A "user interface" is the part of an interactive system that bridges the user and the underlying functionality of the system. But people sometimes forget that the best interfaces will provide a platform to optimize the users' interactions so that they support and extend the users' activities in effective, useful, and usable ways. To look at it…

Discusses the concept of information scent in a Web site, which is based on mental associations between concepts. Describes research in the field of human-computer interaction, including how humans locate information and semantic networks; and discusses navigation success, user testing, good links, and facet-based browsing. (LRW)

Seven articles discuss aspects of transaction log analysis, including introduction and definitions; history and development; components of an ideal logging facility; research methodologies; applications to a variety of library functions; practical and logical limits of the methodology; and future developments needed to enhance successful use of…

Presents the background, database, user instructions, design criteria, hardware, and commands of the online catalog system at the University of New Brunswick (Canada) library, as well as self-instructional features of the system. Evaluation of systems use and potential applications are discussed, and sample displays are provided. (RBF)

This paper describes an experiment in the use of Dewey Decimal Classification in online catalogs to introduce classed approach to subject searching of library collections, enhance subject terminology indexed in online catalog, and provide possibilities for search strategies not possible through alphabetical approach of subject headings and/or…

Describes The RightPages Service developed by AT&T Bell Laboratories library and computer researchers to enable AT&T employees to access the library from their workstations. The service incorporates ASCII text, bitmap images, and an alerting service. Copyright issues, user interface, image and text processing procedures, results, and…

Presents an Intelligent Negotiating Neural Network Design Model for solving the problem of poor information retrieval in subject searches of online catalogs. The purpose of the network, its architecture, and three different sessions of the user interface are described. Nineteen figures showing screens of the three sessions are appended. (Contains…

This study describes the various roles major interactive media can play in classroom education, including advantages, disadvantages, and evaluation of efficacy drawn from research. Selected authoring programs are reviewed, as are criteria for selecting authoring programs for use by teachers. The physical and instructional features of optical…

Provides an overview of digital libraries research, practice, and literature. Highlights include new technologies; redefining roles; historical background; trends; creating digital content, including conversion; metadata; organizing digital resources; services; access; information retrieval; searching; natural language processing; visualization;…