Discusses the definition of an online library catalog; five factors to be considered by the online catalog designer; user-computer communication (error messages, help screens, prompts, unnatural language); online tutorials and offline instruction offered by bibliographic instruction librarians; and the current situation. Nine references are…

Discusses the importance of Boolean searching as a skill that students will need in the future. Methods for teaching Boolean searching are described, and the value of truncation as an online searching aid is considered. (MES)

Describes a library instruction program developed at the library of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, for graduate assistants, consisting of handouts and training modules; the program was later expanded to include undergraduates and faculty. Highlights include goals and objectives of user education; the use of CD-ROMs; search strategies; and…

This report describes a three-stage catalog use study conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Stout from 1982 through 1986 to determine the types of searches conducted and search success rates for both the card and online catalogs during the library's transition to the DataPhase Automated Library Information System (ALIS). Phase I, conducted…

A handbook has been produced at the University of California at Davis (UCD) for an English course titled "Introduction to Library Research and Bibliography." The course includes a term project, practical assignments, and eight lectures: (1) introduction to the library; (2) card catalog; (3) reference works; (4) serials, indexes, and abstracts; (5)…

Discusses changes in academic libraries resulting from evolving technologies, and the need to train library patrons and staff in the use of electronic information systems. A review of the training literature and the results of three projects for supporting patron use of online systems are reported. (CLB)

Describes how automation has transformed the library and how super-catalogs have affected the process of doing research. Explains how faculty and librarians can work together to help students to use the available databases effectively, by teaching them Boolean logic, standard record formats, filing rules, etc. (DMM)

In the fall of 1990, the Computer Services Section of the Department of Public Instruction in North Carolina began a project to study how the use of an online catalog in the media center would influence student academic achievement and provide a vehicle for students to gain the skills needed to access information. For a year, the media…

Includes 10 articles that address issues involved in teaching library skills in middle schools and junior and senior high schools. Topics discussed include computer-based technology; blending print and electronic sources; search strategies for online systems; expert systems for reference questions; information skills and thinking skills; and…