This white paper proposes bringing the federal government, state governments, and the private sector together as part of a new approach to making high-speed Internet services available across the country. It proposes the creation of a new federal Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) that, together with matching funds from the states and the private…

Argues that the best strategy for building integrated, personalized information systems consists of linguistically oriented knowledge and inference, rather than artificial intelligence techniques. The discussion addresses difficulties in the evaluation of such systems and strategies for devising performance studies. (five references) (CLB)

Addressed to the new administration and the Congress, this summary report on Federal Government information management and technology issues begins by describing the environment in which information technology has been managed. Arguing that effective government depends directly on effective automation to support programs and initiatives, the…

The rapid adoption of graphic user interface (GUI), as indicated by Microsoft's Windows95 and the Internet's increased use of graphics, is threatening information technology opportunities for people with disabilities. Recent legislation requires that schools provide access to computers and information technology, and producers of Mosaic are…

Focusing on the need for information systems that provide faculty, staff, and students with open access to all necessary information resources, this paper begins by discussing the issues involved in developing such systems. A review of the traditional environment looks at the traditional centralized resources versus the current trend toward…

This article addresses the conditions of developing countries which must be taken into account in developing information strategies for their public and educational institutions or projects. Its central argument is that newer information science concepts, although they demand technological and conceptual sophistication, can be useful in the…

Discusses the need for a regional information network in southern Africa to provide policy makers with access to needed information and reduce dependence on foreign advisers. The progress of the Southern Africa Documentation and Information System is described, and future trends and possible difficulties are identified. (CLB)

Surveys the need for an Indian library and information system using Unesco and UNISIST publications as a framework. Highlights include identification of problems through a pre-planning survey, and a proposal that a national committee be set up to be responsible for policy decision making and to coordinate implementation of developmental plans.…

Summarizes the historical trend of distributing computer power within universities, and describes a model for an information technology environment for higher education. Based on a broad distribution of information and computing power, this model allows users to share information using micro- and minicomputers. (CLB)

The proceedings of a seminar on factual and numerical data banks are described. Seminar objectives were to: (1) make potential users aware of the value of data banks in their respective disciplines and inform them of the tools available; (2) identify national and regional data bank requirements; and (3) define a strategy for development in this…

Presents a classification scheme for generations of online catalogs; discusses current online technologies and identifies deficiencies; and discusses enhancements that will take online catalogs into the next generation. Such enhancements will include increased access to information through user-system dialogue, automatic search aids, subject…

Describes the design and operation of a prototype online catalog; reviews research which evaluated the system in terms of types of searches and success rates; and offers suggestions for enhancing subject access, including automatic stemming, synonym tables and cross-reference lists, and relevance feedback mechanisms. (CLB)