The first of two articles addresses the problems of automated bibliographic control of bound withs--i.e., books or pamphlets published separately and subsequently bound together--in a library collection, and explains a solution devised by Innovative Interfaces. The second article reports on beta testing of KeyNOTIS, a turnkey library automation…

Reports results of a comparison of the Academic Index on CD-ROM and four indexes on the OPAC (online public access catalog) at Brooklyn College (New York): General Science Index, Humanities Index, Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, and Social Science Index. Coverage of the "New York Times" was found to be important. (LRW)

Discussion of keyword and Boolean searching techniques in online public access catalogs (OPACs) focuses on a study conducted at Indiana State University that examined users' attitudes toward searching on NOTIS (Northwestern Online Total Integrated System). Relevant literature is reviewed, and implications for library instruction are suggested. (17…

Describes OASIS, a prototype adaptive online catalog implemented as a front end to the University of California MELVYL catalog. Topics addressed include the concept of adaptive retrieval systems, strategic search commands, feedback, prototyping using a front-end, the problem of excessive retrieval, commands to limit or increase search results, and…

Discusses an increase in library users providing services for themselves that were formerly provided by library staff, and describes a study conducted at Ohio State University that measured (1) the public's acceptance of patron-initiated renewals and other capabilities, and (2) the resulting impact on staff activity. (five references) (LRW)

Describes a study conducted to investigate patron use of the online catalog at New York's Nassau Community College. Provides findings related to the number and types of patrons using information terminals, time required for searches, preferred methods for learning to use the terminal, and the most common searches. (MAB)

This research was conducted in order to examine whether libraries are maintaining consistent and complete subject authority control and creating syndetic reference structure for popular topics. A descriptive study of 15 private liberal arts college libraries was conducted to determine whether the Library of Congress (LC) prescribed "see"…

This study compares the cost effectiveness of using a CD-ROM (compact disk read-only memory) system known as Bibliofile and the currently used OCLC (Online Computer Library Center)-based method to convert a university library's shelflist into a machine-readable database in the MARC (Machine-Readable Cataloging) format. The cost of each method of…

Describes an experiment conducted at the University of Illinois at Chicago that was designed to determine whether adding a substantial number of subject headings would raise circulation rates. The effects of added contents notes, keyword searching, browsing, and displays on the online catalog are examined, and further research is suggested. (27…

Describes a study that electronically monitored 11 public access terminals at the University of Colorado libraries to produce transaction logs that were used to gather statistics and analyze users' behavior when searching online catalogs. Implications for search instruction and systems design are suggested. (Contains 13 references.) (LRW)

Describes a study that was conducted to determine whether the searching behavior of remote users of LIAS (Library Information Access System), Pennsylvania State University's online public access catalog (OPAC), differed from those using the OPAC within the library. Differences in search strategies and in user satisfaction are discussed. (eight…

Describes a study conducted at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln library that investigated the impact of automated display on catalog records by comparing the card and online versions of records created according to ISBD (International Standard Bibliographic Description) conventions. The development of a new cataloging code is recommended.…

Describes PACE (Public Access Catalogue Extension), an alternative interface designed to enhance online catalogs by simulating images of books and library shelves to help users browse through the catalog. Results of a test in a college library against a text-based online public access catalog, including student attitudes, are described.…

Describes the implementation of an online catalog in the library of the National Institute for Cancer Research and the Clinical and Experimental Oncology Institute of the University of Genoa. Topics addressed include automation of various library functions, software features, database management, training, and user response. (10 references) (MES)

Reports on a transaction log study of the online catalog at North Carolina State University-Raleigh that was conducted to determine users' searching behavior and the problems they experienced. Failure rates for various searches are examined, usage patterns are described, and results are compared with data from earlier studies. (seven references)…