Variety-generator approach seeks to reflect the microstructure of data elements in their description for storage and search, and takes advantage of the consistency of statistical characteristics of data elements in homogeneous data bases. (Author)

History, development, evaluation, and problems of computerized biomedical information systems, with emphasis on the National Library of Medicine and MEDLARS. (LS)

The National Bureau of Standards is mechanizing a catalog of currently available information sources and services. Information from recent surveys of machine-readable, commercially-available bibliographic data bases, and the various current awareness, batch retrospective, and interactive retrospective services which can access them have been…

Discusses design features of the Online Catalog of LS/2000, OCLC's enhanced version of Integrated Library System. This minicomputer-based system provides bibliographic file maintenance, circulation control, and online catalog searching. Examples of available displays--holdings, full MARC, work forms, keyword entry, index selection, brief citation,…

Describes the role of automation in library acquisitions and serials departments in support of collection development. Highlights include workstations and expert systems; links to external databases; vendor services, including serials services and online review and selection of approval books; and automated access to collection development…

Presents the design procedures, bibliographic system, file structures, acquisitions and circulation systems, functional implementation, and future development of the Managing Resources for University Libraries (MARVEL) data base at the University of Georgia Libraries, which accepts MARC input from OCLC and Library of Congress (LC) MARC tapes. (CWM)

A laserdisc periodical index (InfoTrac) that offers relatively sophisticated search capabilities without librarian assistance or user training is now popular college library research tool. The index database consists of more than half million references to articles and reviews published since 1982 in 1,000 general interest, business, and technical…

This detailed description of a fully integrated, turnkey library system includes a complete profile of the system (functions, operational characteristics, hardware, operating system, minimum memory and pricing); history of the technologies involved; and descriptions of customer services and availability. (CLB)

Three separate articles describe the online union catalog developed and implemented at the University of California to enhance public access. Planning for library automation, development and production of the database, access points to the catalog, the patron interface, standardizing input data, and merging records are discussed. References are…

Prepared for consideration by the Network Technical Architecture Group (NTAG), a subcommittee of the Library of Congress (LC) Network Advisory Group, this document describes the study and development of text formats for the message delivery system of a nationwide library bibliographic network. Following a discussion of network considerations of…

Traces introduction of automation in National Scientific and Technical Information Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, highlighting online applications in English and Arabic. Systems developed (bibliographic control, union lists, circulation control, indexes) and use of STAIRS storage and retrieval system for integrated databases are…

Alternative approaches to the building of monographic bibliography files for an on-line data management system using minicomputers at the University of Minnesota Libraries' Twin Cities Campus center are described. Secondary and primary sources of the Machine-Readable Cataloging (MARC) II records are considered--including Blackwell-North America,…

Traces the history of the National Library of Medicine with emphasis on research and development activities in biomedical communications and information science. Highlights include the areas of bibliographic control, library automation, information retrieval, knowledge management systems, and educational technologies. (CLB)

Describes the Mann Library Gateway that provides access to an electronic library developed at Cornell University (New York) including indexes, numeric data files, and full text of journal articles and reference works that are available at users' workstations. Highlights include modules of the system; software design; user training and support;…

Responding to an informal survey, 96 media specialists named favorite software, CD-ROMs, and online sites. This article lists automation packages, electronic encyclopedias, CD-ROMs, electronic magazine indexes, CD-ROM and online database services, electronic sources of current events, laser disks for grades 6-12, word processing programs for…