Computer/automated catalogs have been in use in secondary schools for some time and have numerous advantages. A public access catalog (PAC) allows networking with other libraries, use of the Boolean search function, and the retrieval of bibliographic citations from a variety of access points. Moreover, PAC's have recently become more user…

A project at Brown University has developed a set of application and system software that provides access to a database of Classical Greek literature which is stored on a CD-ROM. Information on the origins of the project is provided and the technical development of the system is described in detail, including the creation of Classical Greek fonts,…

Intended for students studying information resources units at Kuring-gai College of Advanced Education, this coursebook examines the nature of information, its generation, and the categories and characteristics of various formats of information resources available. Designed as an introduction to sources of brief factual information, the document…

Three general features of scholarly journals--internal processing, format, and form--are examined with regard to journals published by the American Institute of Physics (AIP). Reasons for the minor impact of electronic processing on output forms and display formats in physics journals are discussed, including the dependence of such journals on the…

This study reviews changes brought about by advances in computer and telecommunications technology and describes online searching of sociological databases. Social changes affected by electronic technology are discussed, and speculations are made concerning the future effects of this technology. Also discussed are changes induced by recent…

This report summarizes the proceedings of a conference that brought together 35 librarians, network representatives, and system vendors to exchange information on the training of users of online public access catalogs. Three papers are presented: "Historic Concerns in Library Instruction: Teaching the Card Catalog," by Evan Farber;…

Between November 1, 1979, and April 30, 1981, the Wisconsin Survey of Machine-Readable Public Records was carried out to identify the technical, intellectual, and administrative problems associated with a records management and archival program for machine-readable records. The survey identified machine-readable records in several state agencies;…

This paper is the third in an Education Commission of the States (ECS) series focusing on the problems of youth at risk of not successfully making the transition to adulthood. The topic of this paper is the use of both existing and new information to understand the magnitude, scope, and future of students who are educationally at risk. The first…

This update of a 1977 training manual is designed for use by student assistants in the government documents section of John Grant Crabbe Library at Eastern Kentucky University. A brief introduction is followed by: (1) floor plans of the library; (2) a description of the documents collection including types of works and classification systems; (3)…

This paper provides the documentation for the program that provides access to the University of Illinois Online Catalog (OLC), together with a script to be used with 17 slides explaining the development of the program. Advantages of connecting a database to a computer-assisted instruction (CAI) system are outlined and sources of additional…

This user's guide to conducting a preliminary search of the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) database on CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read-Only Memory) begins by briefly describing the types of materials found in ERIC and explains the four steps common to the any computer search: (1) definition of topic elements and formation of concept…

Three influences on the outcomes of literature searches undertaken as part of integrative research reviews were examined: (1) the degree of expertise of the searcher; (2) the amount of information available (i.e., keywords, bibliographics, abstracts); and (3) the cognitive characteristics of the searcher. Participants were presented with…

This paper examines the relationship between democratic citizenship and information technology. Modern information technology disputes the idea that citizens can be properly educated to assume the burdens necessary to reap the blessing of freedom. Information technologies challenge the ability of citizens to fulfill the fundamental requirement of…

Based on a survey of 160 Texas college and university libraries, this study reports on their access to and usage of 3 online information retrieval systems: Bibliographic Retrieval Services (BRS), Lockheed's DIALOG Information Services, and System Development Corporation's ORBIT Information Retrieval System. The study finds that 24 percent of all…

This training manual developed by the Public Access Subcommittee of the Reference Department of Meriam Library (California State University, Chico) provides instructions for using the library's online public catalog by means of a touch terminal which accepts commands in the form of a touch on a particular part of the terminal screen. Author and…