This second report on a two-part study on the application of informetrics to information retrieval (IR) system design used models of database contents in a factorial simulation study at the University of Western Ontario. The study explored whether different file structures were better suited for different informetric environments. (32 references)…

This study examines precision and recall for title and keyword searches performed in the "FirstSearch" WorldCat database when keywords are used with and without adjacency of terms specified. A random sample of 68 titles in economics were searched in the OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) Online Union Catalog in order to obtain their…

Retrievability of titles of 152 periodicals were compared in a fixed-length algorithmic search (Library Computer System) and a keyword search (Washington Library Network) to determine which type of search algorithm is more successful with titles of varying lengths. Three references and a list of English language stopwords are appended. (EJS)

This study compared the formation of the names of Victorian women writers in the Library of Congress name authority file to the formation of names in selected bibliographic tools created by humanities scholars. A purposive sample of 52 writers, divided into 12 problem categories derived from Chapter 22 of the "Anglo-American Cataloguing…

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…

Discusses trends in computer technology and their use for library catalogs, noting the concept of bandwidth (describes quantity of information transmitted per given unit of time); computer hardware differences (micros, minis, maxis); distributed processing systems and databases; optical disk storage; networks; transmission media; and terminals.…

Describes a study conducted to determine the main differences in online catalog searching styles and results among library staff, faculty, and patrons at Adelphi University (New York). Transaction log analysis, questionnaires, zero hit searches, keyword, author, title, subject, and other search strategies were evaluated to determine patterns of…

This description of the functional characteristics of 20 online public catalogs in libraries in the United States notes their origin and scope, search methods, access points, search commands, record displays, user assistance, database and technical characteristics, and costs. Six references and illustrative material are provided. (EJS)

To compare the value of subject descriptors and title keywords as entries to subject searches, two studies were conducted, both concentrating on monographs in the humanities and social sciences held by online public access catalog of the National Library of the Netherlands. (Author/AEF)

This investigation of utilization of machine-readable bibliographic records for government publications in online public access catalogs consists of a literature search, identification of applications of Government Printing Office (GPO) MARC tapes by bibliographic services and libraries, sampling GPO MARC test tape and profiling depository…

Describes a survey dealing with academic library provision of electronic journals and other electronic resources that compared ARL (Association of Research Libraries) members to non-ARL members. Highlights include full-text electronic journals; computers in libraries; online public access catalogs; interlibrary loan and electronic reserves; access…