Reviews the current state of the Internet as a data transport system and some of its emerging problems. Discusses two major research initiatives--Internet 2 and Next Generation Internet (NGI)--and network-level services that may see deployment in these new research testbeds. Concludes with speculations about future changes to the Internet as a…

This paper considers the ways in which information finding is changing in a world of digital information and associated search systems, with particular focus on methods of locating information that are distinct from, but complementary to, established practices of bibliographic description. The following three general approaches to identifying…

Discussion of assigning identifiers to books and bibliographic citations focuses on identifiers in the networked information environment, including URLs (Uniform Resource Locators); URNs (Uniform Resource Names); the OCLC Persistent URL (PURL); the SICI (Serial Item and Contribution Identifier) code; and the Digital Object Identifier (DOI). (LRW)

Discusses information retrieval standards as tools for interoperability among systems and traces the development of de jure and de facto standards in the U.S. and international telecommunications environment. Implementation of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) and Z39.50 standards is described. (EA)

Describes access management problems associated with networked information systems and the two major architectural approaches used to address them, including discussion of related policy issues such as privacy, accountability, and collection of management data. Focus is on the concerns of colleges and universities and on developing practical…

Discusses the state of the Internet. Highlights include the magnitude of the infrastructure, costs, its increasing pace, constraints in international links, provision of network capacity to homes and small businesses, cable television modems, political and cultural problems, the digital library concept, search engines, the failure of personal…

Examines ways in which information technology developments have changed academic libraries over the last few decades, and speculates about further changes to come. Discusses computerizing library operations; public access; electronic formats, particularly for journal articles; and information networks, including expectations about services,…