Three articles describe procedures used for retrospective conversion: MITINET/retro system in Wisconsin and efforts to create statewide bibliographic database; retrocon process for Library Computer System circulation/resource-sharing system in Illinois academic libraries; use of REMARC to build online catalog at Johns Hopkins University. Authority…

Discusses features of online library catalogs and their cost characteristics, including financial management and planning (hardware and software options, turnkey vendors); approaches to cost analysis (actual experiences, building blocks); baseline estimates for two average academic libraries; and vendor estimates. Forty-five references and a…

Presents results of interviews with automation administrators of 39 public and academic libraries that recently migrated to new automated systems. Topics discussed include motivation for migration, planning for implementation, technical decisions and considerations, training, publicity, and relations with vendors. A list of participating libraries…

Discusses the effect of online library catalogs on when, how, and by whom authority control work is done, focusing on experiences at Ohio State University Libraries. Shifts include removal of authority work from automated cataloging procedures, separation of mechanical and intellectual tasks, unique headings and references, and original…

Discusses implementation of online Library Circulation System (later known as Library Computer System) at University of Illinois which links campus libraries and provides circulation information to numerous public libraries. Conversion of shelflist into machine-readable form in house and by vendor, input problems, proofreading, vendor…

Describes the results of a 1990 survey of public, school, special, and university libraries that investigated attitudes toward technological applications and implementations. Topics include the use of various technologies, including CD-ROM; budget allocations to technology; patrons' use of technology; staff training; the necessity for planning;…

Provides generalizations and offers speculations about online library catalogs based on experiences of the Division of Library Automation, University of California, noting cataloging for access, rediscovering serial analytics, document delivery, electronic publishing, remote public access, circulation systems, and reference services. Four…

Describes a survey of research libraries with online catalogs planned or in place that examined the status of card catalogs, shelf list files, and the capability of online systems to handle traditional shelf list functions. The functions examined include inventory control, collection assessment, holdings information, and call number assignment.…

Reports on the retrospective conversion via OCLC of cataloging for three library collections at the University of South Carolina--the main, rare book, and historical collections. Backgrounds of the collections, conversion procedures, determinants of conversion rates, and cost factors are discussed. (Author/JL)

As college faculty and students become increasingly sophisticated in the use of microcomputers, academic libraries must resolve common issues involved with the decision to add data disks to their collections, including selection policy, hardware and supplies, acquisition and cataloging, location, staffing, level of service, circulation, and…

Explores issues surrounding efforts to introduce online catalogs to users and presents relevant research results from Northwestern University's "Educating the Online Catalog User" project. Highlights include attitudes and preconceptions about online catalogs and instruction, research on online catalog use, suggestions for online catalog teaching,…

Summarizes results of a survey of ARL (Association of Research Libraries) webmasters that investigated aspects of their roles and job tasks. Discusses their education; job responsibilities; job satisfactions and dissatisfactions; and their opinions about Web committees and the role of librarians in Web site development. Offers suggestions for…

Describes CETUS (Consortium for Educational Technology for University Systems), a partnership among the libraries of California State University, City University of New York, and State University of New York. Topics include changing roles of library staffs, ownership and fair use of copyrights, acquisition and access, and distance learning. (LRW)

The first of two articles on MELVYL, the University of California's online library system, discusses the next generation of public access information retrieval systems for research libraries based on lessons learned from 10 years of MELVYL. The second article considers MELVYL in the larger context of the University of California's information…

The first of two articles addresses the problems of automated bibliographic control of bound withs--i.e., books or pamphlets published separately and subsequently bound together--in a library collection, and explains a solution devised by Innovative Interfaces. The second article reports on beta testing of KeyNOTIS, a turnkey library automation…