Lists and briefly explains 20 laws passed by the second session of the 96th Congress which relate in some way to information. (FM)

Describes the Central Abstracting and Indexing Service of the American Petroleum Institute. (RAA)

Discusses the creation and existence of "hybrid" organizations, i.e., nonprofit companies sponsored by the government to provide extensive research and development services. Possibilities for hybrids are brought about by government intervention in the information marketplace to produce social benefits. (SW)

Describes the structure, services and role in the development of solar energy of the Solar Energy Information Data Bank. (RAA)

This special section includes seven articles that discuss reinventing information services. Highlights include linking information services to business strategies; meeting client initiatives; information services at the Ottawa laboratory of Bell-Northern Research (BNR); product service strategies; information management and transition economies;…

The problem presented by the way in which boundaries are drawn between computing and telecommunication, and the issues of the desirable degrees of monopoly and competition are discussed in relation to the development of information services and their accessibility. (Author/MBR)

SIRLS is a documentation center and computer-based information retrieval system. Services include computer-generated bibliographies and user-generated files. Upgrading of subject access to the collection through a thesaurus is planned, and online access is currently under revision. (Author/MBR)

Examines public and private interaction in the information sector, and explains how this interaction has caused a departure from the traditional roles of government and business. Also discussed is the lack of distinction between public and private information agents, as illustrated by U.S. government agencies. (SW)

SIRC began developing its sport library by building a basic periodical subscription list, indexing the publications, and publishing an index, Sports Articles. The center now has a computerized information storage and retrieval system with more than 20,000 citations including books and articles, and provides a variety of services. (MBR)

This examination of the role of information in society discusses information (certain form of knowledge that exists when this knowledge is alienated from its carrier) and knowledge, creating the information environment, the economic effects of information, and who should have access to information. (EJS)

A listing of 42 operational and experimental online agricultural information systems in the United States is provided, noting system name, sponsoring organization, location, information and services provided, and key contact person and phone number. (EJS)

Examines competition for "repackaging"--i.e., creating guides, indexes, and points of access to government information--which currently exists between government agencies and private industry. Actions by federal agencies to destroy free-market conditions and the need for development of a consistent policy to guide public/private sector relations…

Notes the importance of equal access to information for all citizens through library networks and defines the role of government in the establishment of a national network system. (CWM)

Describes the Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the Technical Information Center (TIC), and lists databases accessible online to the Department of Energy and its contractors through DOE/RECON. (RAA)

Identifies and examines four information science core competencies of the Du Pont Corporation's information science services: ability to conceptualize information; knowledge of internal and external information resources; understanding of information resource management; and ability to synthesize and tailor information. Describes the…