Explores classroom microcomputer applications in elementary and secondary social studies. The utility of drill and practice and tutorial programs is reviewed; computer spreadsheets to project election tallies and databases for use in analyzing voter data are described; and economics and election simulations are compared. (MBR)

Focuses on the centralized, online, shared-cataloging facility of the Australian Bibliographic Network operated by the National Library of Australia. Existing automated library systems in Australia, selection and implementation of Washington Library Network software, comparison of Australian and U.S. automation, and projections for future…

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)

Documents the reasons for embargoes of academic journals in full text databases (i.e., publisher-imposed delays on the availability of full text content) and provides insight regarding common misconceptions. Tables present data on selected journals covering a cross-section of subjects and publishers and comparing two full text business databases.…

Describes two CD-ROM reference systems and the reactions of undergraduate students, faculty, and librarians to these systems. The discussion covers criteria that influenced users' reactions (e.g. ease of use, expertise in Boolean logic, database currency, and multidisciplinary characteristics of databases) and conclusions about appropriate systems…

Several national data sources available to the public can be used to examine institutional impacts of student financial aid and to compare institutional data with national averages. (Author/MSE)

Reports the results of a study comparing the performance of commercial document suppliers with the performance of traditional interlibrary loan. The discussion covers comparisons of speed, cost, the effect of publication characteristics on speed and cost, and success rates, as well as implications of the findings for interlibrary loan services.…

Describes a study that investigated index access to the literature of recruitment of minorities to the library science profession by comparing 12 representative articles from "Library and Information Science Abstracts" (LISA) and "Library Literature." Underrepresentation of minorities and the issue of recruitment of minorities…

Discussion of relevancy in information retrieval systems focuses on an analysis of the efficiency of various cluster-based retrieval (CBR) strategies. A method for combining CBR and inverted index search is proposed that is cost effective in terms of time efficiency; and results of experiments are reported. (Contains 32 references.) (LRW)

Describes a student affairs database developed especially for urban institutions of higher education. Such a database enables urban institutions to refer to comparison groups with similar characteristics. Specific examples of data use by chief student affairs officers and others are provided. (SLD)

Presents and analyzes data from the 1992 AIDSLINE database on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and compares it with data from the 1989 AIDSLINE database regarding the shift in productivity of various journals and the changing frequencies with which Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms were used to provide subject access and control.…

Discussion of CD-ROM as an alternative to online searching for academic libraries focuses on a comparison between online and CD-ROM costs at the University of Natal (South Africa) library. Other factors examined include funding methods; user fees; staff involvement; user training; user access, including search intermediaries and networking; and…

Compares free text versus controlled vocabulary searching for information relating to women's issues on the ERIC laserdisk database from Dialog. Topics discussed include terminology and women's studies; Boolean operators; and adequacy of the ERIC thesaurus for searching relevant topics including women's social roles, antiabortion movement, teenage…

Discussion of problems that organizations face regarding the selection, management, and accession of information services focuses on the extent to which document information systems (DIS) and text management systems (TMS) can improve the management and accessibility of information sources. Examples of TMS applications are described. (11…

Discusses Dialog's recent new pricing structure and its effects on librarians and other information professionals. Presents charts that compare Dialog databases with other search services (Dow Jones Interactive, LEXIS-NEXIS, OCLC FirstSearch, Ovid, Questel-Orbit, SilverPlatter, and STN) and Dialog via other channels (DataStar, Dialog Select,…