Reports the results of a study that investigated whether faculty who use computer mediated communication (CMC) achieve greater scholarly productivity as measured by publications and numerous other prestige factors. Findings that indicate positive results from CMC are described, implications for faculty and academic libraries are discussed, and…

Describes Pharos, a prototype that automatically classifies and summarizes Internet newsgroups using the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) scheme. Topics addressed include the methodology of collection summarization and selection, constructing an online LCC outline, evaluation, limitations of the system, and classification of nontextual…

Offers insight into electronic text. Discusses seven characteristics of electronic text that have an impact on the notion of literacy and literacy instruction. Discusses repositories of electronic text, and describes a small sampling of sources for free electronic texts on the Internet that are easily accessible to teachers and useful for literacy…

Describes analog preservation (microfilm); digital preservation; Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) and Preservation Resources, formerly Mid-Atlantic Preservation Services (MAPS) and projects in culture, sports, and history; and Preservation Resources imaging projects with the Library of Congress, Columbia University, and the Association of…

Describes the genesis, mission, methods of operation, and recent and future activities of the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) Institute, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to promoting the evolution of libraries and information services by providing managers with opportunities for advanced education and knowledge exchange. (PEN)

Discusses educational philosophies of John Dewey, Edgar Dale, and Jerome Bruner dealing with experience and learning and describes experiential learning activities within the curriculum of the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Hawaii. Results of a study examining student attitudes toward experiential learning are…

In information retrieval (IR), the aim of genetic algorithms (GA) is to help a system to find, in a huge documents collection, a good reply to a query expressed by the user. Analysis of phenomena seen during the implementation of a GA for IR has led to a new crossover operation, which is introduced and compared to other learning methods.…

Describes the Marine Corps University (Virginia) Library's collections and reserves. States that the library's resources focus on military doctrine, history, arts, and sciences, and that they include Web- and CD-ROM-based specialized military databases. Describes the library's mission to serve the university community and Marine Corps patrons…

This study examined the increase in collaboration in the literature of academic librarianship, explores the relationship between collaboration and article quality as well as author productivity, compares collaborative patterns of college versus university librarians, and considers factors that lead to successful collaboration. (Contains 56…

Discussion of the increasing price of journal subscriptions and the resulting impact on library budgets focuses on libraries in less developed countries. Describes international efforts between developed and developing nations to get scholarly research published, indexed and abstracted, converted to electronic form, and made accessible worldwide.…

Discusses objections in the library community to the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA), a legal framework being considered by state governments regarding computer information, transactions, and software. Topics include copyright issues; user needs for access to information; license agreements; and costs that may prevent…

A periodical database was searched to investigate the occurrence of favorable and unfavorable book reviews to determine the role of reviews in library selection. Compares book reviews with other types of reviews, examines relationships between review evaluations and other review characteristics, and compares the number of favorable and unfavorable…

Librarians and library users were interviewed about their perceptions of actual reference encounters in academic libraries. Results demonstrate that a communication-centered approach to reference encounters provides rich insights into the interpersonal dynamics between librarians and users. An appendix presents some interview responses. (JMV)

Discusses copyright law and its effect on libraries' ability to provide equal and timely access to information. Highlights include fair use, publishers' revenue-based approach to copyright, copying guidelines for librarians, copyright use fees and the cost of access, and a hypothetical index of copyright access fees for journal articles. Contains…

Argues that a deleterious effect of increased use of online databases in academic debate is the change in the nature of information available to debaters and corresponding changes in ideological assumptions in argumentation. Examines the link between debate training and argumentative proficiency in a democracy. Foresees the likely consequences of…