Describes the development and implementation of software that provides a global change capability by allowing correction of a single heading in a large file of bibliographic records through programatic identification and replacement. Specific change processes are described, including name headings, geographic headings, and topical subject…

Describes the software architecture and application of SABRE (Semi-Automated Bibliographic Environment), which is one of the first products to provide a semi-automatic environment for relevancy ranking of citations obtained from searches of bibliographic databases. Features designed to meet the review, categorization, culling, and reporting needs…

A hypertext-based thesaurus is proposed as a navigational aid to the subject domain of a bibliographic database. Implementation of a hypertext version of the "Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors" with database linking strategies is discussed. (44 references) (EA)

Examines the cooperative efforts of the Western Library Network (WLN) and its members to maintain authority control over its central bibliographic database. The first section describes authority maintenance activities performed by WLN centrally, and the second describes the contribution of an individual member library--the Washington State…

Describes the development of an in-house bibliographic database by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory on arctic wetlands research. Topics discussed include planning; identifying relevant search terms and commercial online databases; downloading citations; criteria for software selection; management…

Addresses the problem of how to find interesting but previously unknown implicit information within the scientific literature. The use of software, called Arrowsmith, that can create suggestive juxtapositions of Medline records to help biomedical researchers detect new and useful relationships, is described. Contains 34 references. (Author/MES)

Describes a model for the standardization of names in bibliographic databases. Discusses a prototype that was developed to demonstrate feasibility of the model, and investigates the impact of implementing the model. Findings suggested that the new model will revolutionize name authority control and that the prototype verifies the technical…

Developed at the beginning of the decade to serve as a union catalog for identifying the holdings in all University of California (UC) libraries, the MELVYL online catalog as of October 1989 contained 10 million holdings for over 5 million monographic titles of print and nonprint materials, and more than 1.2 million periodicals holdings which…

The Simple Index Method overcomes the difficulties in building a core list for serials in interdisciplinary fields by using multiple indexes which cover various aspects of the subject. Collection-development librarians can develop a core list when standard bibliographies or specific indexing and abstracting tools are lacking and can tailor that…

The National Library of Portugal undertook a leadership role in the development of the Portuguese Bibliographic database (PORBASE). The National Library defined cataloging standards and circulated them to Portuguese libraries to create a national catalog. PORBASE is a work in progress with ongoing technical projects and collaboration in the…

Describes the implementation of a new set of indexes in the NOTIS/LUIS system that provide author, title, and subject access to bibliographic and authority records in the NOTIS/MARC format. The discussion covers index record structure and content, the design philosophy and process, and functions supported by the system. (Author/CLB)

Reports on the design of an automated query system to help pharmacologists access the Derwent Drug File (DDF). Topics include knowledge types; knowledge representation; role of the search intermediary; vocabulary selection, thesaurus, and user input in natural language; browsing; evaluation methods; and search statement generation for the World…

Describes problems encountered by the staff of the Georgia Power Company Library when they planned for the automation of their catalog. Topics discussed include developing software inhouse versus using commercial software packages; authority control and problems with standardization and subject access; changing from a mainframe to a microcomputer;…

As a way to teach database searching skills, students in a nursing research class were paired with, and performed literature searches for, faculty members or community health care professionals. Because students did not formulate questions or initial search terms, they concentrated on the search process, learning how professionals find and use…