Describes a study that investigated the information needs of rural health workers in Hawaii and their current means of information access. Highlights include ranking of information needs, ranked sources of information, hardware ownership, use of electronic sources, use of document delivery services, and perceived barriers to information use.…

Based on the Survey of Scholars conducted by the American Council of Learned Societies' Office of Scholarly Communication and Technology, this report examines the need for better two-way communication between libraries and scholars as a means of easing the transition to the use of today's new and diverse information resources. A concise summary…

An assessment of the information needs of providers of literacy services examined whether these needs could be met through an electronic information and communications system (EICS). The needs assessment was sent to 300 literacy providers; 134 responded. Responses indicated that literacy providers would benefit from a central, easily accessible…

Integrating comments from the literature about CD-ROMs, online searching, and information retrieval, this report describes the initial experience of using InfoTrac at Winona State University (WSU). After finding that students did not tend to order fee-based online searches, the WSU library provided access on a trial basis to bibliographic…

After receiving training in searching INSPEC or ERIC on DIALOG using either the SciMate menu or native commands, 40 doctoral students performed free searches on research topics of their choice. In comparison with 20 control subjects (doctoral students for whom a free search was performed by a skilled librarian), the experimental subjects were…

This report provides an evaluation of the Online at PA Libraries project which was initiated in the Fall of 1996 by the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Office of Commonwealth Libraries and the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit. The report documents that the following goals were accomplished: (1) provide public access to the Internet through…

The Online Reference and Document Delivery Service Library Network developed at Eastern Oregon State College and operated in Eastern Oregon provides rural east Oregonians improved access to information sources via computers, telefacsimile, and telecommunications. Microcomputers have been placed in public, school, community college, and hospital…

Noting that the rapid evolution of telecommunications technology, the relentless advancement of computing capabilities, and the seemingly endless proliferation of electronic data have had a profound impact on research libraries, this Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) kit explores the extent to which these technologies have come…

The library of McDonald and Company Securities is important to the success of the business and its employees. This study assesses the needs and expectations of the library users, and analyzes how well the current library services are meeting those needs and expectations. A questionnaire was distributed to a large random sample of the firm's…

A survey of computer hardware and software access, network familiarity, and systems use was conducted to determine the optimum placement of two newly developed electronic Interlibrary Loan (ILL) forms at the Ohio State University Health Sciences Library. A sample of 205 ILL users were mailed a questionnaire, with a resultant 72% (n=148) response…

This study is an attempt to do the following: (1) determine the extent that CD-ROM databases are used by librarians and patrons in Ohio law libraries; (2) define librarian and patron research preferences comparing CD-ROM, print, and online resources; (3) track general trends in law library acquisition of CD-ROM databases; (4) examine the degree of…

By establishing its Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN) in 1989, California became the first state to spend substantial funds on building a technological infrastructure for adult education. OTAN's goals are as follows: foster communication among state officials, researchers, and local administrators, instructors, and staff in adult…