This study evaluates the effectiveness of simple and expert searches in Google Scholar (GS), EconLit, GEOBASE, PAIS, POPLINE, PubMed, Social Sciences Citation Index, Social Sciences Full Text, and Sociological Abstracts. It assesses the recall and precision of 32 searches in the field of later-life migration: nine simple keyword searches and 23…

A summary of one library's experiences in one year of searching a variety of bibliographic data bases. (PF)

Extensions are required to the currently operational INGRES data base system for it to manage a data base distributed over multiple machines in a computer network running the UNIX operating system. Three possible user views include: (1) each relation in a unique machine, (2) a user interaction with the data base which can only span relations at a…

Describes the selection policies, subject access, search aids, indexing, coverage, and currency of three online databases in the fields of electronics and computer science: COMPENDEX, ELCOM, and INSPEC. Sample searches are displayed for each database. A bibliography cites five references. (FM)

Examines design functions of present file organizations in the context of available data storage devices and identifies current developmental trends. (Author/RAA)

Discusses software developed to organize and retrieve electronically stored data, examining structure of the databases in which information is stored and the physical structure of the storage medium. Hierarchical and relational databases, unordered files, B-trees, and storage/software for specific purposes (such as weather, stock market, and…

Surveys the technology of database software and hardware, describing some of the principal issues related to the user's view of data, sharing, concurrent access, security, and integrity. (JN)

Lists organizations in the United States which sell or lease software or provide subscription service for on-line information retrieval from the full text of documents in user-provided data bases. (Author/CWM)

Testimony on the copyrightability of computer software was heard at the 10th Commission meeting held at the New York Public Library in November 1976. This transcript of the meeting also includes reports of the Commission subcommittees on photocopying, software, networks, and data bases. (Author/AP)

User perception of data importance and the economic feasibility of hardware and storage devices will determine the future direction of online systems. A retrieval system's functions are ultimately dictated by database design. Early online sytems were designed for bibliographic information limited to citations only using sequential files. When…

Discusses the Vocabulary Switching System (VSS), an experimental, automated switching system, which specifically addresses the problems of heterogeneous database vocabularies and indexes and the difficulty these pose for users who wish to combine more than one database in a single online search. (CWM)

The workshop had its genesis in the belief that interactive bibliographic data base searching will become an essential function of reference service and that there is a need for indepth training and more communication with suppliers--the on-line system supplier and the data base supplier. The workshop included presentations by data base suppliers,…

The computational complexity of a formal process for the construction of term classes for information retrieval is examined. While the process is proven to be difficult computationally, heuristic methods are applied. Experimental results are obtained to illustrate the maximum possible improvement in system performance of retrieval using the formal…

More than 100 data banks are listed with notes indicating the sponsoring agency, the type of material stored, where available, and the number of references stored annually. Characteristics of data banks, types of storage, descriptions of devices, and storage organization are briefly discussed in the introduction. Indexes to the data banks listed…

Discusses the desirability of locating a State or city information retrieval system at the university for joint use by online government agencies, top policymakers for budgeting and planning, and university scholars for their own or State contracted research. (Author)