Agricultural researchers and science librarians must understand which research literature databases provide the most comprehensive coverage of agricultural subjects to support their inquiries. Once the domain of a few specialized databases, agricultural research literature is now covered by broad, multidisciplinary databases. The purpose of this…

The shift from physical materials to digital holdings has slowly infiltrated libraries across the globe, and librarians are struggling to make sense of these intangible, and sometimes fleeting, resources. Materials budgets have shifted to accommodate large journal and database subscriptions, single-title article access, and, most recently, e-book…

This followup to a 1989 study of current sources for bibliographic information on videos examines three main sources: (1) OCLC; (2) Bowker's Complete Video Directory; and (3) Video Source Book. Coverage is compared for new titles as well as for titles from the previous study, and differences between the three sources are described. (LRW)

Examines Web sites that provide bibliographic information useful to librarians as well as to end users, some for free and some that charge fees. Highlights include the possibility of canceling database subscriptions; information quality on free Web databases; retrieval-based comparisons between free and fee-based databases; and document delivery…

Reviews 30 reference sources in all subject areas, except the sciences, that were published in 1992. Appropriateness for public, academic, or other type of library is given in each review. CD-ROM products are included in this annual list for the first time, and the competition between print and CD-ROM reference works is described in a sidebar.…

Compares the costs and benefits of periodical ownership against online access of a full-text periodicals database in one academic library. A full-text database allows the library to offer more than twice as many journals as it does currently for a 15% increase in expenditures. Two tables show comparisons. (Author/AEF)

The characteristics of paper or microform library materials, electronic publications, and online databases are compared in terms of equipment needs, cost effectiveness, budgeting, and satisfaction of users' needs. Suggestions for the effective integration of these materials are offered. (13 references) (CLB)

Describes a study of the current usage and status of CD-ROM products. Results of a survey of academic and research libraries that covered products owned or subscribed to, how they are paid for, numbers of workstations, usage, and cost are reported. The years 1984-85 and 1989-90 are compared. Cancellation of print sources is also addressed.…