Purpose: The aim of this paper is to share the experiences and challenges faced by the Open University Library (OUL) in using screen capture software to develop online literature search tutorials. Design/methodology/approach: A summary of information literacy support at the OUL is provided as background information to explain the decision to…

Academic libraries customize, support, and provide access to myriad information systems, each with complex graphical user interfaces. The number of possible information entry points on an academic library Web site is both daunting to the end-user and consistently challenging to library Web site designers. Faced with the challenges inherent in…

Provides background on ERIC and describes how to search the compact disc version of the ERIC database using SilverPlatter. (MES)

Eighteen scholarly papers and eighteen abstracts comprise the content of the 8th "Brick and Click Libraries Symposium," held annually at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri. The proceedings, authored by academic librarians and presented at the symposium, portray the contemporary and future face of librarianship. Many of the…

Discusses topics related to use of search trees to enhance subject searching in online catalogs: subject searching in existing systems; search trees defined; highlights of a study of subject queries; normalized subject headings; the exact approach to subject searching; one-word queries; multiword queries; queries failing to produce retrievals; and…

Developed for students at the University of North Texas, this directory lists 482 libraries with computerized catalogs that can be accessed through the Internet. Most of the libraries are academic libraries, the majority of which are located in the United States. The list also includes libraries located in Europe, Australia, Israel, and elsewhere.…

Describes the Answer Machine, a microcomputer system which uses the EasyNet software to provide a gateway to more than 900 online databanks. Topics covered include: (1) system features; (2) costs; (3) experiences and results of a user questionnaire at a test site at the University of Pennsylvania; and (4) benefits for libraries. (MES)

Discusses the George Washington University Library's experiences as a test site for Silver Platter/Psychlit. Advantages of the CD-ROM concept, including visibility, accessibility, costs, and sophistication, are noted; crucial issues in deciding whether to acquire a CD-ROM product are considered; and CD-ROM is described as a means for integrating…

Describes the downloading capabilities of the WESTMATE version of the WESTLAW retrieval system and compares WESTLAW to LEXIS in terms of downloading functions and costs. The steps involved in WESTLAW access with standard communications software are outlined, and sample screen displays are appended. (CLB)

Defines criteria applicable to implementation of end-user online searching service in academic education library (ease of use, flexibility, administrative ease, security, compatibility with available equipment) and describes systems in four categories--software (front ends, downloaded subsets), gateways, user friendly vendors, and straight vendor…

Evaluates usefulness of LegalTrac Database at University of Florida College of Law for information coverage; indexing; ease in locating information compared to online and manual searching; and user reactions. Problems encountered with the system's software and equipment and practical suggestions for its use are included. (CDD)

Describes techniques for using the SCISEARCH database to determine how often a particular journal is cited by authors affiliated with a particular institution. The use of CROSSTALK and WordPerfect to create offline searches to minimize costs is explained, and using the resulting information to make journal subscription and cancellation decisions…

The Pacific Information Center (PIC) was established in 1983 to identify, collect, and record information about materials from and relating to the South Pacific region. The project involves sharing access and information among countries in this region. PIC, which works in conjunction with the University of the South Pacific (USP) Library, receives…

Drexel University instituted a microcomputing program in 1984 which required all freshmen to own Apple Macintosh microcomputers. All students were taught database searching on the BRS (Bibliographic Retrieval Services) system as part of the freshman humanities curriculum, and the university library was chosen as the site to house continuing…

Presents results of a 1984 survey of microcomputer applications, hardware, and software utilization in the libraries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Findings--which are summarized separately for each country as well as for the group--indicate microcomputer uses are neither as sophisticated nor as varied as expected. (MBR)