This description of the implementation of online search services in a small college library focuses on the low-cost, time-conscious methods adopted for searching, publicity, the policy for determining search fees, and evaluation. Sample materials provided include a poster, online statistics, a questionnaire, and a printout. (RBF)

Findings are reported for a project designed to improve subject access to books by augmenting MARC records with subject descriptions. A BOOKS data base, consisting of humanities and social science monographs, was created and made available for online searching. The availability of suitable information in books to produce augmented subject…

Study of online searching experience in Martin P. Catherwood Library, New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, presents results of five years of collecting data on bibliographic files accessed. A ranking of 10 most frequently searched files and commentary on pattern that emerges are provided. (EJS)

Since July 1978 the general reference section of the Pennsylvania State University library has compiled statistical information related to the use of online searching for reference purposes. An evaluation form completed by the librarian for each online reference search recorded such information as search date; status of requestor; printed sources…

Reports results of user survey complemented by personal discussions organized to ascertain users' satisfaction with and impact of On-line Information Service (OLIS) introduced by University of Hong Kong Libraries in January 1980. Subject searches, relevance of citations, and costs are discussed. The questionnaire and OLIS requests form are…

Describes how group of end users (engineering undergraduates) at Chalmers University of Technology were trained to perform interactive online searching on BYGGDOK, a small, specialized Scandinavian database. Goals and objectives of the instruction, teaching methods, evaluation, and comparison of searching between end users and intermediaries are…

Rectangular Venn diagramming for planning searches and for use as worksheets that can be revised during on-line searching is described. (Author)

Batch mode processing is compared, using cost-effectiveness, with on-line processing for computer-aided searching of chemical abstracts. Consideration for time, need, coverage, and adaptability are found to be the criteria by which a searcher selects a method, and sometimes both methods are used. There is a tradeoff between batch mode's slower…

A controversial issue involving online computer searching is the effect of patron presence during the computer search. The purpose of this research was to determine the attitudes of university librarians toward patron presence. A survey was used to explore variables related to the search process and searcher characteristics. Also considered was…

Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) indexes and microfiche have earned a position as major sources of information for educational researchers and practitioners in Canada. Their widespread use has been facilitated by the development of computerized search services, first using batch systems and more recently on-line interactive…

The Bio-Medical Library at the University of Minnesota has access to two on-line computer systems: the MEDLINE system (MEDLARS ON-LINE) of the National Library of Medicine and the State University of New York (SUNY) Biomedical Communication Network. MEDLINE consists of two files which provide coverage of the "Index Medicus" from 1970 to…

Description of use of Search Helper--a newly developed, user-friendly software package designed to enable a microcomputer to be used in searching Information Access Company databases on Dialog bibliographic retrieval service--at California State University--Long Beach (CSULB). Highlights six databases available, necessary hardware, and reference…

Intended for librarians familiar with basic online searching techniques and various vendor protocols, this manual describes and illustrates the policies, record-keeping, and forms used by the online services department of the Woodward Library at Austin Peay State University (APSU). Where specific examples are used, they are given with DIALOG…

The study reported was conducted at Concordia University after using the CAN/DOC ordering system to procure documents in the sciences directly from the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI) to assess the efficiency of interlibrary loan (ILL) procedures using this system. This study focuses on the relative turn-around…

Discussion of factors which led Division of Library Automation, University of California, to configure its computing resources as they are now, notes distributed processing, centralized processing, machine architecture, selection of operating system, telecommunications software, software packages for online catalogs, and problems of overhead and…