Describes how the Nashville State Tech Library has added Internet resource links to its home page and online catalog. Highlights include original cataloging for Web sites, selection and cataloging criteria, problems encountered, and faculty attitudes and input. (LRW)

Discussion of mergers in China between individual colleges and universities and much larger universities that have been a part of China's higher education reform focuses on the influence on academic libraries. Topics include collections; acquisitions; staffing; services; funding; resource sharing; library administration; online cataloging systems;…

Many catalogs are built in an ad hoc fashion, which results in uncertain quality in publicly accessible network catalogs. This article discusses problems facing designers building catalogs for large networks, relating them to resource discovery; provides a usability framework based on library science and human computer interaction literature; and…

Describes the Library of Congress online catalog, which is now available on the World Wide Web. Highlights include the LOCIS (Library of Congress Information System) database; Telnet access; the Web gateway to book and name authority files; an experimental catalog with a user-friendly interface; and examples of computer screens. (LRW)

To address the problem of outdated vendor catalogs, Edmonton (Alberta) Public Schools created a view-only online shopping mall that evolved into an electronic shopping program. Buyers can use credit cards for some transactions and cost coding for others. They can also sell unwanted items online. (MLH)

This experiment explores the effectiveness of retrieving the listing of a known-item book from the 3.6 million entry online catalog at the library of the University of Michigan using various combinations of author's name plus first and last title words. Discusses implications for the design of OPAC (online public access catalog) screens.…

Describes the results of a survey of public service librarians conducted by the Queens Borough Public Library to determine their confidence levels of using electronic resource to answer reference questions. Results demonstrated high confidence levels in using the library's online catalog and lower confidence in using the Internet. (Author/LRW)

Examines long-accepted ways library cataloging departments have used outsourcing (cataloging records, card production, authority control, card filling, and retrospective conversion) and potential outsourcing activities (original cataloging, and copy cataloging). Discusses reasons why outsourcing is controversial. (PEN)

Boolean systems still constitute most of the installed base of online public access catalogues (OPACs) in the French universities even if many studies have shown that Boolean operators are not frequently used by non-librarian users (by contrast with professional librarians). The first study examined the use of Boolean operators by French…

School library websites are a necessity. The earliest adopters have now had almost 10 years for development and redesign. Many sites have gone through numerous iterations with major improvements each time. Issues of cost, time, technology and training have made the discussion more a matter of deciding what to include and how to structure the sites…

The Elmer E. Rasmuson Library at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has a long history of supporting distance education through state-of-the-art, remote access services. Harsh climate conditions (heavy snowfall and icing, high winds, and extreme temperatures), rugged terrain, limited road and telephone systems, and permafrost that prevents the…

A usability study was undertaken at Penn State University to explore how students search the library's online catalog after they have received library instruction. In 2004, eight first-year students received library instruction and were subsequently recruited for the study. Participants were recorded using the online catalog, and a think-aloud…

The four reports contained in this document cover the first phase of the Apprenticeship Training Materials Clearinghouse project, which is being conducted at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon. The interim evaluation report assesses phase 1 of the project by listing a series of 17 bechmark questions and providing answers to each. Attached to…

In today's library environment, the library's most important asset is its machine-readable database. In order to maintain this investment, Data Research Associates provides several comprehensive data conversion services, including retrospective conversion and authority control. For bibliographic records not yet in MARC (machine readable…

This bibliography lists 371 selected citations to materials on CD-ROM technology and its applications. The first section includes journal articles subdivided by topical areas: (1) General; (2) Online Public Access Catalogs; (3) MEDLINE; (4) Bibliographies/Directories; (5) Hardware/Software; (6) Cost/Economics; (7) Databases; (8) Publishing; (9)…