Two programs addressed the development of information retrieval systems useful to a variety of users. One program was designed to examine aspects of indexing and information display. Experiments with different indexing and display systems revealed that for good relevance judgements, a display with full citation, keyboards, and abstract is…

Presents factors for librarians to consider when decision-making about information retrieval. Discusses indexing theory; thesauri aids; controlled vocabulary or thesauri to increase access; humans versus machines; automated tools; product evaluations and evaluation criteria; automated classification tools; content server products; and document…

TRIAL (Technique for Retrieving Information from Abstracts of Literature) is an information storage and retrieval system which can be used by school media specialists to produce indexes of non-print materials. This manual provides a step by step approach for media specialists to automate their non-print holdings. These procedures can also be…

Describes the implementation of a user-oriented online indexing system at the Boys Town Center's Library Services Division. (FM)

Examines the potential benefits and problems for libraries using a fully automated short record circulation system, one that consists of a number designating the item, enough bibliographic information to identify it, information on its location, and information on the borrower. (FM)

Presents an inexpensive search system which would be very easy to adapt to a library's data processing requirements and would give a smaller library the opportunity to go on-line. (Author/PF)

Gives an overview of MEDLARS II as an example of a major bibliographic processing system that supports on-line access to a number of very large files, has efficient throughput, and is operated on a single large-scale computer. (Author/PF)

Includes an evaluation of turnkey circulation systems used to support online catalogs (Richard Boss), results of a survey to determine user attitudes toward online catalogs (Kenneth Dowlin), a description of Ohio State University's library control system (Susan Miller), and a profile of a user-designed subject retrieval system (Kaske and Sanders).…

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…

This discussion of the major issues concerning online public access library catalogs highlights types of systems, user behavior, structure of systems and user-friendly information retrieval methods (menus, fuzzy matches, prompters), and additional search strategy features (limits, browsing, truncation). Three references are listed. (EJS)

Describes the use of the Guelph Document System (CODOC) as a vehicle for handling the University of Guelph's archival collection, noting difficulties that were encountered, as well as advantages. Two references are cited. (CHC)

A comparison of costs for computer-based searching of Psychological Abstracts and Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) systems by the New York State Library at Albany was produced by combining data available from search request forms and from bills from the contract subscription service, the State University of New…

A review of M.I.T.'s INformation TRansfer EXperiments (Project Intrex). The Intrex system includes an augmented catalog stored inan online interactive computer in combination with full-text storage on microfiche. There are discussions of details of the catalog structure, user experiments, economic studies, and information-system networking.…

From experimental work performed, and reported upon in this document, it is concluded that converting the New York State Library (NYSL) shelf list sample to machine readable form, and searching this shelf list using a remote access catalog are technically sound concepts though the capital costs of data conversion and system installation will be…

Provides a brief introduction to computer applications in information organizations in China. Highlights include information retrieval (personnel, equipment, bibliographic databases, information retrieval programs and systems, service status); library management; and Chinese character processing (code method, character root method). History,…