An examination of OCLC's EPIC service and standard video reference tools revealed that EPIC was more comprehensive in finding video titles on the popular or specialized topics of bonsai, genealogy, karate, and holography, because of its keyword searching ability on the massive OCLC database. (11 references) (EA)

Examines factors relating to selecting machine-readable information sources from the perspective of the library manager concerned with serving user needs. Professional and novice searchers are considered; remote time sharing, CD-ROM workstations, and local tapes are described and compared; network choices are discussed; and impacts on the…

Describes how the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) and several other databases were added to the online public access catalog at Indiana State University, and explores impacts of enhancing access in this manner at several academic libraries. Telecommunications and software design consideration are also discussed, together with…

Offers a model for choosing among CD-ROM, end user access, mediated online searching, or locally mounted files as alternatives for extending online catalogs and replacing printed indexes. Estimates of demand and comparisons of costs made at Trinity and Clemson Universities provide a quantitative framework for selection. (Contains four references.)…

Shows civilian applications for Department of Defense education and training efforts and instructional technology. A search showing a gap between the ERIC and NTIS (National Technical Information Service) databases covering government documents is described. Suggestions for additional research and an overview of federal statutes which include…

Describes the experiences of Rhode Island's Higher Education Library Information Network (HELIN) Consortium in purchasing electronic journals and databases. Discusses criteria and guidelines developed to help in the decision making process, including coverage, indexing, search features, help features, screen design, full text availability,…

A discussion of dictionaries and their use for second language (L2) learning suggests that lack of computerized modern language corpora can adversely affect bilingual dictionaries, commonly used by L2 learners, and shows how use of such corpora has benefitted two contemporary monolingual L2 learner dictionaries (1995 editions of the Longman…

The Common Core of Data (CCD) is the primary database of the National Center for Education Statistics on elementary and secondary education in the United States. CCD is a comprehensive, annual, national statistical database of all elementary and secondary schools and school districts. It contains data that are comparable across all states, and all…

School finance is basic to understanding and improving the condition of rural education. The purpose of this study was to: (1) determine the relationship between educational spending and component property wealth in the rural schools of Illinois; (2) examine potential trends in component property wealth in Illinois; and (3) identify and facilitate…

A survey of public library users was conducted regarding retrieval results of unassisted user searches in general periodical indexes. The data were analyzed to evaluate the impact or lack of impact of searching a CD-ROM index with loosely-controlled vocabulary and expanded-search capabilities (i.e., InfoTrac-General Periodicals Index) versus a…

A study was designed in which a battery of 11 selected instruments was given to 320 professional students (four classes) at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine to measure a variety of parameters of brain function and cognitive ability. Results were to be used to develop ability or competency profiles, to compare scores, to…

Educational services data contained in the Migrant Student Record Transfer System (MSRTS) database were used to examine some effects of the migrant education program on student performance, and how student performance varied with the amount and duration of exposure to general and particular program components. Problems with using the MSRTS…

This paper describes a study that was undertaken at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to compare the databases selected by 75 inexperienced student online searchers aided by an existing gateway system--INFOMASTER, a version of EASYNET--with databases selected manually by four experienced searchers who were reference librarians from…

Alternative methods of storing and handling the registrar's records are described, and their relative advantages and disadvantages are noted. The methods include paper files, micrographics (computer output microfilm and source document microfilm), and electronic image systems. (MSE)

Presents results from elementary school classroom uses of the Computer Supported Integrated Learning Environments (CSILE) software that stores student productions, including text and graphics, in one database to which all users have simultaneous access. Educational uses, effects, and outcomes of CSILE are described; and knowledge construction is…