Discussion of the quality of databases and database producers' responsibilities highlights a survey on current practices related to quality assurance that was completed by National Federation of Abstracting and Information Services (NFAIS) members. A checklist developed by the Southern California Online Users' Group (SCOUG) to help evaluate…

Examines why the "paperless office" has failed to materialize despite the availability of appropriate information technology. Conceptual limits are discussed, including the continued reliance on relational database management systems; the use of free-text retrieval software is considered; and social limits are described, including access…

This issue presents selected papers from a World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO/EURO) consultation (Munich, West Germany, May 8-10, 1989) which explored the creation of a metadatabase for European environmental health information systems (EEHIS). Topics discussed include environmental monitoring programs, environmental…

Describes Microcosm, an open hypermedia system for browsing through large bodies of multimedia information via links in external linkbases; explains HyTime (Hypermedia/Time-Based Structuring Language), an international standard for representing relationships between document objects; and examines HyTime features which are relevant to Microcosm.…

Discusses the identification of copyright ownership where there may not be a formal notice of copyright in the traditional print sense. Compilations of information on CD-ROMs and other optical media are addressed, the formation of standards by the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) is described, and relevant legal decisions are…

Presents a historical overview of the concept of copyrights as background for a detailed analysis of the licensing elements used for the protection of databases. The ramifications for the introduction of gateway systems without appropriate controls are discussed. (One reference) (CLB)

Discusses the use of telecommunications in museums; reviews existing museum documentary databases, including those that are accessible from remote locations; describes the RAMA (Remote Access to Museum Archive) project, a computer network linking image documentary databases of seven European museums; and discusses the outlook for electronic…

Discusses the general characteristics and problems of handling Sino-Japanese characters for bibliographic purposes, and describes features of Japanese databases, including requirements for database production, storage, searching, and retrieval of information stored as kanji characters. (9 references) (Author/CLB)

Examines the Commission of the European Communities' draft directive on database copyright. Components of the directive are discussed, including a definition of a database, databases protected as literary works under copyright law, piracy protection, fair use, and licensing requirements; and problems with the directive are described. (four…

Describes the development of a thesaurus for indexing the databases of Engineering Information, Inc., that improved the former precoordinate indexing vocabulary with postcoordinate descriptors and an appropriate set of thesaurus relationships. Problems of incompatibility with old indexing are addressed, and the use of an outside consultant versus…

Discussion of information retrieval from online databases focuses on sorting techniques to help the user analyze the increasing number of references that may result from a search. Link analysis and Datalink software are described, and examples using keyword factorial analysis and research pole analysis are presented. (16 references) (LRW)

Approaches to improved productivity in the input cycle of database creation are discussed in three papers. The discussions include problems with and potential impacts of computer support for indexers; conversion from a minicomputer based indexing and abstracting production system to a microcomputer network; and a computerized system for…

Reviews the economic importance of applying computer technology to Chemical Abstracts Service database production from 1973 to 1983. Database building, technological applications for editorial processing (online editing, Author Index Manufacturing System), and benefits (increased staff productivity, reduced rate of increase of cost of services,…

These papers presented at a World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO/EURO) Consultation explore current approaches to environmental health data in Europe. Topics discussed include unified environmental health databases, the use of national hospital registers, health statistics in small areas, expert systems, chemical databases,…

Includes five selected papers from the Thirty-Second Annual Conference of the National Federation of Abstracting and Information Services. Highlights include future possibilities of electronic information delivery; changes in information exchange between the United States and unified European governments; Japanese information systems; updating…