Describes ERA (Electronic Redistribution and Archiving), a new service on Dialog, that provides both users and database producers with a legal means of registering multiple, systematic use of copyrighted material. Costs and pricing are explained; inclusion of copyright notices on database records is discussed; and compliance is considered. (LRW)

Provides an overview of the Canadian business environment and online sources of business information. The databases described cover the following areas: directories, financial information, stock quotes, investment reports, industrial and economic information, magazines, newspapers, wire services, biographical information, and government…

Reviews the best and worst in databases on disk, CD-ROM, and online, and offers judgments and observations on database characteristics. Two databases are praised and three are criticized. (Author/JMV)

In the first of three articles, the producer of Energyline, Energynet, and Tele/Scope recalls the development of the databases and database business strategies. The second describes the development of biomedical online databases, and the third discusses future developments, including full text databases, database producers as online host, and…

Describes the method used by the American Chemical Society to keyboard its primary journals directly into a publishing database, which is then used to produce printed journals and create an online full text file. The use of a generalized mark-up format to convert journals not keyboarded in such a manner is suggested. (four references) (CLB)

Discussion of quality, quality control and assurance, and quality management in using online information services focuses on the production of online bibliographic databases and covers possible attributes responsible for the quality of this kind of online database. Document acquisition, analysis, and selection; subject analysis; and bibliographic…

Examines the practice and implications of issuing corrections, retractions, and amplifications in online databases. All database producers do not provide mechanisms to accommodate retractions and corrections, and it can be difficult for a searcher to find evidence of error correction. Sidebars illustrate both the lack of and evidence of…

This article discusses sources from which information used in in-house databases can be obtained and enumerates points to consider in database building phase (test database design ideas against external database if available, make arrangements for data entry, exercise quality control). Fourteen contractors or sources of computerized information…

Lists and describes databases that provide software reviews and directories, and that focus on particular applications, including engineering, education, libraries, microcomputers, and general business. A directory of these databases is provided which includes the database producer, starting date, updating frequency, and online access vendor. (CLB)

This report, the second annual Database Marketplace survey, analyzes information gathered from 29 companies that distribute and produce information available through online, Web, or CD-ROM systems. In addition to data, topics include company mergers, takeovers, sales, accomplishments, and future plans. (Author/LRW)

This conference paper addresses the abundance of information delivery choices available to academic library online searchers. Following a review of changes and choices that have developed during the past decade, the paper suggests 10 ways for the searcher to keep up to date in this fast changing field: (1) read subject-related journals, system…

The University Libraries Computer Search Service (State University of New York at Albany, SUNYA) provides access to databases from many vendors including BRS, Dialog, Wilsonline, CA Search, and Westlaw. Members of the Computer Search Service, Collection Development, and Reference Service staffs select vendor services and new databases for their…

Compares the available databases, retrieval techniques and costs of traditional online searching of remote databases and local online access, i.e., databases available at the point of use via CD-ROMs or site licenses. The options and risks of local online access, and the possible impact on the database industry, are discussed. (CLB)

Describes a survey of 39 database publishers concerning their policies for downloading, i.e., capture of information into machine-readable format from proprietary databases. Discussion covers fair use principle, long-term storage and reuse, policy enforcement, and per record payment principle. Database publishers surveyed profile of survey…

Developments in EUDISED (European Documentation and Information System for Education) during the period 1986-1987 in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland are outlined in this report, and information is provided on both online use of the EUDISED database and the distribution by country of contributions to the database.…