Suggests standards designed to guide potential database users through a systematic evaluation process to choose database appropriate for particular application. Comparison standards are provided for database content (scope, completeness, source coverage, selection/evaluation, redundancy, references); database systems (documentation, accessibility,…

Presents a framework for measuring the value of information from three perspectives--the reader of information, the organization or funder, and society--which is based on use studies of the Energy Data Base by Department of Energy researchers. (CLB)