Looks back at the innovations/tribulations that went into the making of Merit Network, Inc., Michigan's pioneering Internet provider. Today, Merit is serving as the GigaPoP organization for its two current Internet2 members, Michigan State University and University of Michigan, and will provision a vBNS connection for Wayne State University.…

This article describes the development at Case Western Reserve University of an all-fiber optic communications network linking 7,300 outlets (faculty offices, student residences, classrooms, libraries, and laboratories) with computer data, television, audio, facsimile, and image information services. (Author/DB)

This study was designed to solicit responses from senior citizens (adults over the age of 55) who had enrolled in a computer course after retirement. The information is intended to aid program planners for seniors in developing future courses. Seventy-six seniors from four local sites (Puget Sound, Washington) and two nationwide online services…

A workshop focused on major research issues in networking and communications. This report defines the context for research priorities and initiatives and deals with issues in networking and communications. Fifteen major research priorities and four research specific initiatives were identified by participants as areas that should be pursued over…

This paper describes early issues, events, and efforts in New Hampshire to develop a telecommunications base for students and educators. Six "dreams" of possible telecommunications programs are briefly described, some facts about New Hampshire are provided, and some problems to be addressed are considered. The beginnings of the New…

Demonstrates how to develop, implement, and manage an institutional Web site, based on a project administered by the Ottawa General Hospital (OGH) library staff. Emphasizes that planning and organization are the most important skills needed to develop a Web site. A table outlines the OGH Web Site Work Plan. (AEF)

In this report, the National Information Infrastructure (NII) services issue is addressed, and activities to advance the development of NII services are recommended. The NII is envisioned to grow into a seamless web of communications networks, computers, databases, and consumer electronics that will put vast amounts of information at users'…

Discusses the accessibility of networked information services, i.e., NREN (National Research and Education Network), and suggests a focus on research in two particular areas to identify and meet the information needs of network users: (1) a conceptual description of the academic networked environment, particularly from a user perspective; and (2)…

The process that Kenyon College (Ohio) used in researching development of a campus-wide information system (CWIS) is outlined, and the most important issues to be considered in launching a successful CWIS are identified, including resources, needs, ownership, access, personnel, content, policy, design, staffing, marketing, and ongoing development.…

Examines the "reality behind the hype" surrounding the Internet. Discusses its early development; growth and present state; and key applications, including e-mail, voice/video telephony, integrated messaging, electronic commerce, the World Wide Web, and Web commerce, Intranet, Extranet; education and training; security; ownership; and…

This document contains the final report and manual from Project Network, an experimental learning program that allowed adult literacy learners to interact via the Internet. The classes consisted of instruction in the following areas: basic keyboarding, simple networking techniques, accessing America Online, sending and receiving electronic mail…

The House Armed Services Committee asked the GAO (General Accounting Office) to examine the HPCC (High Performance Computing and Communications) program in terms of: (1) the effectiveness of the program's management structure in setting goals and measuring progress, and (2) how extensively private industry has been involved in the planning and…

This article describes the development at Florida State University of the Seminole ACCESS card, which functions simultaneously as a bank automated teller machine card, a student identification card, and a debit card. Explained are the partnership between the university and the bank charge card center, funding system, technologies involved, and…

Offers guidance on the development and introduction of an academic extranet (an information network that links computers through the World Wide Web rather than through a local area network) for a professional school, outlining the potential options and applications, and a plan for implementation. For descriptive purposes, the model school is a…

Although it has been widely recognized that the United States has moved into the Information Age, the federal government has been slow to establish a single mechanism to coordinate the many facets of the Information Age. The Special Libraries Association (SLA) proposes the establishment of a National Academy of Information to ensure government and…