The first of two articles discusses the obstacles to and advantages of cooperative systems planning and development by a team of academic librarians and computing center staff. The second examines the differences in funding approaches to libraries and computer centers, and budgetary problems involved when the two organizations share computer…

Describes a pilot project by the University of California to provide access to biomedical and health sciences literature through the integration of the MEDLINE database into the University's MELVYL online union catalog. The discussion covers the design, implementation and evaluation of the system, current planning efforts, and key technical and…

Reviews the problems of users of online public access catalogs and argues that it is necessary to think of all searching problems as systems problems rather than user failures, and to concentrate research in the area of systems enhancements. A list of improved tools needed for subject searching in online catalogs is identified. (CLB)

Eight authors discuss five questions related to user searching of online catalogs: What user needs can be met by online assistance? Should assistance be tailored to particular groups? Should there be more than one level of assistance? Do users learn through computer-assisted instruction? and Will increased system friendliness eliminate the need…

Discusses the need to reassess the objectives of online public access catalogs and how those objectives might be met before costly investments are made in electronic versions of "other data" for online catalogs. Several objectives are outlined and their feasibility in the modern telecommunications environment is examined. (two references) (CLB)

Analyzes the change that Internet-based OPACs (Online Public Access Catalogs) have represented to the structure, administration, and maintenance of the catalogs, retrieval systems, and user interfaces. Examines the structure of databases and traditional principles that have governed systems development. Discusses repercussions of the application…

Based on telephone interviews with 12 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries, this report presents the underlying reasons for the libraries' decisions relating to the design and implementation of automated library systems. The survey results are summarized, a list of respondents is provided, and profiles of present and planned…

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)