This paper presents a novel approach to designing an online, open-source course in systems librarianship, an area of librarianship that may be perceived as complex and intimidating because of the technologies involved. The course design focuses on making systems librarianship more approachable for library and information science students who may…

Over the past several decades, millions of digital objects of significant scientific, economic, cultural, and historic value have been published and distributed to libraries and archives on removable media. Providing long-term access to these documents, media files, and software executables is an increasingly complex task because of dependencies…

This article defines three separate categories of microcomputers--personal, desk-top, multi-user devices--and relates storage capabilities (expandability, floppy disks) to library applications. Highlghts include de facto standards, operating systems, database management systems, applications software, circulation control systems, dumb and…

Review and discussion of the techniques of automatic format recognition (AFR) of bibliographic data. Comparison of record-building facilities of Library of Congress, University of California (both AFR techniques), and Ohio College Library Center (non-AFR). Projection of a next logical generation, original format recognition. (Author/LS)

A committee on rules fur cataloging machine readable data files (MRDF) recommends areas for revision of the Anglo American Cataloging Rules to integrate collections of MRDF into the mainstream of bibliographic control. The 12 working papers which support and detail these recommendations are appended to this report. They include rationales for…

It is the purpose of this study to provide fresh insight into the nature of library problems by systematically studying the question of size in various information contexts. In the introduction, the role that size plays from the user's point of view is illustrated. In the following sections, a study of the card catalogue, the classification system…

Outlines the basic database structure that should be in place in library automation systems. Suggests that any library automation system that includes a catalog should be using a database engine that uses the MARC record structure at its basic structure for record storage. Describes the elements of MARC 21 formats--the new standards for the…

Discusses the present situation and future developments of scientific and technical information in terms of its generation, accumulation, transfer, unit costs, and processing technology. (CC)

The 31 papers in this proceedings cover social as well as technical issues, mathematical models and formal logic systems, applications descriptions, program design, cost analysis, and predictions. The papers are grouped into sessions including: privacy and information technology, describing documents, information dissemination systems, public and…

Heavy emphasis was placed on experiments, and interpretation of experimental results. A set of experiments was designed to yield quantitative information on how the experimental subjects used the full-text-access system, why they used it and how effective it was. A detailed report of work on this topic to date is presented. The in-depth analysis…

Presents background information on DOBIS (an online library system) evaluation, software acquisition, and development, and describes the status and plans for DOBIS in the Canadian government. Appendices provide an overview of the Canadian government version of the system from a librarian's and a systems analyst's perspective. (CWM)

More than 100 data banks are listed with notes indicating the sponsoring agency, the type of material stored, where available, and the number of references stored annually. Characteristics of data banks, types of storage, descriptions of devices, and storage organization are briefly discussed in the introduction. Indexes to the data banks listed…

An ensemble of information systems being developed by the Central Library and Documentation Branch of the International Labour Office, a specialized agency of the U.N. located in Geneva is described. ISIS (Integrated Scientific Information System) was designed and is now being used to assist in the provision of library and documentation services,…

The ways in which digital computers can be used in information storage and retrieval are presented in the language of the nonspecialist. Indexing methods, file organization, and search strategies are discussed and a brief bibliography containing 30 IBM publications is given. The manual is intended as a first reader for those interested in the…

Recognizing that the fast-developing optical storage technologies provide a new dimension in publishing and information storage, retrieval, and distribution, this report examines the technical characteristics and capabilities of video and optical systems and the implications of this technology. The following aspects of optical disk systems are…