This study examined current information retrieval strategies used by online searchers involved in psychological research. A survey was distributed in fall 1988 to 200 database coordinators at institutions of higher education throughout the United States to obtain information on the databases accessed and use of multi-database options. The response…

The first article describes SPORT, a database providing international coverage of athletics and physical education, and compares it to other online services in terms of coverage, thesauri, possible search strategies, and actual usage. The second article reviews available online information on sports medicine. (CLB)

Describes a survey of users of ERIC and AGRICOLA databases in a midsized public university library. Statistics on the use of computerized and print resources, user reasons for choosing the computerized databases, and the percentage of inappropriate or borderline searches are presented; and implications for library services are drawn. (12…

A study of users' keyword searching success and knowledge using the NOTIS online catalog at Indiana State University revealed a low rate of knowledge about keyword searching. Frequency of catalog use, previous online database searching or computer coursework, and library instruction were found to correlate well with search success and keyword…

Investigation of end-user searching at National Library of Medicine reveals that volume of searching is related to convenient placement of terminal; slightly fewer than half of potential searchers search for themselves; practices of pharmacists and pathologists do not differ in important ways; end-user searchers perform simple searches. (86…

This survey of the literature reveals user and professional opinions of changes in subject access features available for online public access catalogs. Highlights include expanded access to fields already incorporated into traditional MARC record, access to context of the record, and design of the user interface. Twenty-four references are cited.…

A survey at the University of Houston examined factors related to subject searching success in online catalogs, including: extent of subject searching; response to unsuccessful searches; reasons subject search is not used; users' awareness of sources of subject terms; and suggestions from users for improving subject searching capabilities. (CLB)

Summarizes findings of a survey of academic and school libraries which identified software being used for bibliographic instruction. Representative software is described, including how it is used, and suggestions are offered for why computer assisted instruction hasn't been more widely used, and for promoting and using it more effectively. (EM)

Search Helper, a microcomputer software package marketed by Information Access Company to serve as a gateway to several of their databases, was selected as a system for introducing the Carnegie-Mellon University community to do-it-yourself database searching. Preliminary results of user survey indicate service to be extremely popular with library…

Describes use studies of CD-ROM products in American and western European academic, public, and special libraries. Comparative results of the surveys are reported, including effect of CD-ROMs on library use of online databases, difficulties with different vendors' search techniques, and desired subjects of optical products. (10 references) (LRW)

This report presents the objectives, methodology, and results of a study which assessed the selection and utilization of four MEDLINE search systems by faculty and medical residents at the George Washington University Medical Center. The four systems, which were provided or sponsored by the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library, offer a wide range of…

Searches conducted at the library of King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals Library (Saudi Arabia) were analyzed as to online versus CD-ROM, costs, academic department, user status, subject, databases accessed, and search strategy. A database management system was used to compile results, and statistics will aid in material selection and…

Discusses a decline in patron requests for librarian-mediated searches of MEDLINE at Yale University's medical library and describes results of a survey that was conducted to determine possible reasons. The influences of miniMEDLINE (an in-house version), online end-user systems, and CD-ROMs outside the library are examined. (five references) (LRW)

The Internet is a network of networks which continually accumulates and amasses information, much of which is without organization and evaluation. This study addresses the need for establishing a database of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), and for collecting, organizing, indexing, and publishing catalogs of URLs. Librarians and information…

Integrating comments from the literature about CD-ROMs, online searching, and information retrieval, this report describes the initial experience of using InfoTrac at Winona State University (WSU). After finding that students did not tend to order fee-based online searches, the WSU library provided access on a trial basis to bibliographic…