CLB)

Describes an approximate document ranking process that uses a compact array of in-memory, low-precision approximations for document length. Combined with another rule for reducing the memory required by partial similarity accumulators, the approximation heuristic allows the ranking of large document collections using less than one byte of memory…

Examines the consequences of and implications resulting from the conversion of the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) Microfiche Archive to optical data disk storage. The discussion focuses on changes made in data content, structure, and display, and the effect on user access and utility. (six references) (CLB)

Describes the Hawaii Department of Education's School Library Network Project and its approach to retrospective conversion for more than 200 school library media centers using a combination of 3 methods: in-house, full data entry; in-house, partial data entry; and full vendor contract. It is noted that a combination of these methods provides the…

This article reports results of a case study of text-based online and CD-ROM databases that identified design characteristics that are important to high school students' use for higher-level learning as well as for information access and retrieval. Implications for the design of databases are suggested. (Contains 62 references.) (LRW)

Describes the work of four Wyoming high school students who created a CD-ROM collection of Oregon Trail documents for use by fourth graders. The students reviewed 60 boxes of diaries, government documents, prints, and artifacts, becoming historians themselves as they created the electronic database. Includes photographs and illustrations. (MJP)