Describes a framework for building "story traces" (compact global views of a narrative) and "story projects" (selections of key elements of a narrative) and their applications in text understanding and classification. The resulting "abstract story traces" provide a compact view of the underlying narrative's key…

Describes the different approaches taken by the Chemical Abstracts Services database, which abstracts and indexes chemical publications, and the Belstein Handbook of Organic Chemistry database, which produces a collection of critical reviews. The resulting content of the databases and their ability to meet the needs of different users are…

Provides update to 13-year analysis of finances of major database producer noting actions taken to improve finances (decrease expenses, increase efficiency, develop new products, market strategies and services, change pricing scheme, omit print products, increase prices) and consequences of actions (revenue increase, connect hour increase). Five…

Discusses strengths of abstracting and indexing services (subject coverage, resolution of language problems, systematic indexing) and summarizes sources, countries of origin, languages, total coverage, and indexing of four scientific and technical services--Biosis, Engineering Information, Inspec, Chemical Abstracts Service. Characteristics of…

Presents a general overview of the development of Information Science Abstracts. The historical perspective, including the contributions of individuals and institutions, is discussed; its coverage is compared with that of other information science databases; and retrieval capabilities are described. (four references) (Author/CLB)

This report details the various search methods applicable to the ERIC database through the use of manual indexes available in paper and microfiche form. It provides examples of searches for both documents and journal articles, illustrating the use of ERIC thesaurus terms, subject descriptor/identifier indexes on microfiche, paper indexes, the…

Argues that the major forces related to economic factors that effect the future of secondary services are growth of primary literature and expansion of secondary products; migration of use from print products to tape products; new technology and impact on production of products and services; and redefinition of user as end user. (EJS)

Traces the evolution of Engineering Information, Inc. (Ei), from beginnings in 1884 to present transition from role of traditional publisher of print-based bibliographic abstracts and indexes to provider of computer-based information products and services. Ei's concept of future as one-stop engineering information supermarket is defined. Ten…

Describes the methods used to create secondary publications, and discusses the respective roles of and relationships between primary and secondary publications, emphasizing the symbiotic nature of the two. Related copyright legislation and cases in both the United States and other countries are reviewed. (CLB)

Defines metadata, noting that standard bibliographic information, summaries, indexing terms, and abstracts are all surrogates for original material, hence metadata. Discusses the need for metadata; creating metadata; search engines and how metadata affects searching; abstracts; and future possibilities. (AEF)

Intended to provide guidelines for similar future undertakings, this report provides a comprehensive record of a serials cataloging project undertaken by the General Reference and Periodicals Department of the University of Miami's Otto G. Richter Library between January 1985 and August 1986. The project was designed to catalog the department's…

Compares "Library Literature" with "Library and Information Science Abstracts" (LISA) and outlines searching LISA on the SilverPlatter CD-ROM. Use of indexes and abstracts to aid information retrieval is explained; abstracting services are described; and five steps in writing an abstract are listed. Abstracts and annotations…

Four papers and two reports from three sections concerned with library science periodicals and serials publications in libraries include discussions of the role of library and information science journals and their coverage by indexing services as well as a description of an online system for serials, a report from the working group on newspapers,…

Describes five online databases that focus on computer products, primarily software and microcomputing hardware, and compares the databases in terms of record content, product coverage, vertical market coverage, currency, availability, and price. Sample records and searches are provided, as well as a directory of product databases. (CLB)

Discusses the publication of short stories and problems of electronic access to them through online databases. Magazines that publish short stories and are indexed in databases are discussed, electronic access to university publications is described, online citations and abstracts are explained, and the future of fiction is considered. (four…